Jam sessions are the crucible in which you learn unforgettably everything that's wrong with your playing. But then, nothing feels better than those nights you kill it at a jam and even the pros in the room think you actually know what you are doing.
Hey Nate! Thanks for the shout out... I seem to remember that Shapeshifter night being a fun hit. Love to play with you again in the near future! Congrats on all of your success with the channel!
Just want to give you a simple congratulations on getting out and doing the cold plunge into a Small’s jam session! Do it for yourself first and the world second. The world wants to hear good drummers play. You’re a good drummer. 😎👍🏽
Great stuff Nate, you brought back the memory of the "rush" of playing on stage to an appreciative crowd, and you're right, it is much easier to find & connect with other musicians these days. Glad the sit-in worked out!
bro i swear a couple years of live grinding and it'll make sense again. You can't expect to play only in the best jams only in NY no one does that, you also gotta experience all the rest, having tours where you play in a cave in front of 10 and in a festival the next day. They're both fun, the itch stays true and man you just learn the hard way. Sharing your kit, playing on someone elses, having a shit sound in a great venue and the greatest raw sound in shady cave, having no monitoring or a crappy wedge or lagging in-ears. It's instantly making you a better drummer, better human, and more intelligent musician. I would argue that last minute subbing would be the greatest practice. For any style, playing both very soft comping for jazz standards singer or in a semi amateur punkrock band that has a 30 dates tour with 10 of them getting paid but where you're gonna learn how to play straight and hard and in every situation for the rest of your life.
Attending a jam session and getting pressured to play drums improvisationally with other musicians of varying skill levels and familiarity with one another was the catalyst that eventually led to me playing my first shows at 35 years old. I'm so tremendously glad I did, too. I've crossed off a bucket list item that now I'll never have to look back at my life and wonder what it would have been like, what it would feel like if I had done that.
For any aspiring musician, this is one of the most important videos on the Internet. As obvious as it sounds, woodshedding musicians everywhere need to wake up and realize they will learn more in one hour of jamming with other musicians, than in a year of playing on your own. It’s important to bounce ideas back-and-forth with other musicians, explore dynamics, solos, and improvisational changes that take you on to creative paths you’ve never experienced before.
Speaking from a non-drummer's point of view who has played many jam sessions and gigs where people sat in, the reason other musicians groan and roll their eyes when drummers call tunes is because THEY don't have to know the tune. They don't have to know the melodies and chords. For a drummer it's mostly about tempo and feel. Great video. Jam etiquette is important since it's a key part of the way many of us network.
I'm not a drummer, but I follow this channel because 80/20 Drummer is hip. I hope the new venture playing live is an "and/also" instead of "either/or". I love this channel too much.
You sound really good, Nate…You also put into perspective the utter pain in the arse that professional drumming can turn out to be on so many levels..Stuff none of us never thought of when we got inspired by that one record, concert or video and chose the drums as our given instrument.
as you walked down the street after playing, your vibe seemed upbeat and positive you looked like you actually had a good time playing with good musicians, you sounded excited. Get that band going man! I play in lots of bands but never have quite touched the music I love…so I put a band together with a bunch of my favourite musicians and call the tunes…we aren’t pushing boundaries just playing great songs that no one else seems to play and people are digging it. It’s hard work getting them all together for gigs… they’re busy musicians, it’s like herding cats…but I’m an old fella so I’m in no rush. Thx for the vid. Looking forward to hearing what you get upto.
Getting back to playing in jazz jam sessions, too. If ever you find yourself in the Philippines, drop by Tago Jazz in Quezon City. The vibes, the owner, and the musicians there are great!
It's good for your soul. When I take long periods off from playing, the universe feels incomplete. Playing out has an affect like nothing else. Cheers to you! You're awesome.
Jam sessions are one thing but having your own band and booking gigs is another. So it's 1:00 am and -10 degrees outside and it's time to load your drums and PA in the minivan before you go home go to bed and wake up at 5:30am to go to work on Saturday. That's what I'll be doing tomorrow night after working all day Friday. So yeah. I guess I do really love the playing live with people in front of people. There's nothing quite like it. 🥁❤️
Yup. I used to say to the bartenders and waitresses when I was moving equipment around at 3am," those harmonica lessons are sure looking good right now".
Hey ,2 legends Rob beatdown Brown and Mr 80/20 on the same show ,unreal guys ,I love both your channels. Oh great to see you out playing with a band Nate . Thanks
I vividly remember getting vibed off the stage a few times back in the early 2010s (here in europe, tho). Placing myself in situations well above my skillset, but mostly the seriousness of the „real jazz community”. Everything was great while playing on more free-avant-oriented kind of sessions and/or open-minded people. Great vid, thx!
Nice man.....hope you play more if that's what you desire. Sounded great at Smalls. Speaking of Smalls, great to hear a bit of a jam there....heading to the city from Boston for the weekend and their jam is on my list of places to drop into, although not to play, just to hang and listen. Thanks for the video!
When I moved to a new city in the UK the thing I missed most was not necessarily just playing live with my band, but the collaborative process of writing music....of hearing something amazing that another human plays and you then respond to it, validating and expanding on their expression with your own, then crafting ephemeral and transient moments into distinct pieces of music. That made me realise where my true love lay with the instrument, and the place I gravitate to within the vast musical universe. Can't recommend it enough - find the right people, and its the most incredible thing, even if nobody ever hears your music.
There's a very good chance that "utter disdain" was simply "I don't have that long, complicated melody in my working memory so let's play this tune whose melody I do know instead". Not every horn player has 1000 melodies memorized. Additionally, maybe Charlie Parker tunes, great though they are, feel a bit worn out since they're often taught at universities. Better to call a tune where someone likes the melody enough to have it ready to go.
Reminded me of the legendary Les Claypool Metallica audition story where to break the awkward energy in the room he said, “you guys want to jam on some Isley Brothers?”
