Thomas Pridgen vs Tony Royster Jr

Ready to listen all the notes you can listen in 9 minutes?

And, on Modern Drummer Wire, some licks by Thoms Pridgen

Beijing 2008: the drum that came from afar

There are not only the 2008 Fou drums that enchanted the world in the opening ceremoy, in Beijing 2008. There are drums from everywere. Some of them really coming from afar, and, despite Confucius, not always welcome.

In a great post by Daniel Oshinsky, blogging for Rocky Mountain News from Beijing olympics, there’s a story about people that made a long journey to Beijing and standed for their rights (to play) and support athletes. Most of all a story about people that don’t accept a ‘no’ as an answer.

“One of the drummers in front of me slumps his shoulders. I notice a strange tag on his drum and reach for it. It’s an airline baggage tag. This drum was literally checked all the way to Beijing. It made it this far; all he wants is it take it a little further. “

Read the story

Pas 2008 scholarship winners and Pasic artist update

New confirmations for Pasic ( November 5 - 8, 2008. Austin Convention Center, Austin, Texas): Dafnis Prieto, Richie Flores with Jessie Caraballo, and Gorden Campbell joins Taku Hirano. Click here for confirmed artists update

Pas 2008 scholarship
Here’s the names and profiles (.pdf file) of the scholarship winner for this year.

PAS Armand Zildjian Percussion Scholarship: Alex Wier, Tucson, AZ
PAS Hudson Music Drumset Scholarship: Jacob Reed, Cincinnati, OH
PAS/Remo, Inc. Fred Hoey Memorial Scholarship: Bryan Butelefski, Neenah, WI
PAS/Sabian, Ltd. Larrie Londin Memorial Scholarship: Darek Cline Cobbs Portage, MI; Kolton Stewart, Ontario, Canada; Jonathan Barber, Hartford, CT

More info on Pas grants and scholarships

Products: Evans G-Plus

Via Modern drummer an interesting product review:

Evan’s G-Plus Coated

Using an exclusive 12mil film made especially for Evans, the G-Plus delivers the open and warm tone of a single-ply while the added thickness provides increased durability, attack, and projection for hard hitters. On snare, the head produces a definitive “crack” while maintaining an ambient sound. The coating adds additional warmth, focus, and depth. Single-ply, open and warm tone with ample resonance, increased durability, enhanced body & projection.

If someone have tried and want to share impression is welcome

88 Boadrum. Be 89th drummer

Friday 8.8.2008, 88 drummers played for 88 minutes in NY and Los Angeles a composition hosted by Japanese band Boredoms (in LA) and by Gang Gang Dance (in NY). The same day 2008 fou drummers were knocking down the Jericho walls in Beijing, other 176 drummer were playing their kit in a spiral formation (at the end of what there are us listening).

Again, the 8: “In Asian cultures, 8 is an auspicious number. It’s pronunciation sounds similar to a word that means “prosper.” There are also ties to the symbol for infinity. Whatever the meaning and reason, there was no way to get around the bigness of the sound” (from RollingStone.com).

Boadrum is a performance with selected drummers, disposed in spiral and playing on a composition with unison, fills, and all stuff. A great spectacle. A great experience to attend to and, most of all, to play in.

Read this story on Rolling Stone: I was drummer 56

Resources (open in a new tab or windows to not loose this page)

Video (lucky there’s no International Olympic Commettee claiming for copyright):
Los Angeles
Boadrum LA
88 Boadrum at La Brea Tar Pits
New York
88 boadrum in New York (1)
88 boadrum in New York (2)
88 boadrum in New York (3)
88 boadrum in New York (4)

Photos
Hundreds of great shots on Flickr
88 BoaDrum at East River State Park

Other Links
88 Boadrum (from Wikipedia)
77 Boadrum documentary
The Boredoms Official Site

Steve Smith Tour Dates summer - fall 2008

Steve Smith performance dates and drum clinics, updated

August 2008

Saturday, 23
Steve Smith and Vital Information
Forum Conference Center - One Cleveland Center, 1375 East 9th Street
Cleveland, Ohio, USA 44114
Cost: $35 or $50 for clinic and concert
www.drumfantasycamp.com/concert.htm

