You may want to get your hands on a copy of his instructional vid:

The Essence of Brushes

I found it very helpful to "try" to play along with

I saw him a few times back in the 70's, he was a master and I was a kid.

Patrick

I really love seeing people rediscover some of these old Masters of the Art of Drumming. Ed Thigpen is very worthy of studying.

Thanks for bringing this up Salty. Makes me want to start a Papa Jo thread!

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8isxEnhfNSI[/ame]

John

Jeez, John, I don't know what to say except, "Thank you!" I am humbled and in awe of this great drummer. This gentleman could play things without sticks that I couldn't do if I had the arms of an octopus! What a wonderful musician! I have to listen again and again. Maybe it's not too late to teach this old dog new tricks. Thanks again, sir.

Brian

Salty - this is for you buddy...

http://www.edthigpen.com/

John

Thanks again, John! I am smashing my piggy bank today ( well, not exactly a piggy bank but, a drawer with drum money hidden away)!

Brian

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecIpU5jVBUA[/ame]

John

Early 70,s and my show band was doing a mid USA tour of Ramada Inns. I was in the lounge cleaning and tuning my kit one afternoon,i believe it was raining so i needed something to do. Of course the bar wqs closed but in walks Ed which i did,nt know at the time. He sits at the bar and has a coffee and takes an interest in what im doing. He walks over and starts talking about my kit,an old Slingy at the time. About a half hour later he picks up my brushes and says "do you mind if i check them out". He still has,nt introduced himself. I dont think my jaw has ever dropped so far since that day,honestly. He finally tells me who he is and not being a jazzer at the time i recall saying..."i,ve heard of you"..Class eh??..He was in town on business for a couple of days and he,s staying at the hotel im in...Long and short of it we arrange to meet the next day for a lesson. It was about an hour and a half long and the hair on my neck still stands up when i think about it. Being on the road sure had its perks back then.

So we have to ask?

What did Ed teach you/cover with you? If it was me, I would have asked him to show me some of that Big-Band stuff from the old Savoy Ballroom days! You have no idea who you had coralled on that rainy day. Monster musical talent and a part of drumming history beginning with his stint as the drummer for the Cootie Williams band in N.Y. Man, don't get me started...

Inquiring minds want to know... details, details please.

John

Well,that 40 years ago and the lesson as i recall focused around playing with more wrist and less arm. He made me keep my arms firmly at my side and play with fingers and wrist. Remember i was a show band drummer then and had only been playing on the road for 4 or 5 years. I was not into big band music at the time,but that all changed. After the band broke up i went back to taking lessons to learn to read which ED said is a must. I began studying all the big band guys and a year later i was playing in another show band but with a lot more swing than before. I approached the kit more musically and always remember Ed saying "let the drums work for you..just relax"