As drummers, we do not play a solo instrument. Our state of grace is in playing with others,and supporting their melodic vision. For me, there is no greater opportunity to express a generosity that feels like it comes from a higher space. And gigging's a huge part of improving, cos first one has the pracs, and then that condition that can only somehow exist when gigging, where a magic emerges that cannot be elicited elsewhere. I know this all sounds a tad twee, but i often cry from joy, gratitude and at the beauty I'm supporting when we gig. All the bands I've played with find it funny, but always want me back, cos they say I'm a sympathetic drummer ". Ultimately, if you're not gigging, you're a hobbyist, not a musician. Bravo Nate! I've learnt so much from you, and I'm superchuffed you're nack in the gig saddle. Truly a state of grace indeed.
Go Nate! You sounded really nice and very supportive. I think this is a very inspiring post about the inner thoughts of a drummer. It can be a head trip if we are not playing live, or playing with others- even if it's just for fun. Having fun will give credit to play more often. Joy is the DNA to keep going.
Excellent playing Nate! So glad you caught the live playing bug again. Rob Brown is right, Why practice for years to better yourself as a drummer and never share that with other musicians or a live audience? Plus the joy you get from their joy is the greatest feeling ever. Also we tend to get into a comfort bubble and just play the same things we know well when we play for ourselves, but other musicians challenge you to do more and push farther. The interplay really is a natural high and the ultimate stress relief. Having a crappy day or week at work is washed away at a gig with friends in a cozy hole in the wall bar playing for a small dedicated audience of fellow music lovers. Ans yes J.P. Bouvet makes us all want to get out and play. I also watched one of Dom Famularo's last Drumeo lessons before he passed away and it really lit a fire in me as well. The pandemic really hit my local music scene hard over these last four years and my friends all stopped playing for one reason or another and all my bands broke up. But I've been going to a friends open mic night and live shows for the same reasons you have. Getting out there and enjoying playing live again!
As my son’s generation is fond of saying, “Touch grass.” Attending all kinds of jams, gigs with a wide variety of players, forces me to grow in ways that would never happen if I simply remained in the shed and only performed the same old numbers with the same old crowd.
That's what makes it easy to distinguish internet drummers who are real musicians from internet drummers who aren't. Zach Grooves, for instance, is a brilliant ensemble musician.
brother!! great video!! I loved seeing you playing with all the monsters. From what I could hear in these brief summaries you sounded very balanced, accompanying and soloing very well. I identified myself, I feel like we've been through similar things. The only thing I have ti tell you is that you are already achieving "the kid's dream" to live in NY, play many styles, be a jazz drummer, have a successful RUclips channel … i mean…It's a lot bro.. keep playing, you sound amazing. ps: i know meditating is the secret of greatness 🤫 Great video by the way
I have been following this channel for quite some time and I always had the feeling that you are a person who loves its hobby and doing music. Only because (other professional) musicians say that the purpose of doing music is to communicate emotions to the public, doesn't mean it needs to be the same for your life. Getting out of comfort zones is of course something 'good' to challenge yourself and grow, but if you have found your way to be happy with music, while only being virtual dude, it's still fine. The life is too short for articifial and social pressure. If you feel these sessions and gigs bring you forward and you're having fun, go for it. If you only do it for the pressure, don't
For me, playing with other musicians, either live or in a living room, basement, etc is everything. I play in an original rock band and the really beauty and challenge of that is creating parts that work with what everyone else is doing. It's a collaborative creative act that couldn't happen if I was just shedding on my own. In that context, I end up playing things that I wouldn't have come up with on my own or from reading out of a book. I play jazz too and even though it's standards and not original tunes, it seems that every group of musicians plays those tunes with their own unique combined feel and then of course there's the improvisational part of it, which is different every single time. Racting to all of that and making the necessary adjustments to really blend well with the group are things one doesn't get playing on their own. I feel that even if your goal is to come up with your own truly original approach to playing the instrument, that playing with other people will influence that and if you practice too long on your own you may have trouble integrating your style into what other folks do...
Hi Nate, Jazz is a language and a tradition. If you call a tune, it needs to be one that most players know. Quasimodo is not a commonly known/played tune. Sure, it uses the changes of “embraceable you” but not everyone knows that or knows the melody. Maybe try this again but call a commonly known tune? Thanks for your consideration.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Nate! I'm still a newbie after about 18 months of online course work, but I'm having a blast! I've only played at home so far with my lessons and playing along to some tunes. I don't "know" any songs yet but am getting ready to move into that phase of my learning, after building what I feel is a pretty solid foundation. I look forward to eventually jamming with some other musicians off stage, with some nervousness. I don't have any plans to perform (until I do) but I do want to feel that shared groove of making music together with other players. I'm glad to see that it went well for you and left you wanting more rather than turning you off to the performing scene.
Killer!! Get after it man, that's what I say. Your situation is somewhat similar to a recent one of mine, funny enough. For life reasons I didn't play live or with anyone for that matter, for near a decade as well. I still had been shedding and writing stuff with an old guitarist of mine but that was cross country, sending scratch or random riff tracks and all that comes with that. I live in rural MT, so finding jam nights isn't really a thing. So I put some feelers out there on the commensurate pages and within the month I had an opportunity for a fill in gig with possible permanent spot. I just had to play a 9pm-1am, 35 song, working bar setlist with guys I never met and not blow it. Thankfully all the previous decades of jamming and playing live got me thru and I got the job. Playing live is mandatory for me and I missed it terribly. I do believe that as a drummer, playing live with musicians should always be the goal. Sitting in the shed is fun to a degree but playing in a solid band is much, much more rewarding to me than any other way of expressing myself on the drums. Keep it going Nate, I'm rooting for ya.
You balance me out! I've a steady weekly gig for a couple decades and periodically add another one in there, too. However, I haven't practiced at home in a few years.
If you work hard on your craft indoors... whether or not people respond positively to your playing in public, is a good indicator of whether or not you should be playing publicly. Regardless of how much other drummers (musicians) are technically advanced than you, they will never be you. The big picture is about more than your chops. Do you love and respect the music and your fellow musicians? Do you uphold values conducive to progress and success? Can you be pleasant to be around? Are you responsible, trustworthy and accountable? Can you take a joke without getting exploding? Can you laugh at yourself? Our ability to do these things goes up and down but if you manage more pluses than minuses, you're good to go.
