House of Drumming.com

Juan Tizol is smiling down from above

Further proof that I have never heard a DW kit that I thought sounded good! DW=OVERRATED! imho...

Frank Sanchez wrote:Further proof that I have never heard a DW kit that I thought sounded good! DW=OVERRATED! imho...

The whole kit sounded kinda dry to me. Drum wise at least.

Lousy TV mix?

Cymbals sounded pretty good.

Maybe the duct tape on the drums made them too dead for our ears...???

Yea, no disrespect. Tony is a monster player in this new fusion approach to gospel and r+b that has been going on for years. IMO his drums sound flabby and dead.( I agree with Frank about DW's). I also don't for the life of me understand the style and song choice. Swing is not Tony's strength and you can tell. To top it off, IMO that solo said nothing to me. I can appreciate the cross over licks, fast hands, and double bass drumming, but not when it's used like that. Why can't music be played? Play a phrase and build on it. I've heard other fusion type "gospel chops" players say more in 4 bars. Maybe I'm too critical and maybe he was nervous. It just seems like with all of those accolades, he should have been more prepared. He's better than this, I've seen it.

Robert Bluman wrote:Yea, no disrespect. Tony is a monster player in this new fusion approach to gospel and r+b that has been going on for years. IMO his drums sound flabby and dead.( I agree with Frank about DW's). I also don't for the life of me understand the style and song choice. Swing is not Tony's strength and you can tell. To top it off, IMO that solo said nothing to me. I can appreciate the cross over licks, fast hands, and double bass drumming, but not when it's used like that. Why can't music be played? Play a phrase and build on it. I've heard other fusion type "gospel chops" players say more in 4 bars. Maybe I'm too critical and maybe he was nervous. It just seems like with all of those accolades, he should have been more prepared. He's better than this, I've seen it.

I kind of think your are being a bit overly critical (of course you have every right to be if you want to).

There's a phrase by Kenneth Burke called "trained incapacity" -- basically it's the idea that the more trained we are the more we are incapable in some ways. Or at least that the training conditions us to think and see in certain ways -- creating a kind of "occupational psychosis." A trained and inexperienced drummer can create in himself/herself an inability to enjoy drumming because very little measures up to the ideal in the mind. Especially when it is on display in a big venue (and a general venue at that).

I enjoyed the song and the playing at the level appropriate for the occasion -- and I appreciate Letterman doing this.

MRhet wrote:

Robert Bluman wrote:Yea, no disrespect. Tony is a monster player in this new fusion approach to gospel and r+b that has been going on for years. IMO his drums sound flabby and dead.( I agree with Frank about DW's). I also don't for the life of me understand the style and song choice. Swing is not Tony's strength and you can tell. To top it off, IMO that solo said nothing to me. I can appreciate the cross over licks, fast hands, and double bass drumming, but not when it's used like that. Why can't music be played? Play a phrase and build on it. I've heard other fusion type "gospel chops" players say more in 4 bars. Maybe I'm too critical and maybe he was nervous. It just seems like with all of those accolades, he should have been more prepared. He's better than this, I've seen it.

I kind of think your are being a bit overly critical (of course you have every right to be if you want to).

There's a phrase by Kenneth Burke called "trained incapacity" -- basically it's the idea that the more trained we are the more we are incapable in some ways. Or at least that the training conditions us to think and see in certain ways -- creating a kind of "occupational psychosis." A trained and inexperienced drummer can create in himself/herself an inability to enjoy drumming because very little measures up to the ideal in the mind. Especially when it is on display in a big venue (and a general venue at that).

I enjoyed the song and the playing at the level appropriate for the occasion -- and I appreciate Letterman doing this.

Am I being a bit critical or overly critical? lol I said that for a reason. I'm probably older and I remember when Johnny Carson had guests like Buddy, Bellson, Philly Joe, hell the list is long. He used to give Ed solos all the time. So for me seeing this on late is nothing new or something that needs a thank you. It's a shtick. Drums are exciting. When you saw those guys in the same scenario as Royster, much music was being played. When Neil Peart did it during the original drum week, more music was played. I guess because I have heard Royster on several occasions, I was disappointed. I'm sure we all get snippy when it comes to representing an instrument and art form we love. I didn't feel this was a worth while representation. In the area of the genre of jazz and swing, if anything Tony Royster is under trained, not over trained. Which is why I wish he would have broke into a hip hop groove. That's more his thing.

GO GAVIN!!

keep in mind...Letterman isn't having drummers on so drummers will tune in . They're on this week to entertain his normal viewers .
some dude and his old lady at home aren't nit-picking Royster's performance . they're saying wow that guy was amazing just like Dave had hoped they would and will hopefully tune in again tonight .