Graham Lear

[Paul Marangoni]

http://youtu.be/eeheX9KuTA8?t=26m34s

[Jim Richman]

[nomsgmusic]

Yeah Paul!!!! Based on my new gig, I've been listening to Graham Lear A LOT!!! He sounds wonderful on "Moonflower," he approached that music so differently than Mike Shrieve, not better not worse, just different. And although he was somewhat busier, he still managed to leave space for the percussionists (which Mike is very good at.) I really dig what Ndugu did in the band as well.

Speaking firsthand, that is an interesting (and tough) line to walk. Keep the rhythm section feeling good and support the percussion section. All the while integrating the two into a cohesive unit. Stay out of the way of the percussionists, while orchestrating a unified sound and groove with them, while not playing any of the same ideas (or parts of a groove) as them. Play all those hits, unisons, and breaks within the tunes, support the soloists, and (oh yeah!) GROOVE the TUNES! Santana is a multi-layered gig to say the least. And I have the utmost respect for all of the guys who have done it.

My Zoom has been working overtime, and if I can ever figure out how to post stuff, I'll post some drum cam stuff that I have filmed.

Funny, I always associate Graham with Mark Craney and (weirdly, to me) Jamie Oldaker. I don't know why Graham makes me think of Jamie. All bad cats none the less!

Man did Gino have great taste in drummers: Graham, Craney, Casey Scheurell (I think,) Garibaldi, Paul Brochu, am I missing anyone? (ha!) And although, some of his music sounds dated, I still dig a great deal of his music! Sure I've heard all the "stories," about working with him, I even did some gigs with his MD a long while back, but you can't argue with the results.

Anyway,
MSG

[gretsch-o-rama]

I think he may have played on Oneness- Silver Dream Golden Reality, one of my most favorite albums of all time...the drumming on there is mind blowing,IMO...