Месяц назад+1
Your smile after you got out of Smalls after the session says it all!
A lot of RUclips musicians never gig. My respect favors the one’s that do go out and gig. What fun is it to always play drums by yourself? It’s fun but not like when you get to light a fire under that band drumming live.
I'd love to see you with a tight 3 or 4 piece band. I look forward to watching your musical ideas blend with others who have the chops you have. Good luck! Even a studio band is a great project.
I'm gonna be honest I'm like, annoyed and actually very excited for you :D. Annoyed because I thought with your talent you SHOULD be creating music as much as you could, the breakdowns that you have done from all of your heros have been amazing and Super appreciated :D I'm annoyed because you have taken away the chance for us to see your progression in record with people, but I look forward to hearing what you do from here on. Just got to the solo here man, lovely! It's great to see your joy after playing, the going over the experience is generally the best when you get back to it, I remember my first jam after breaking my ankle, it was glorious, or after I did one audition, I had gotten some more of my own control back and I went to the jam the next week and was able to express myself so well. You will deal with all kinds of people, but that doesn't mean good people aren't there man, I cannot wait to see the rest of your Journey :D Great Love for you man!
Hello from Kansas City, Missouri Nate. Congratulations on a great Jam Session at Smalls.You killed it. The Jam Sessions with Benny Benack leading are the best. Those are usually on Wednesdays. Nate, sometimes you speak as if you don't have a lot of Self Confidence in your Drumming. As if you're constantly asking yourself, "Am I Good Enough." Nate, believe me when I say this, YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH. Also, let's remember there have been some major changes in Music Industry over the last 20 years or so. In other words Post Napster/Post Covid. On the one hand there are fewer Jazz Clubs and Labels, on the other hand their's a whole New Group of Opportunities because of the Internet and Social Media. Live Performances and Recordings are no longer the only Metric of Success. Their are many successful RUclips Musicians that rarely Perform Live or make Recordings for Spotify etc. Instead they give Lessons both free and paid, Review Products and make Recordings for their RUclips Channels. Also, Social Media success can absolutely lead to Gigs and Studio Recordings. For anyone that's interested, please check out the book Making Money With Music by Randy Chertkow and Jason Feehan. Thanks.
The reason a lot of people quit bands is that it's a lot of work for not a lot of money usually. It's a good part time second job though. All the pressure is off when you don't need music to pay your bills.
My first time there ELEW was running the session and I could not bring myself to get up, going in I felt so prepared but then once I got there all I wanted to do was listen. I had driven up all the way from North Carolina and I feel like I learned a lot
@@MaxGill-z4e I remember from elew from the 2000-oughts at the cleopatra’s needle session. My friend Danny called me for the needle session a couple of times then he couldn’t make it so he recommended me to elew, and I got the call. That’s how I can say I “played with elew” even though I had no business being on that stage 🤣🤣
@@8020drummer he’s probably one of the best technical piano players I’ve ever heard play live! My friends had been going to Smalls and told me it was just like any other jam sesh but they had no idea ELEW was running the session the night I got there 😅. It was very overwhelming to say the least
I came up playing at various sessions in the mid to late 1990s...all the big NYC ones, I was the house drummer at one of the big sessions briefly. As rough as those session could be at times, they paled in comparison to the session at Wally's in Boston. That was, by far, the most cutthroat session of them all. I've seen musicians cry, get chased out onto the street under the threat of physical violence, etc. The was a local drummer who used to "force" me to sit in, even when I didn't want to, so he could prove he could cut me every time (and he did). I'm not saying that vibe was healthy...very far from in, in fact...but it made the NYC session feel very low stress by comparison. Working with some of the elder musicians of that time could be rough, too. Many of them didn't mince words. What I have noticed is that many young and/or inexperienced musicians have extremely thin skin now. I'm not saying it should go back to the old way, but I think a little bit of "tough love" is a good thing. Anyhow, good for you for getting back in the saddle. I think you'll find it easier now than it used to be.
This one was interesting. I've been watching your videos for a good while and always assumed you would be playing in 15 bands like most of the drummers. I love playing gigs more than recording and playing alone, and therefore try to go out as many jam nights as possible, and I'm in about 10 bands like all the drummers.
Hi Nate, could you tell us the date you went so we could hear your full set on the live feed? (Are they archived?) Amazed that you sounded so good after not playing with others for 10 years. Must mean the other musicians were very good, but also that you're a pro. All your insights resonated with my jam experiences, so it's great to hear them validated. It really matters what the room is like and how the kit is! But awesome playing on those slow tempos. Had no idea what a nice bop player you were, all with matched grip!
Dude, Nate, brother, get out there and jam or get a regular gig, or start a band. I've been playing drums in bands since fifth grade, I'm now in four regularly gigging bands. I took about eight years off when my kids were little and it about killed me. Once I started gigging again I became a happier, more fulfilled human and better yet- a WAY better dad! Always big love to you, been with you from the beginning.
Great, honest video. I am getting the same itch these days, but the frustrating thing for a drummer is you have a great time jamming with musicians in private jams and everything feels great--and two weeks later those same guys are playing the same stuff without a drummer in front of people because "its kind of a quiet venue, so we're going with a stripped down approach." (thank god they didn't bring out a drum machine....)
Yeah! I just started going out to play drums at jams and it's soooo great to get out of the closet of woodshed and see what happens in the saddle. First two were challenging kits overly muffled and double pedal without the left pedal direct drive kick with super long beater arms that I do not dig. Then last night a beautiful Gretch kit with Sabian cymbals in the classic setup with the kick pedal nice and smooth and single with enough space below to control dynamics instead of just doing blast beats with those long beater arms and nothing in the drums I felt like I wanted to tune up. Even with advanced skills in tapping feet and stick drills, applying all that to the kit with a live band going and the bass player a live human who feels the drummer, and no drummer in the track I'm following to keep the tempo is a worthy challenge to get me back into playing music with people again.
