WELCOME TO FOUR ON THE FOUR: A BLOG ABOUT JAZZ DRUMMING AND ALL THINGS UNRELATED, BROUGHT TO YOU BY JON McCASLIN

Friday, December 21, 2012

Friday with Bill Stewart

















I've been revisiting some favorite albums of mine featuring Bill Stewart on drums lately, as well as checking out some new ones. His cymbal sound and melodic sensibility is always impressive and inspiring.

- Thanks to Calgary saxophonist Jeff McGregor who recently hooked me up with John Scofield's live trio album "En Route".























Fortunately there is some great live footage of that same trio with Scofield, Steve Swallow and Bill Stewart floating around youtube.com these days for us to enjoy:







- Here's also an older Jazz Times article with Stewart:

http://jazztimes.com/articles/20789-bill-stewart-the-tie-that-binds

- And another interview with Bill over at drummagazine.com:

http://www.drummagazine.com/features/post/in-conversation-with-bill-stewart/

- For all you Facebooker's out there (ie. the all-mighty colossal waster of humanity's time!!!) here's an interview with Bill Stewart where he his discusses his approach to dealing with polyrhythms on drums:

https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=2040466366653

(if you dig around there are others on that page as well...)

- The sound quality on this next one isn't great, but it doesn't matter! Here's Bill demonstrating his incredible musicality and groove and some very nice Zildijian cymbals courtesy of the Memphis Drum Shop:



I love it how the tiny splash cymbal at his far right gets its own cymbal stand (I noticed that Bill used to "piggy back" his splashes on the top of larger cymbals awhile ago...Billy Hart is infamous for that as well!) It looks so tiny compared to the 22" next to it! lol

- And from the Modern Drummer festival, here's another great one featuring Bill with saxophonist Seamus Blake:



- So what are a few of my favorite Bill Stewart recordings you are probably asking yourself?

Here some of my picks that I keep going back to for ideas and inspiration:

Bill Stewart - "Snide Remarks"

Bill Stewart & Bill Carrothers - "Duets"

John Scofield - "This is What We Do"

Bill Carrothers - "Joy Spring"

Pat Metheny - "Trio Live"

Seamus Blake - "The Call"

John Scofield Trio - "En Route"

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