December 10, 2005

Hi All You Drummmers & Percussionist out there,

It’s Mr.Funk here with some More Ideas>>> While I was TeaChing Yesterday, I had some thouGhts about Playing along to CDs oN Drum~Set or Congas & BonGoes>>>

It is MUCH Harder than it at first Seems!>>>

Let’s take the eXample of oNe of My Teenage Students trying to Play along to a Recent “Green Day” Single >>>
Tre Cool the Drummer in this Band has obviously put ALOT of Time & Energy into Designing & Creating His Part for this Particular Track >>> A LOT of ThouGht & Pain~staking Rehearsal Time will definately have gone into Creating this Detailed & Frankly Very Intelligent Piece of Drumming>>>

In a Big International Band such as this, Signed to a Major Label, oNe of the ProCesses New Material has to go throuGh BEFORE aN Album is Recorded is “ROUTINEING”>>>

This is a form of INTENSE Rehearsal of the Song’s FORM & ARRANGEMENT done by the Band (often with the help of their Record Producer) to “Iron Out” any problems in the Track, to OPTIMISE the Commercial Potential of any Track “Short~Listed” for the New CD>>>This can run to MANY DAYS of VERY HARD WORK for the Band in Question ( I know because I’ve been that Soldier & it’s a FULL~ON, Sweaty & EXHAUSTING experience!!!)>>>

As a result, the GLOSSY TRACK that Flows effortlessly out of Your Hi~Fi or MP3 Player has had MANY, MANY Hours of HARD GRAFT spent on it BEFORE it reaches Your EAGER Hands!>>>>

Therefore, when trying to Play like Your HERO, be AWARE of this fact & DON’T be too hard on Yourself if it takes You a While to get it >>>

The MOST IMPORTANT factor to Capture is the FEEL of the Piece >> Get the thing GROOVING & FLOWING, IN TIME before Worrying about EVERY Ghost Note & Fill!!>>> Believe Me, it Probably took the Drummer Him or Herself quite a while to get the Take EXACTLY how they wanted it!>>>

CDs are also, in the case of Most Modern Music, METRONOMICLY IN TIME & therefore VERY UNFORGIVING!!!
Try not to be Dis~Heartened by this!!>>> It doesn’t necessarily mean Your Playing isn’t good if You can’t play the Piece from Beginning to End >>> It just Means You’re trying to Play along with something which has been Fine~Tuned & Perfected for a LONG TIME!!!!!>>>

We are ALL so used to Hearing PERFECTED Music, that I think it’s hard sometimes to put Our own Skill as a Player into Perspective>>>

DO NOT be DISCOURAGED!!!>>> The thing to hold on to is Your LOVE of the Music & That WONDERFUL, EXCITING Feeling it gives You!!!>>> NEVER loose siGht of that!!!>>>

In Music, as far as I’m concerned, ENTHUSIASM IS EVERYTHING!!!>>> Keep hold of that & Music will ALWAYS stay FRESH & INSPIRING for You!!!>>>

PeAcE & BIG LoVe to the World of Drums for Now,

***< <<<< SiMoN the Daddy Funk >>>>>***

December 4, 2005

Hi there Drummers-Paradise Worldwide TeaM!

So it DID ALL coMe together>>> The Launch HAPPENED & was a HUGE SuCeSS!!!>>>

It was a Dark, Moody, Rainy & Foul Night here oN the South Coast of the UK, oN Thursday 1st December 2005>>>However, this seemed not to dampen the Spirits of Local Jazz Fans one bit >>> There was a Fine, Enthusiastic croud who turned up for the FIRST EVER Live Appearance of The Friendship and Respect Trio @ The Centre Stage Venue in Bournemouth UK>>>

On offer was a FINE Night of ENTERTAINMENT first from “The Europa String Choir” a Beautiful Electric Violin & Electric Guitar Duo ( & Married Couple ) Cathy & Udo >>> They started the Event with SUBLIME Modern Classical Compositions which established a Calm & Uplifting Mood for the Main Act “The F&R Trio” Performing for the First Time Our Debut CD “Rainshine”>>>
The Venue was PERFECT, with a Large Stage, A Great Sound & Lighting Rig & a Caberet~Style Layout, with Tables & Comfortable Chairs for the Audience to Relax & Enjoy the Musical Experience on offer>>>
The Line~Up of This Particular Trio is Andy Stone on Acoustic Guitar, Bobby Burke on Piano, Keyboard & Acoustic Guitar & Myself ( The DF ! ) on My Mouth~Wateringly GORGEOUS Main Drum Kit >>> Gold~Glass~Sparkle Orange County Custom Drums with a Yamaha Bamboo Custom Snare & a LARGE Assortment of Zildjian & Sabian Cast Cymbals, Including the DEEPLY SEXY 22″ K Custom High Definition Ride to Drive the occasion along!!!>>>

Within Moments of launching into the first Composition “Savage Water” We could sense on Stage that We had ALL done Our Homework & that this Gig was going to be A HUGE SUCESS!!!>>> I exchanged glances with both Andy & Bob during the course of this first Tune & the Mood of Euphoria, Power & Freedom was Set for the rest of the Performance!>>>
WHAT A GREAT BAND!!!>>>

Stand~out Tracks in Our Perfomance included the Excuisite two Guitar& Brushes Masterpiece “Pulse Sublime” which was the First time I’ve EVER Performed & Displayed My LOVE of Brushes~Work infront of a Live Audience >>> I was in Heaven, displaying My own Unique Brushes Style infront of an Enthusiastic Croud>>>Perfect!!!