I've been training jazz methods, but the jam I've been going to is more rock, blues, r&b. The jazz training came in handy though when the bassist broke out a brisk western swing feel where the challenge was to keep my right leg from doing anything but the 4 on the floor but no feathers, all bombs and all the swing stuff on snare and cymbals. It was the same spanga-lang on the ride, but much harder than jazz tends to do.
My view is you become good at what you do. Do a lot of youtube videos, you become good at that. Play a lot of gigs (sober) and learn a little from each one, you get good at that.
Hi Nate, I was the piano player on Corcovado. I am a subscriber but I didn't recognize you on the session. I remember thinking you played a nice bossa feel and responded to what the soloists were doing. Some of the drummers there are way too loud for the room.
Playing with others is the only road to achieving those magic moments that happen when everything falls into place and and someone does something unexpected and simultaneously spectacular!. You can't really achieve that playing to tracks. And there's no one smiling back at you when you pull off an unexpected spectacular lick or phrase playing to a drumless track. However, at this point in my life, gigs are not so important. Particularly the pop/rock/country cover band type gigs. Too much rehearsal, too much pressure to perform songs "like the record", too much f'n work moving gear to and fro, and too much hassle dealing with some* other musicians attitudes. I do miss the audience feedback and reciprocal energy, but all the negatives from my last "band" foray heavily outweighed the positives. * while it's not everyone, one bad apple can spoil the bunch! I'm fortunate to have found a musical oasis in a desert filled with posers and wannabes. We get together for the sole sake of playing music that is in the moment. We may play out if the opportunity arises, but it is not our goal. Everybody is happy just playing and having those random magic moments happen!
I don't play jazz of any kind, but I do go to blues jams and other "American music" jams, and there is no way to practice or develop the skills it takes to hang with a whole band unless you do it with a whole band. Improvisation is good and all, but to improvise while in a group at the same time is a skill unto itself. Good choice on going back into the world.
I'm a pianist, not a horn player and I'm just make an assumption here. I think the horn players didn't really know the head to quasimodo well enough to execute on the spot. A similar thing happened to a drummer who called dexterity at a jam I go to.
Honestly in my experience each city or scene has kind of its normal jam session tunes. No one is going to accept your tune unless it's a really common one that everyone on stage probably knows. Especially in New York those guys are usually playing from memory and that might not be super fresh for them
I'd offer that it's also a little out of place for the drummer to suggest a less common bebop tune when they don't have to deal with any of the specific challenges of the tune (melody and changes). There's maybe a little jam session etiquette to let the horn players pick the tunes since they have to play the melodies.
Sessions are something that, as I improved my actual straight ahead playing, I started to suck more and more at sessions. Yeah, odd, I know. And I've been at this game for 65 years. I never had issues with performance anxiety until I started going to sessions. There's a weird thing in my head that assumed that everyone there is simply waiting for the next guy to crash and burn. And it's completely illogical because it's the furthest thing from the truth. But there are some things that get under my skin, the biggest one being certain somewhat accomplished players who allow themselves to be lead by novices rather than doing the leading themselves and showing the way. It gets aggravating when time goes all to hell and all eyes turn on you know who. I should add, none of this happens on gigs. One thing you mention that does affect me in a big way is the foreign drum kit. Distances, angles, heights and most of all, differences in surface response absolutely cripple me. Playing backbeat music on other kits is nothing, I adjust in seconds. But when I try to adjust playing Jazz standards, using finer musculature, playing heel down and relying on rebound for control, if I don't feel that under my hands and if the muscle memory I've developed through daily practice becomes ineffective because things aren't situated where I'm used to, I can go catatonic in an instant. So why do I continue to attend these things? Probably just the hang. The local drumming community is really friendly and there are some guys I'd love to get a chance to play gigs with. So, I continue to go make a complete ass of myself but there are those occasions where I'm able to put all the bullshit aside and actually make real music and come out sounding great. It's a bizarre thing but something I'll need to overcome in my own way in my own time. But like I mentioned, This doesn't occur on actual gigs, only at sessions and it came on relatively recently like around 2019. Maybe I need a shrink.
As a drummer, always play it cool by never calling tunes on jam sessions unless asked. Even then, don't call something esoteric. You'll get some real nasty stank eye.
Jam sessions have given accurate directions for practice that I feel like I can’t get in the practice room.
Jam sessions are the crucible in which you learn unforgettably everything that's wrong with your playing. But then, nothing feels better than those nights you kill it at a jam and even the pros in the room think you actually know what you are doing.
very true
Got vibed for calling a tune, but didn't get told to get the F off the kit while playing. Successful night at Smalls.
Bwaa ha ha. So true
My opinion, take it or leave it... I think you playing more live, or even starting your own band would be extremely beneficial for your career
wow, hot take
Hey Nate! Thanks for the shout out... I seem to remember that Shapeshifter night being a fun hit. Love to play with you again in the near future! Congrats on all of your success with the channel!
Love your honesty all around. Nice 8’s too 🤩
Just want to give you a simple congratulations on getting out and doing the cold plunge into a Small’s jam session! Do it for yourself first and the world second. The world wants to hear good drummers play. You’re a good drummer. 😎👍🏽
Great stuff Nate, you brought back the memory of the "rush" of playing on stage to an appreciative crowd, and you're right, it is much easier to find & connect with other musicians these days. Glad the sit-in worked out!
bro i swear a couple years of live grinding and it'll make sense again. You can't expect to play only in the best jams only in NY no one does that, you also gotta experience all the rest, having tours where you play in a cave in front of 10 and in a festival the next day. They're both fun, the itch stays true and man you just learn the hard way. Sharing your kit, playing on someone elses, having a shit sound in a great venue and the greatest raw sound in shady cave, having no monitoring or a crappy wedge or lagging in-ears. It's instantly making you a better drummer, better human, and more intelligent musician. I would argue that last minute subbing would be the greatest practice. For any style, playing both very soft comping for jazz standards singer or in a semi amateur punkrock band that has a 30 dates tour with 10 of them getting paid but where you're gonna learn how to play straight and hard and in every situation for the rest of your life.
