Tom Tom Magazine Issue 26: Roots by Tom Tom Magazine

$6 | € 6 | £ 6 DISPLAY SUMMER 2016

T H E H E A LT H I S S U E

Carla Azar by El-P | The Voice’s Gisella Giurfa | Ty Braxton | Guide to Philly | Karen Carpenter

CONTRIBUTORS FOUNDER | PUBLISHER Mindy Seegal Abovitz (info@tomtommag.com) MANAGING EDITOR Liz Tracy CREATIVE DIRECTOR Marisa Kurk REVIEWS EDITOR Rebecca DeRosa (hi@tomtommag.com) PRINT

MANAGING EDITOR Liz Tracy

UK INTERN Simone Odaranile

DIGITAL INTERN Pippa Kelmenson

WRITER Zoe Brecher

WRITERS Candace Hansen, Zoe Brecher, Shaina Joy Machlus, LaTreice V. Branson, Katy Otto, Maura Filoromo, Lynn Lasswell, Brianna Sig, Barbara Duncan, Maryam April, Jamila Hadiya, Liz Tracy, El-P, Attia Taylor, Valerie Naranjo, Mayra Lucia Cortez, Lauren K. Newman, Lucy Katz, Joe Wong PHOTOGRAPHERS Erika Orozco, Ralph Hanke, Keka Marzagao, Kimmy Le Funk, the1point8, Priscilla Scott, Ryan Converse, Alejandro Ohlmaier, Ale Robles ILLUSTRATORS Amber Valentine, Jenny Tang, Christopher Darling, Rachal Duggan TECH WRITERS Vanessa Dominique, Michele Drees, Kristen Gleeson-Prata, Morgan Doctor, Sherisse Ofosu-Osei MUSIC & MEDIA REVIEWS Tarra Thiessen, ChantalMarie Wright, Lisa Liu, Stephen Otto Perry, Liz Burke, Maura Filoromo, Kate Hoos, Jessie Nelson GEAR REVIEWS Rosana Cabán, Brittany Maccarello WEB

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ON THE COVER: Carla Azar by Priscilla Scott

THE MISSION Tom Tom Magazine ® is the only magazine in the world dedicated to female drummers. We are a quarterly print magazine, website, social media community, irl community, events, drum academy, custom gear shop and more. Tom Tom seeks to raise awareness about female percussionists from all over the world in hopes to inspire women and girls of all ages to drum. We intend to strengthen and build the fragmented community of female musicians globally and provide the music industry and the media with role models to create an equal opportunity landscape for any musician. We cover drummers of all ages, races, styles, skill levels, abilities, sexualities, creeds, class, sizes and notoriety. Tom Tom Magazine is more than just a magazine; it’s a movement.

My drum roots were that I was drawn to the drums almost unconsciously and driven to make music with other girls from my teens on. Starting with my introduction to Riot Grrrl (Bikini Kill, Heavens to Betsy and Tilt, to name a few) then moving on to having my own all girl band in Gainesville, Florida, with my best friends in 2000. From there, I volunteered at Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls in New York City, and had a show space in my house in Brooklyn called The Woodser where we put shows together on the weekends (some bands that played at my house were Matt & Kim along with Grass Widow and the Vivian Girls). After that, I worked as a live sound engineer at a couple local NYC music venues (The Cake Shop and Public Assembly) and then as an assistant audio engineer at East Village Radio while starting this magazine. While my work with the magazine hasn’t left much time to play in bands or run audio these days, those early impulses to explore women's beat-making potential have always spurred me. That gravitational pull was and still is a force to be reckoned with. And of course with strong roots, comes solid growth. I and Tom Tom have begun to set up new roots in our next city, London. I have forever dreamed about Tom Tom being a global magazine, reporting on music and feminism all over the world and giving us females the strength in numbers that we need to break down misconceptions about what we can and cannot do, what we can and cannot play. I feel that now, finally, Tom Tom has the deep roots it needs in the U.S. to begin to expand globally. With the help of our incredible staff and volunteers around the world, Tom Tom can finally grow in Europe as we have been hoping to all along. As I remember Tom Tom’s beginnings, I and the magazine move into a new and exciting phase of this adventure. With love and drums,

Mindy Seegal Abovitz (Publisher / Creator)

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Photo by Keka Margazao

Welcome to the summer issue of Tom Tom. We've been spending a lot of time thinking about roots—where we come from, where we've been, our motivations and instincts. As we move ever forward, it's important to glance back over our shoulder once in awhile and pay tribute to what got us going in the first place.

