In a message dated 11/19/99 7:03:20 AM Mountain Standard Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
<< Who in music has influenced or inspired your playing throughout the years?
>>
Debbie, what a great question! And I have greatly enjoyed reading all
the posts so far...seems we all have a lot of the same musical influences.
Anyway, I heard Evil Ways by Santana way back in 1970, and I fell in love
with the sound - the combination of drum kit, congas, timbales. This knocked
off my 13 year old ears! That's what inspired me to ask for a conga drum,
and my dear mother bought me one! Soon after I wanted to join a rock band
some friends were starting up, but they wanted a drum set player, so I asked
for and received a cheap $75 drum kit. Since then I've always played, mostly
percussion nowadays but sometimes drum kit, the past 10 years or so
professionally! I am very blessed to be able to make 95% of my living
playing music, and with an awesome wife and 3 wonderful children to boot!
Ok, influences...
As far as percussion goes, my biggest influences have been Michael Carabello
and Jose Chipto Areas (the two original Santana percussionists), the great
Brazilian master Nana Vasconcelos, and the sadly departed percussionist/sitar
player from the Paul Winter Consort and Oregon, Colin Walcott. I also have
learned from master frame drummer Glenn Velez, tabla master Zakir Hussian,
and multi-percussionists Jamey Haddad, Pedro Aznar, Luis Conte, Airto, and
Alex Acuna.
Drum kit? Well, there is Steve Gadd, Paul Wertico, Alan White, Stuart
Copeland, Carl Palmer, Danny Seraphine, Bill Bruford, Jim Keltner, and Jaimo
with Butch Trucks.
I also love guitar! I don't play really, maybe someday, but these are my
favorites:
B.B. King, Carlos Santana, Jeff Beck, Pat Simmons, Ralph Towner, Pat Metheny,
Billy Gibbons, Jorge Strunz, Ardeshir Farah, Robben Ford, Duane Allman, and
Phil Keaggy.
Bass? Tiran Porter, Victor Wooten, Rocco Prestia, Chris Squire, and Jaco
Pastorius.
Songwriters? Too many to list completely, but some would include David
Wilcox, Stevie Wonder, Pat Simmons, Tom Johnston, Elton John & Bernie Taupin,
Pat Metheny, Ralph Towner, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Bonnie Raitt, Shawn Colvin,
Michael Card, Enya, Loreena McKennit, and on and on...
Bands would include the Doobie Brothers, Santana, Oregon, the Allman
Brothers, the Police, the Who, Led Zeppelin, the Pat Metheny Group, Strunz
and Farah, Loreena McKennitt band, Earth, Wind and Fire, Weather Report,
Return to Forever, U2, Chicago, Al DiMeola and World Sinfonia, and ZZ Top.
Thanks for reading my long, long post!
God's peace!
Ed