Attending a jam session and getting pressured to play drums improvisationally with other musicians of varying skill levels and familiarity with one another was the catalyst that eventually led to me playing my first shows at 35 years old. I'm so tremendously glad I did, too. I've crossed off a bucket list item that now I'll never have to look back at my life and wonder what it would have been like, what it would feel like if I had done that.
For any aspiring musician, this is one of the most important videos on the Internet. As obvious as it sounds, woodshedding musicians everywhere need to wake up and realize they will learn more in one hour of jamming with other musicians, than in a year of playing on your own. It’s important to bounce ideas back-and-forth with other musicians, explore dynamics, solos, and improvisational changes that take you on to creative paths you’ve never experienced before.
Speaking from a non-drummer's point of view who has played many jam sessions and gigs where people sat in, the reason other musicians groan and roll their eyes when drummers call tunes is because THEY don't have to know the tune. They don't have to know the melodies and chords. For a drummer it's mostly about tempo and feel.
Great video. Jam etiquette is important since it's a key part of the way many of us network.
Drummers *should* know at the very least the melodies. That's how you can let loose.
I'm not a drummer, but I follow this channel because 80/20 Drummer is hip. I hope the new venture playing live is an "and/also" instead of "either/or". I love this channel too much.
You sound really good, Nate…You also put into perspective the utter pain in the arse that professional drumming can turn out to be on so many levels..Stuff none of us never thought of when we got inspired by that one record, concert or video and chose the drums as our given instrument.
as you walked down the street after playing, your vibe seemed upbeat and positive you looked like you actually had a good time playing with good musicians, you sounded excited. Get that band going man!
I play in lots of bands but never have quite touched the music I love…so I put a band together with a bunch of my favourite musicians and call the tunes…we aren’t pushing boundaries just playing great songs that no one else seems to play and people are digging it. It’s hard work getting them all together for gigs… they’re busy musicians, it’s like herding cats…but I’m an old fella so I’m in no rush.
Thx for the vid. Looking forward to hearing what you get upto.
Getting back to playing in jazz jam sessions, too. If ever you find yourself in the Philippines, drop by Tago Jazz in Quezon City. The vibes, the owner, and the musicians there are great!
It's good for your soul. When I take long periods off from playing, the universe feels incomplete.
Playing out has an affect like nothing else. Cheers to you! You're awesome.
Jam sessions are one thing but having your own band and booking gigs is another. So it's 1:00 am and -10 degrees outside and it's time to load your drums and PA in the minivan before you go home go to bed and wake up at 5:30am to go to work on Saturday. That's what I'll be doing tomorrow night after working all day Friday. So yeah. I guess I do really love the playing live with people in front of people. There's nothing quite like it. 🥁❤️
Yup. I used to say to the bartenders and waitresses when I was moving equipment around at 3am," those harmonica lessons are sure looking good right now".
Hey ,2 legends Rob beatdown Brown and Mr 80/20 on the same show ,unreal guys ,I love both your channels. Oh great to see you out playing with a band Nate .
Thanks
OO, the Small! I was there my first time one yaer ago..I will back next week in New York, looking forward to came back there!
I vividly remember getting vibed off the stage a few times back in the early 2010s (here in europe, tho). Placing myself in situations well above my skillset, but mostly the seriousness of the „real jazz community”. Everything was great while playing on more free-avant-oriented kind of sessions and/or open-minded people. Great vid, thx!
That's great Nate, glad you've got back in the live mix again, hope you enjoy it!
Nice man.....hope you play more if that's what you desire. Sounded great at Smalls.
Speaking of Smalls, great to hear a bit of a jam there....heading to the city from Boston for the weekend and their jam is on my list of places to drop into, although not to play, just to hang and listen.
Thanks for the video!
When I moved to a new city in the UK the thing I missed most was not necessarily just playing live with my band, but the collaborative process of writing music....of hearing something amazing that another human plays and you then respond to it, validating and expanding on their expression with your own, then crafting ephemeral and transient moments into distinct pieces of music. That made me realise where my true love lay with the instrument, and the place I gravitate to within the vast musical universe.
Can't recommend it enough - find the right people, and its the most incredible thing, even if nobody ever hears your music.
Lmao at the utter disdain for Quasimodo 😂
There's a very good chance that "utter disdain" was simply "I don't have that long, complicated melody in my working memory so let's play this tune whose melody I do know instead". Not every horn player has 1000 melodies memorized. Additionally, maybe Charlie Parker tunes, great though they are, feel a bit worn out since they're often taught at universities. Better to call a tune where someone likes the melody enough to have it ready to go.
@@MrBrentcn Yeah, makes sense. Dude's got iRealb up on the piano...so kinda tells you everything.
Reminded me of the legendary Les Claypool Metallica audition story where to break the awkward energy in the room he said, “you guys want to jam on some Isley Brothers?”
As drummers, we do not play a solo instrument. Our state of grace is in playing with others,and supporting their melodic vision. For me, there is no greater opportunity to express a generosity that feels like it comes from a higher space. And gigging's a huge part of improving, cos first one has the pracs, and then that condition that can only somehow exist when gigging, where a magic emerges that cannot be elicited elsewhere. I know this all sounds a tad twee, but i often cry from joy, gratitude and at the beauty I'm supporting when we gig. All the bands I've played with find it funny, but always want me back, cos they say I'm a sympathetic drummer ". Ultimately, if you're not gigging, you're a hobbyist, not a musician. Bravo Nate! I've learnt so much from you, and I'm superchuffed you're nack in the gig saddle. Truly a state of grace indeed.
Go Nate! You sounded really nice and very supportive. I think this is a very inspiring post about the inner thoughts of a drummer. It can be a head trip if we are not playing live, or playing with others- even if it's just for fun. Having fun will give credit to play more often. Joy is the DNA to keep going.