THE ROOTS ISSUE DAPPER DRUMMER 12

INTERVIEW WITH HINDS 16 WHAT WAS STOLEN FROM KAREN CARPENTER 18

GUIDE TO PHILLY 20

DRUM LIKE A LADY 24

SOULFUL BEATS 32

CARLA AZAR 38

MARCY KIMANZI 43

WOMEN IN WEST AFRICAN PERCUSSION 44

THREE LADIES OF THE WASHBOARD 46

GISELLA GIURFA 48

RESTRICTED RHYTHMS 51

SIMONE SIMONTON 52 APRONS 54

YURI YAMASHITA 56

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Hello!

Hello,

First of all, I must say that I LOVE Tom Tom Magazine. Thank you for all you have done for music in general, and especially female drummers <3.

I am a drummer out of Greeley, Colorado (north of Denver) and I have to thank you. I just got my first two issues of the magazine and it is a total game-changer for me. I feel so inspired by everything about the mag—the technique tips, the stories that I can (finally) relate to, the art, and even the feel of the paper. I've just been on fire wanting to practice ever since I got it.

Warmly, Andy Gehrz

Dear Tom Tom,

One thing that's been a blast is checking out the suggested recordings in the back. If Tom Tom has taught me anything so far, it's that I need to take more joy and pride in sharing my work.

This email has been a long time coming! My name is Carson Risser and I am a junior at Guilford College. I had the great pleasure of joining Mindy Abovitz, Chaos Chaos, and others at my school a couple years ago for a drumming workshop and conversation. It was empowering, uplifting, and inspiring. I have been an avid consumer of Tom Tom ever since. Thank you for visiting Guilford, thank you for teaching us the tools to learn to drum (which I am still shakily trying to pick up), and thank you for being open to speak about women in music, which is so important, and giving them voice. I wanted to say specifically how excited I was that Tom Tom consistently covers Japanese musicians. I have been happy to see artists I already admired, like Yoshimi, in articles by people like Emi Kariya, being given space in your pages, as well as so many I never would have heard without Tom Tom, like ZZZ’s, which are now on constant rotation in my playlist. Thank you so much for what you do, and I look forward to future issues (and events) from Tom Tom. Best, Carson Thank you for your amazing endeavours, I love your mag, it keeps me connected to the greater family of female percussionists. Big hug from Gaylyn Xox

Thanks so much for what you all are doing. —Mary

Hi y'all! Your mag totally inspired me to believe it's never too late to start rocking. Five months ago, at age 27, I picked up drumsticks for the very first time and formed a band, Wife Patrol. I just want to say thank you so much for helping me BELIEVE!!! My life has truly changed for the better because I'm not just loving and listening to rock music—I'm creating, too! xoxo Natasha R

Thanks for all the work you're doing. I have used Tom Tom with my students numerous times. So glad to have it as a resource. Slightly more than half the history of drumming has been ignored. Grateful for the work you’re doing to counter that. —Joe P

Just a quick note to let you know how bad-ass Health Issue cover is. I've never once imagined seeing a mountain of food pouring from the top of a Slingerland snare but here it is and it looks great. The cover designs on all the issues are so very very good and it's definitely part of the appeal of the magazine. Keep up the great work. Cheers, Clint T. It's great to see a magazine supporting female drummers and getting the recognition they deserve! —Louisa