Saturday, 23 - Wednesday, 27
Drum Fantasy Camp - drumFantasy.08
Hyatt Regency Hotel, 420 Superior Avenue,
Cleveland, Ohio, USA 44114
www.drumfantasycamp.com

September 2008: Sonor Steve Smith 30th Anniversary World Clinic Tour

Monday, 1: CAPITAL E, Civic Square - Wellington, New Zealand - www.rockshop.co.nz
Wednesday, 3: THE MUSIC DEN - 261 MOORABOOL STREET GEELONG. VIC. 3072 (Melbourne), Australia - www.musicden.com.au
Thursday, 4: DRUMMERS DREAM - 610-612 CANTERBURY ROAD - BELMORE. NSW. 2192 (Sydney), Australia - www.drummersdream.com.au

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE DATES LIST

Beijing 2008 opening ceremony: 2008 ancient drums countdown (audio & video)

If you attended at a whatever drums performance you know how the sound can kick your body and take you to the sky (or drown down to hell).
I was wondering how i’d felt listening 2008 Fou ancient drums (reloaded with latest tech) playing in the Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing for the Olympics opening ceremony. There we saw a part of the China we love, without forgetting China that we cannot forgive. And without forgetting that we too have something to be forgiven.

Beijing 2008 Opening Ceremony Fou Drums Video
The 2008 drummers performance with ancient Fou Drums at the Beijing 2008 Olympics opening ceremony. Countdown to the start with Confucian “Welcome friends who come from afar”
1. Beijing 2008 opening ceremony: Fou Drums video, from CCTV [killed]
2. Fou drums video, alternative link, low quality [killed]

3. Beijing 2008 opening ceremony: Fou Drums video, from RaiTv
[Legal issue: this video will probably last, 'cos Rai.it is the legal owner of broadcasting rights for Italy. Due to copyright restrictions, though, this video is probably available only for users ip address located in Italy. If you can't watch it you can:
1. Find if your local olympics video rights holder (eg: Nbc for Usa, Bbc for Uk etc...) posted the video [if you have the url for your country and want to share it pls leave it in a comment to this post];
2. Proxyfy yourself and masquerade your ip pretending you are in Italy (don’t loose time if you’re not a skilled netsurfer);
3. Politely email the International [...wait for commercial here....] Olympic Committee politely asking why they think the world will be a worse place if you watch 3 minutes of drummers playing some days ago
4. Listen to the audio file of drums of the Beijing 2008 opening ceremony]

Don’t loose the Shaolin section of the opening ceremony: great (martial) coreography with lot of drums too [yet not killed]

Nasyrium Drum Camp

Play drums in the wood; study the art of afrocuban rythms for the drumset with Horacio “el negro” Hernandez and, then, swim in the lake; explore the most sofisticated rythm concepts with Mike Mangini, and then take a breath canoing.

Drums in the nature. That’s the Nasyrium Drum Camp: Long Bay Campground, Westport - Ontario (Canada); august 17 - 23 , 2008. Teacher’s line is excellent: Horacio ‘el negro’ Henandez, Mike Mangini, Dennis Chambers, Giovanni Hidalgo, Kenwood Dennard, Raul Rekow, Nasyr A. Al-Khabyyr

Drums circle (and police) on the beach

What if you and take your drum and go to the beach, and start playing with some friends? What if people hear the brazilian and african rythms in the air and show up, and start dancing, and drinking and eating and having good time? What if you have no permit, and police have to shut the circle down even if nobody is not doing ‘bad things’ and everybody stops to clean the sand had put everything as was before?

Read this article from East Hampton Star

Drums in New York: Virtual Drummer School scholarship contest

Three weeks in N.Y. studying at Drummers Collective, with all bills payed. It’s the main prize for the Virtual Drummer School Second International Scholarships in collaboration with Drummers Collective and AIE (Composers and Performers Spanish Association).

Contest is open to Virtual Drummers School students from any country from 18 to 30 years old. All info on VDS website. Here and excerpt of the contest’s rules:

The VDS in cooperation with AIE (Composers and Performers Spanish Association), and the famous Drummers Collective of N.Y., organizes the Second International Scholarships, for the VDS students.

. 11 Scholarship for the “Elective Intensive”
a) 3 weeks course at the Drummers Collective, costing 4.800 US$.
b) Additionally, 3.600 US$ for travel expenses, hotel, etc. The total amount will be 8.400 US$.