BROO I feel this video so much, really cool perspective of your experience on the jam sessions :)
Excellent playing Nate! So glad you caught the live playing bug again. Rob Brown is right, Why practice for years to better yourself as a drummer and never share that with other musicians or a live audience? Plus the joy you get from their joy is the greatest feeling ever. Also we tend to get into a comfort bubble and just play the same things we know well when we play for ourselves, but other musicians challenge you to do more and push farther. The interplay really is a natural high and the ultimate stress relief. Having a crappy day or week at work is washed away at a gig with friends in a cozy hole in the wall bar playing for a small dedicated audience of fellow music lovers. Ans yes J.P. Bouvet makes us all want to get out and play. I also watched one of Dom Famularo's last Drumeo lessons before he passed away and it really lit a fire in me as well. The pandemic really hit my local music scene hard over these last four years and my friends all stopped playing for one reason or another and all my bands broke up. But I've been going to a friends open mic night and live shows for the same reasons you have. Getting out there and enjoying playing live again!
This was great. You're back! Keep us updated, love the detail
As my son’s generation is fond of saying, “Touch grass.” Attending all kinds of jams, gigs with a wide variety of players, forces me to grow in ways that would never happen if I simply remained in the shed and only performed the same old numbers with the same old crowd.
That's what makes it easy to distinguish internet drummers who are real musicians from internet drummers who aren't. Zach Grooves, for instance, is a brilliant ensemble musician.
brother!! great video!!
I loved seeing you playing with all the monsters. From what I could hear in these brief summaries you sounded very balanced, accompanying and soloing very well.
I identified myself, I feel like we've been through similar things. The only thing I have ti tell you is that you are already achieving "the kid's dream" to live in NY, play many styles, be a jazz drummer, have a successful RUclips channel … i mean…It's a lot bro.. keep playing, you sound amazing.
ps: i know meditating is the secret of greatness 🤫
Great video by the way
I have been following this channel for quite some time and I always had the feeling that you are a person who loves its hobby and doing music. Only because (other professional) musicians say that the purpose of doing music is to communicate emotions to the public, doesn't mean it needs to be the same for your life. Getting out of comfort zones is of course something 'good' to challenge yourself and grow, but if you have found your way to be happy with music, while only being virtual dude, it's still fine. The life is too short for articifial and social pressure.
If you feel these sessions and gigs bring you forward and you're having fun, go for it. If you only do it for the pressure, don't
Funny that you posted this today; I just got home from a jazz jam as the house drummer haha!
For me, playing with other musicians, either live or in a living room, basement, etc is everything. I play in an original rock band and the really beauty and challenge of that is creating parts that work with what everyone else is doing. It's a collaborative creative act that couldn't happen if I was just shedding on my own. In that context, I end up playing things that I wouldn't have come up with on my own or from reading out of a book.
I play jazz too and even though it's standards and not original tunes, it seems that every group of musicians plays those tunes with their own unique combined feel and then of course there's the improvisational part of it, which is different every single time. Racting to all of that and making the necessary adjustments to really blend well with the group are things one doesn't get playing on their own.
I feel that even if your goal is to come up with your own truly original approach to playing the instrument, that playing with other people will influence that and if you practice too long on your own you may have trouble integrating your style into what other folks do...
Awesome and insightful video Nate!! Excited to play again soon!!
Hi Nate, Jazz is a language and a tradition. If you call a tune, it needs to be one that most players know. Quasimodo is not a commonly known/played tune. Sure, it uses the changes of “embraceable you” but not everyone knows that or knows the melody. Maybe try this again but call a commonly known tune? Thanks for your consideration.
Proud of you, Nate. Can't wait to hear your metal band
Thanks Nate. I have often thought about trying to sit in somewhere in the same type of situation. This might be the motivation I need!
Still the best intro music on all of RUclips.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Nate! I'm still a newbie after about 18 months of online course work, but I'm having a blast! I've only played at home so far with my lessons and playing along to some tunes. I don't "know" any songs yet but am getting ready to move into that phase of my learning, after building what I feel is a pretty solid foundation. I look forward to eventually jamming with some other musicians off stage, with some nervousness. I don't have any plans to perform (until I do) but I do want to feel that shared groove of making music together with other players. I'm glad to see that it went well for you and left you wanting more rather than turning you off to the performing scene.
Killer!! Get after it man, that's what I say. Your situation is somewhat similar to a recent one of mine, funny enough. For life reasons I didn't play live or with anyone for that matter, for near a decade as well. I still had been shedding and writing stuff with an old guitarist of mine but that was cross country, sending scratch or random riff tracks and all that comes with that. I live in rural MT, so finding jam nights isn't really a thing. So I put some feelers out there on the commensurate pages and within the month I had an opportunity for a fill in gig with possible permanent spot. I just had to play a 9pm-1am, 35 song, working bar setlist with guys I never met and not blow it. Thankfully all the previous decades of jamming and playing live got me thru and I got the job. Playing live is mandatory for me and I missed it terribly. I do believe that as a drummer, playing live with musicians should always be the goal. Sitting in the shed is fun to a degree but playing in a solid band is much, much more rewarding to me than any other way of expressing myself on the drums. Keep it going Nate, I'm rooting for ya.
You balance me out! I've a steady weekly gig for a couple decades and periodically add another one in there, too. However, I haven't practiced at home in a few years.
If you work hard on your craft indoors... whether or not people respond positively to your playing in public, is a good indicator of whether or not you should be playing publicly. Regardless of how much other drummers (musicians) are technically advanced than you, they will never be you. The big picture is about more than your chops. Do you love and respect the music and your fellow musicians? Do you uphold values conducive to progress and success? Can you be pleasant to be around? Are you responsible, trustworthy and accountable? Can you take a joke without getting exploding? Can you laugh at yourself? Our ability to do these things goes up and down but if you manage more pluses than minuses, you're good to go.
Your smile after you got out of Smalls after the session says it all!
A lot of RUclips musicians never gig. My respect favors the one’s that do go out and gig. What fun is it to always play drums by yourself? It’s fun but not like when you get to light a fire under that band drumming live.
I'd love to see you with a tight 3 or 4 piece band. I look forward to watching your musical ideas blend with others who have the chops you have. Good luck! Even a studio band is a great project.