YES!! Go Mindy Abovitz!!! I love and respect what you and your crew have accomplished so much! For the people who get all irritated when I put #girldrummer on posts of my lovely daughter drummer... I am insanely proud of my daughter and every girl who is a part of changing music. It doesn't happen by itself. Someone has to push for it and pave the way. It's not quite where it should be yet. Talent is talent. No matter what gender, race, nationality (or whatever other ignorant hang up applies.) The music industry was claimed by mostly chauvinistic, douchebag dudes long ago. I LOVE seeing them outplayed (and the -ego punishing- worry in their eyes) by the women who they normally objectify and demoralize to sell.. These women are helping each other and paving the way for the next group and generation to do what they love and are exceptional at. Dahlia loves looking at Tom Tom Magazine and is inspired by the awesome drummers we learn about. Thank you all for everything you do! —Justin T

Totally loved hearing about your magazine! I am a drummer myself, played djembe drum kit from age 12. Brings out something primal in me! So glad you’re encouraging more girls to get involved! —Meg S

Thank you for everything you are doing for female drummers everywhere. We appreciate your diligence and hard work!!! —Nikki G

Dear Mindy, Totally loved hearing about your magazine! I am a drummer myself, played djembe drum kit from age 12. Brings out something primal in me! So glad you’re encouraging more girls to get involved! —Meg S

Thank you for everything you are doing for female drummers everywhere. We appreciate your diligence and hard work!!! —Nikki G

It was such a pleasure to meet you after your amazing discussion on Gender and Music at the Apple store a few months ago. I have been an avid reader and passionate fan of Tom Tom Magazine since I started drumming a few years ago. Not only is the content informative and inspiring, the typeface, graphic design, and illustrations are unique and well designed. Here is a Tom Tom illustration to show my support. Best, Becky Lowry

HANNAH WELTON

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ART

TKTKT RANDOM RANDOM RHYTHM RHYTHM

The Art of Celeste Boursier-Mougenot

THE ART OF CELESTE BOURSIER-MOUGENOT

Céleste Boursier-Mougenot is a modern French artist whose works combine the animate and inanimate with sound. His music is expressed through his art. The piece shown here is from Boursier-Mougenot’s work entitled Aura from the Biennale de Lyon in 2015. For this work, he set the drum kit at the center of the space had its drumheads struck by cherry stones, triggered by an electromagnetic aura given off by each owner of a cell phone who visited the Bienalle. The subsequent sounds produced were random and dictated by the art and its participants (which is typical of Boursier-Mougenot’s works). This random rhythm is meant to make tangible “the intangibility of our communication systems.”

ISSUE 26: THE ROOTS ISSUE

CLOCKING IN

ROBIN ROSE NIGHTS & WEEKENDS by Candace Hansen photo by Erika Orozco

It would be accurate to say that drumming, though challenging, is not rocket science. But when it comes to Robin Rose, both the kit and the International Space Station are linked in her heart, mind, and hands. She has bravely gone where few women (also few men!) have gone before, working as a rocket scientist whose time off is spent on the drums. With this fascinating range of skills, we had to clock in with this out-this-world drummer.

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How did you start playing the drums? I started playing the drums at Ladies Rock Camp in Orange County put on by the Rock Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Roll Camp for Girls OC. How did you get into science, engineering, and space? I was always analytical and mathematically inclined. I originally was a pre-med student, studying to be a pharmacist, but it wasn't for me. I remembered a high school teacher once telling me that I would make a good engineer, so I changed to engineering as a major in college. Plus, I always wanted to work on the space program since I visited Kennedy Space Center at 14-years-old. The space program really sparked my imagination, and it was a dream come true to work on it when I graduated from college! I am a problem solver.

FULL NAME: Robin Rachelle Rose AGE: 51 SIGN: Cancer HOMETOWN: Tempe, AZ LIVES IN: Anaheim, CA PAST JOBS: Jack In The Box, Girl Friday at CCI Telecommunications, Rocket Scientist and Chief Engineer at Boeing CURRENT JOB: Engineering Manager in commercial aircraft industry EDUCATION: Bachelor of Science in Systems Engineering, Masters in Business Administration WORK HOURS: Long and not defined DRUM PRACTICE HOURS: Nights and weekends YOUR TITLE AT WORK: Engineering Manager WORK WEBSITE: B/E Aerospace YOUR WORK BIO: Rocket Scientist on Lunar/Planetary mission planning at Rockwell International, Systems Engineer, Project Engineer, Flight Operations Manager for International Space Station program and Space Shuttle upgrade program, Chief Engineer at Boeing for missile defense communications network; Engineering Manager for Engineering Project Leads and Processes at B/E Aerospace (commercial aircraft) COOL WORK STUFF GOING ON: Multiple certification projects on Boeing, Airbus, and Bombardier aircraft FAVORITE DRUM BEAT: Disco! Then basic rock and blues. Learning the Bossa Nova almost killed me! FAVORITE PLANET: Saturn