“Hidden Light” ( soon to be heard on the Player on THIS VERY SITE! ) moved effortlessly within the Structure on the Album Recording>>>Demonstrating Our Extensive knowledge of the Material ( it is SUCH a Joy to Work with SUCH FINE Musical PROFESSIONALS! ) but this Track also Rocketed into Wildly Passionate, Improvised Areas which blew My Socks off!!!>>> This Gig was at any given time at least 50 to 60% Improvised which was in equal parts Exillerating & a little Terrifying!!!

The 11/8 Piece “Seabreeze 11″ is a Firm Favourite of particularily Andy’s & Mine & it Transported Us to Spiritual Extascy on Stage >>> What a Beautifil Tune! >>>Oceanic Flights of Fantasy!! ( Hear it NOW on FREE MP3 on the
Friendship & Respect Site)

I have been to an ENOURMOUS amount of High~Profile Jazz Concerts as an Audiece Member with My Gorgeous Partner PantherKitten & Even with some VERY BIG NAME Players, You are NOT always Guaranteed a Good Gig>>>
JAZZ as an IMPROVISED Form is Unpredictable at the Best of times>>> There is a Danger to it, an Unexpected Quality which I Love & Respect>>>
That is Why We were All SO over the Moon when it was SO Evident that Our Concert was Going to be SUCH a Musical TRIUMPH!>>>
There was a Magical Flow of Communication between the 3 of Us which was a JOY to be a part of, the Performances were both Sensitive & Powerful in equal measures >>> Our Audience seemed to FULLY Understand & Appreciate what We were doing & An ELECTRIC Atmosphere prevailed throughout the Evening>>>
This was the kind of Gig You Dream of as a Working Musician & for Me it was a Fitting return to form after 3 & a half Year absence from the LIVE Arena>>>
Thank the Angels of Creativity for this Enriching, Fabulous experience!!!>>>
The NEW CD “Rainshine” was LAUNCHED with a BANG & We were Honoured by Rapturous Applause from the Audience>>> it couldn’t have been better!!>>> Well….. We could have Sold MORE CDs on the Night but I’m Very Confident that they will start Selling extremely Well on this lead up to Christmas 2005 & on far into 2006 >>>

If You wish to sample this Fine Jazz Please go to www.friendshipandrespect.com & Check Out the FREE MP3, Mail~Order a Copy of the Album & keep an eye on the Photo Gallery for Photographs by the HUGELY TALENTED Amanda@pantherkitten.com which will CONSTANTLY be refreshed & Updated over the coming Weeks & Months>>>

As the Promoter & Mover&Shaker of this Project, I will be Booking Up MORE GIGS in MORE VENUES around the UK in the New Year, SO WATCH THIS SPACE for further Developments in this Exciting & Colourful Jazz Journey!!!

So back to My RelaXing, Recovery~Sunday>>> My ONLY Day~of~Rest in ANY Working Week>>> Time to Read a Great Novel & Open a Decent bottle of Red I Feel!!!

Deep Peace & Funky JOY to You ALL Out There,

***< <<<< SiMoN the Daddy Funk >>>>>***

October 16, 2005

Hey Drumming World!
So it finally happened to Simon the Daddy Funk!>>> As of Friday 14th October 2005 @ 5.30pm UK Time, it was confirmed! >>> An Endorsement with the truly wonderful Yamaha Drums & the mighty Zildjian Cymbal Companies as a Drum Tutor & Educator!!!! >>>>> I am filled with great JOY & humble GRATITUDE! >>>
I have been a huge fan of both of these fantastic, giants of the Drum World for many years now. Their superlative Products are of the very highest quality with a rich & respected history & heritage. Their Endorsees include many of the Planet’s Drum Legends & Superstars!!! >>> Some of My all time influences are included in the Yamaha & Zildjian community >>> Masters of the Instruments such as Steve Gadd, Peter Erskine, Alex Acuna, Antonio Sanchez to name but a few >>>

I would like to thank Nik @ Yamaha UK for this increadible opportunity & also Paul & Austin @ the FANTASTIC DRUM STORE Poole Percussion, in My Home town, for making this a Reality for Me >>> I am VERY PROUD to be one of the few Drum~Tutors included in the ” Poole Percussion approved Drum Teaching Programme ” >>>Thanks Guys!! >>>> This will enable Me to change Up a Gear or two & Propel Me like a ROCKET toward much Higher standards of exellence in My thriving Teaching practice, My Recording & Gigging Projects & My EXPLODING Web Buisiness! >>>
PeAcE & Awesome GroOVEs to the Planet,
Keep it FuNky,
SiMoN the Daddy FuNk