I'm gonna be honest I'm like, annoyed and actually very excited for you :D. Annoyed because I thought with your talent you SHOULD be creating music as much as you could, the breakdowns that you have done from all of your heros have been amazing and Super appreciated :D
I'm annoyed because you have taken away the chance for us to see your progression in record with people, but I look forward to hearing what you do from here on. Just got to the solo here man, lovely!
It's great to see your joy after playing, the going over the experience is generally the best when you get back to it, I remember my first jam after breaking my ankle, it was glorious, or after I did one audition, I had gotten some more of my own control back and I went to the jam the next week and was able to express myself so well.
You will deal with all kinds of people, but that doesn't mean good people aren't there man, I cannot wait to see the rest of your Journey :D Great Love for you man!
Hello from Kansas City, Missouri Nate. Congratulations on a great Jam Session at Smalls.You killed it. The Jam Sessions with Benny Benack leading are the best. Those are usually on Wednesdays. Nate, sometimes you speak as if you don't have a lot of Self Confidence in your Drumming. As if you're constantly asking yourself, "Am I Good Enough." Nate, believe me when I say this, YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH. Also, let's remember there have been some major changes in Music Industry over the last 20 years or so. In other words Post Napster/Post Covid. On the one hand there are fewer Jazz Clubs and Labels, on the other hand their's a whole New Group of Opportunities because of the Internet and Social Media. Live Performances and Recordings are no longer the only Metric of Success. Their are many successful RUclips Musicians that rarely Perform Live or make Recordings for Spotify etc. Instead they give Lessons both free and paid, Review Products and make Recordings for their RUclips Channels. Also, Social Media success can absolutely lead to Gigs and Studio Recordings. For anyone that's interested, please check out the book Making Money With Music by Randy Chertkow and Jason Feehan. Thanks.
yes please, more of these!
The reason a lot of people quit bands is that it's a lot of work for not a lot of money usually. It's a good part time second job though. All the pressure is off when you don't need music to pay your bills.
Hey man, long time. I was there about a month ago but didn't sit in but it's ok. As some folks from the islands say, "Soon come, soon come!"
My first time there ELEW was running the session and I could not bring myself to get up, going in I felt so prepared but then once I got there all I wanted to do was listen. I had driven up all the way from North Carolina and I feel like I learned a lot
@@MaxGill-z4e I remember from elew from the 2000-oughts at the cleopatra’s needle session. My friend Danny called me for the needle session a couple of times then he couldn’t make it so he recommended me to elew, and I got the call. That’s how I can say I “played with elew” even though I had no business being on that stage 🤣🤣
@@8020drummer he’s probably one of the best technical piano players I’ve ever heard play live! My friends had been going to Smalls and told me it was just like any other jam sesh but they had no idea ELEW was running the session the night I got there 😅. It was very overwhelming to say the least
Re: 7:37, The spring tension on the kick pedal is a huge one for me!
Hey, cudos to you for doing that. It takes guts and also, it takes two or three songs just to get used to the acoustics and how you fit in the band !
I came up playing at various sessions in the mid to late 1990s...all the big NYC ones, I was the house drummer at one of the big sessions briefly. As rough as those session could be at times, they paled in comparison to the session at Wally's in Boston. That was, by far, the most cutthroat session of them all. I've seen musicians cry, get chased out onto the street under the threat of physical violence, etc. The was a local drummer who used to "force" me to sit in, even when I didn't want to, so he could prove he could cut me every time (and he did). I'm not saying that vibe was healthy...very far from in, in fact...but it made the NYC session feel very low stress by comparison. Working with some of the elder musicians of that time could be rough, too. Many of them didn't mince words. What I have noticed is that many young and/or inexperienced musicians have extremely thin skin now. I'm not saying it should go back to the old way, but I think a little bit of "tough love" is a good thing. Anyhow, good for you for getting back in the saddle. I think you'll find it easier now than it used to be.
sounded awesome!
This one was interesting. I've been watching your videos for a good while and always assumed you would be playing in 15 bands like most of the drummers. I love playing gigs more than recording and playing alone, and therefore try to go out as many jam nights as possible, and I'm in about 10 bands like all the drummers.
Great video! Happy to get together and blow some time!
Bro if you ever want to surf, come to Ireland, the water is cold but waves are great.Keep up the good work 👏👏👍
Nate you sounded great man!
Thanks to you, I just learnt (and discovered xd) quasimodo^^ :) thx ! not so known of a standard, but hey, super nice tune.
Well done! It takes both skills and courage. Were you a bit nervous? How did you deal with it?
Hi Nate, could you tell us the date you went so we could hear your full set on the live feed? (Are they archived?)
Amazed that you sounded so good after not playing with others for 10 years. Must mean the other musicians were very good, but also that you're a pro.
All your insights resonated
with my jam experiences, so it's great to hear them validated. It really matters what the room is like and how the kit is! But awesome playing on those slow tempos. Had no idea what a nice bop player you were, all with matched grip!
Dude, Nate, brother, get out there and jam or get a regular gig, or start a band. I've been playing drums in bands since fifth grade, I'm now in four regularly gigging bands. I took about eight years off when my kids were little and it about killed me. Once I started gigging again I became a happier, more fulfilled human and better yet- a WAY better dad! Always big love to you, been with you from the beginning.
it's tough to meet people for original music...probably easier in NYC, but still good to try anyway- good job out there Nate!
Great job Jimmy!
Great video, Nate!
Great video Nate. I actually thought you were a session guy. JMO but I think you're going to do fine. Good luck. 😃
Great, honest video. I am getting the same itch these days, but the frustrating thing for a drummer is you have a great time jamming with musicians in private jams and everything feels great--and two weeks later those same guys are playing the same stuff without a drummer in front of people because "its kind of a quiet venue, so we're going with a stripped down approach." (thank god they didn't bring out a drum machine....)
Those guys were bigly digging those fills.
Relatable.. thanks!!
Yeah! I just started going out to play drums at jams and it's soooo great to get out of the closet of woodshed and see what happens in the saddle. First two were challenging kits overly muffled and double pedal without the left pedal direct drive kick with super long beater arms that I do not dig. Then last night a beautiful Gretch kit with Sabian cymbals in the classic setup with the kick pedal nice and smooth and single with enough space below to control dynamics instead of just doing blast beats with those long beater arms and nothing in the drums I felt like I wanted to tune up. Even with advanced skills in tapping feet and stick drills, applying all that to the kit with a live band going and the bass player a live human who feels the drummer, and no drummer in the track I'm following to keep the tempo is a worthy challenge to get me back into playing music with people again.
