Bill Bruford's Earthworks - Song (Paderborn, 16th May, 2005)
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- čas přidán 27. 06. 2024
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I confess; I’ve not been much of a teacher so far. I don’t seem to have the patience, or the right skill-set, or the long-term relationship with a student to bring about any consistent improvement. I have taught one-on-one at Kingston University here in the UK for a semester or two, but it was a miserable hour every week confined in a small airless box with some not very enthusiastic beginner who probably wanted to be there less than I did. And if you requested that the student practice in the vacations? Forget about it.
But it gnaws away at me; people like me who’ve been more than fortunate, it is said, should give something back. Pass on the knowledge. Hence the idea of passing on something beyond the acquisition of technical capacity, or on-instrument skills; something more in the line of off-instrument skills. And that I do by writing and showing, specifically in this CZcams Channel.
Teaching by showing will also involve a demonstration of where things could have been better in my own work. Today’s lesson - pay attention at the back - involves a track called ‘Song’, a poor title choice from the composer for an otherwise brilliant small tune. The writer is the pianist Gwilym Simcock, one of Britain’s best. He’s performing it here with Earthworks, alongside his stellar colleagues Tim Garland (tenor saxophone), and Laurie Cottle (bass) in Paderborn, Germany. I’m the drummer. Thing is, we hadn’t played it before. Big mistake - and cameras are running.
So, what’s wrong with it? It’s too hesitant and too long; outstaying its welcome. The piano introduction wanders. An early rendition of the main melody from the bass sounds like a first time reading. An early mistake by Garland (who never makes a mistake) with a split note in a critical spot (at 2’25”) seems to prick the delicate fabric of confidence that is already beginning to ebb away - or it did for me, anyway. Dynamically, it’s too flat. The form has no shape, or, rather the wrong shape. The saxophone gamely tries to bring muscle to something that’s too flabby, but that only highlights the problem. The drums are definitely thoughtless. Given a second go at it, and knowing what I know now, I would have approached the piece in far more responsive, less backbeat kind of way.
This might be too harsh and assessment, you might say. Yours, Bill, is only one opinion. Indeed, but it’s the opinion that counts because it was my actions that, in part, allowed this less than perfect rendition to escape.
It’s a band-leader thing. I should have seen what was about to happen, insisted on a run-through on the day of performance or dropped the piece altogether until we had had an opportunity to play it through in rehearsal. We’d become too self-confident. We thought we could breeze through a delicate ballad sight-unseen; we could make anything work, couldn’t we?
So, here’s the lesson: music stuff can spin out of control quite quickly in the hustle and bustle of touring. Pay attention at all times when you have an instrument, or a whole band, in your hands. This performance of this song on this night was a moment of hubris; a moment of realisation that music isn’t that easily tamed. You can’t take its appearance for granted, or be too casual about it. We never had the opportunity to play ‘Song’ again, which is a shame. This lovely tune didn’t quite get the performance it deserved.
#drumsolos #billbruford #jazzdrumming #electronicdrumkit #improvisationmusic #paistecymbals #rockdrummer #tamadrums #kingcrimson #yes #billbrufordsearthworks #billbrufordsearthworks - Hudba
I ❤ this truly unique, spontaneous, ad lib, one of a kind, non recallable Jazz composition, giving each diverse musician a moment expressing in the limelight/sunlight ❤🎉❤
I saw a very old interview with Steve Howe only this morning where he said you helped Dylan when he was starting. That must have worked for him xx
Bill is my favorite drummer
Great video.
I'm always happy to see the wonderful Tim Garland. He makes such a nice sound with that sax!
Caught earthworks many years ago in Ottawa. Awesome evening
People usually don’t listen to or appreciate Jazz musicians because they express the complexity in we humans with complex emotions spontaneously expressing anytime any place never quite the same cause most people don’t like hearing analogues of music that express their own complexity and Infinite variability. I personally ❤ this.
Bill !!!
Saw him live a couple of years ago, at Fasching Jazzclub in Stockholm. It was great!
you know what you can always spontaneously play in such occasion? HIP TO BE SQUARE!!!!
Bruf-ford!❤
Thank you. I love the sort of commentary you provide with your videos. It's exactly the sort of explanation that we don't get enough of when we're learning (and we're always learning). For better or worse, we're live most of our lives in our heads, and learning what was going on in someone else's head when they're doing the same thing we want to be doing is a valuable insight.
I'm curious if you we're as disappointed in the moment with the performance or if you became disappointed mostly after the fact.
thank for sharing
Delicious!!!
♥️♥️♥️
Uhhhhh Show de 19 anos atrás! FODA!🤘