I've been training jazz methods, but the jam I've been going to is more rock, blues, r&b. The jazz training came in handy though when the bassist broke out a brisk western swing feel where the challenge was to keep my right leg from doing anything but the 4 on the floor but no feathers, all bombs and all the swing stuff on snare and cymbals. It was the same spanga-lang on the ride, but much harder than jazz tends to do.
Guitar player side-eye-ing full force. Dang.
You sounded like the best musician up there
Hell yeah, Nate, do you!
Playing with others gives you mind-reading superpowers. :D
Nice display of drum touch...
My view is you become good at what you do. Do a lot of youtube videos, you become good at that. Play a lot of gigs (sober) and learn a little from each one, you get good at that.
Hi Nate, I was the piano player on Corcovado. I am a subscriber but I didn't recognize you on the session. I remember thinking you played a nice bossa feel and responded to what the soloists were doing. Some of the drummers there are way too loud for the room.
@@jamesmerkin6962 thanks!
Nublu is such an great venue, esp for more modern style drummers
The instrument is meant to played with Friends in a band.
Playing with others is the only road to achieving those magic moments that happen when everything falls into place and and someone does something unexpected and simultaneously spectacular!. You can't really achieve that playing to tracks. And there's no one smiling back at you when you pull off an unexpected spectacular lick or phrase playing to a drumless track. However, at this point in my life, gigs are not so important. Particularly the pop/rock/country cover band type gigs. Too much rehearsal, too much pressure to perform songs "like the record", too much f'n work moving gear to and fro, and too much hassle dealing with some* other musicians attitudes. I do miss the audience feedback and reciprocal energy, but all the negatives from my last "band" foray heavily outweighed the positives. * while it's not everyone, one bad apple can spoil the bunch! I'm fortunate to have found a musical oasis in a desert filled with posers and wannabes. We get together for the sole sake of playing music that is in the moment. We may play out if the opportunity arises, but it is not our goal. Everybody is happy just playing and having those random magic moments happen!
DO IT!!!
5:26 Who did he mention after Zach?? I missed. The song sounds nice though.
I guess that’s Noah Fuerbringer ( I think he’s german - Noah Fürbringer )
Yes Noah Furbringer
Whats the song though? Sounds fire
I don't play jazz of any kind, but I do go to blues jams and other "American music" jams, and there is no way to practice or develop the skills it takes to hang with a whole band unless you do it with a whole band. Improvisation is good and all, but to improvise while in a group at the same time is a skill unto itself. Good choice on going back into the world.
As someone who knows very little about jazz but watches this channel anyways, can I get a rundown on why Nate's call for Quasimodo got that reaction?
I'm a pianist, not a horn player and I'm just make an assumption here. I think the horn players didn't really know the head to quasimodo well enough to execute on the spot. A similar thing happened to a drummer who called dexterity at a jam I go to.
@@joshuasutton8301thought the same, probably not disdain as much as insecurity
It’s not really a common jam session tune that’s usually called.
Honestly in my experience each city or scene has kind of its normal jam session tunes. No one is going to accept your tune unless it's a really common one that everyone on stage probably knows. Especially in New York those guys are usually playing from memory and that might not be super fresh for them
I'd offer that it's also a little out of place for the drummer to suggest a less common bebop tune when they don't have to deal with any of the specific challenges of the tune (melody and changes). There's maybe a little jam session etiquette to let the horn players pick the tunes since they have to play the melodies.
When are we getting an explanation of how you got that sweet cauliflower ear?
@@hermanmelville3871 @8020drummer on instagram - I post jiujitsu porn on the reg
Smalls is the best
Sessions are something that, as I improved my actual straight ahead playing, I started to suck more and more at sessions. Yeah, odd, I know. And I've been at this game for 65 years. I never had issues with performance anxiety until I started going to sessions. There's a weird thing in my head that assumed that everyone there is simply waiting for the next guy to crash and burn. And it's completely illogical because it's the furthest thing from the truth. But there are some things that get under my skin, the biggest one being certain somewhat accomplished players who allow themselves to be lead by novices rather than doing the leading themselves and showing the way. It gets aggravating when time goes all to hell and all eyes turn on you know who. I should add, none of this happens on gigs. One thing you mention that does affect me in a big way is the foreign drum kit. Distances, angles, heights and most of all, differences in surface response absolutely cripple me. Playing backbeat music on other kits is nothing, I adjust in seconds. But when I try to adjust playing Jazz standards, using finer musculature, playing heel down and relying on rebound for control, if I don't feel that under my hands and if the muscle memory I've developed through daily practice becomes ineffective because things aren't situated where I'm used to, I can go catatonic in an instant. So why do I continue to attend these things? Probably just the hang. The local drumming community is really friendly and there are some guys I'd love to get a chance to play gigs with. So, I continue to go make a complete ass of myself but there are those occasions where I'm able to put all the bullshit aside and actually make real music and come out sounding great. It's a bizarre thing but something I'll need to overcome in my own way in my own time. But like I mentioned, This doesn't occur on actual gigs, only at sessions and it came on relatively recently like around 2019. Maybe I need a shrink.
Ah Shapeshifter. Matthew Garrisons spot. I’d have thought you were actively playing along with running this channel.
Bass player is Jack Nissen I believe
Good!
Ooo, what song is that at 13:20?!
Well done old boy
How do I audition for bass player for your future band?
Voila 😊
Forgot to add, Nate get you back to Smalls dude and open them shoulders out ,you can smoke them drums as good as any r kid
Play in a band, by all means. But find musicians you can get along with. Nothing worse than playing with a-holes. You're better off playing alone.
As a drummer, always play it cool by never calling tunes on jam sessions unless asked. Even then, don't call something esoteric. You'll get some real nasty stank eye.
unique