Tell us what we want to know, what was it like working on the Space Shuttle Endeavour? Working on the International Space Station was a dream come true for me. Blood, sweat, and tears, difficult and challenging times sometimes, but overall a blast. I got to work with some very cool engineers and astronauts and made some good friends. I can say I made a contribution to humankind. And sometimes I can look up into the sky at night and see the Space Station fly overhead, and I know I was a part of making that happen. Who knows what the scientists might learn to help the human race as a result of the experiments and research being done up there. And I have to tell you, there was no bigger thrill than to be present for a space shuttle launch. Awesome. Something I will always treasure.

How do people at work react when they find out you are a drummer? Surprised at first, because I come off as very conservative Do you ever hide your drummer identity at work or vice versa? Not any more. I have a tiny drum set on my desk on my office. Everyone knows now. How is your job similar to drumming or how do the two compliment each other? Mathematical skills! That is why I favor linear beats.

Women in drums and women in STEM are severely underrepresented, any advice for girls or women contemplating getting into either? Go for it! Make your mark! The sky's the limit. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't or shouldn't because you are a girl. Do you, and do you well. Follow your dreams, and enjoy life.

How do your drummer brain and engineer brain get along? Most of the time, just fine. Drumming forces me to be in the moment and totally present. No time for worrying about work deadlines and technical issues. It is a great stress relief and outlet for me.

ISSUE 26: THE ROOTS ISSUE

DAPPER DRUMMER

JARITA MARIA FREYDANK by Mindy Abovitz photo by Ralph Hanke

Jarita Maria Freydank's tagline is "drums, voice, and curls." With her distinctive, colorful, cool, and funky outfits, it'd be kind of odd if she didn't mention her knack for style alongside her other electrifying talents. The German drummer has always loved to sing and dance, practicing her best Alicia Keys and Phil Collins impressions from her bedroom as a kid. She started taking classical guitar and piano around age 13, but these instruments didn’t stick. The rhythm was strong in this one. She started her first band with her younger sister, Jadula. After that, she dedicated herself to the drums, taking lessons with Joachim Dölker, who’s played with the Scorpions and whose percussion group Groove Monsters inspired Freydank to jam. She now lives in Berlin and has performed with musicians Judith Holofernes, Siri Svegler, Keith Tynes, and others. There’s no doubt, she’s a dapper drummer.

Who is your fashion icon? Yarah Bravo! She’s a great artist with a dope style. How do you get your clothing inspiration? I got it from my parents. They designed their clothes together, combining African materials with fancy stuff. What gets your attention? Colors and good vibrations. What is your drum or gear set-up? At the moment, I use my cajon as a bass drum, sitting on it and playing it with a cable driven pedal (Schlagwerk) and combining it with percussions (Meinl) especially when the music is not so loud. But I also love to hit a big drum set with deep toms and loud cymbals! And I dance with my golden marching bass drum (Lefima) when I play with the Blaskapelle (brass band). What is your favorite outfit? I love my blueorange suit. My mother and I designed it together and she sewed it. Who or what is your hair inspiration? Nature! Most time I just leave my hair open or do Mickey Mouse style.

How do you pick your outfits out for a show? Who would you like to work with? I always take a few outfits with me and decide T.M. Stevens. spontaneously before the gig. Then I’m in the What is your fav venue to play in? Playing at mood to choose the right color. festivals is the best! It’s cool to meet other How did you get into drumming/beatmak- musicians and see what they do. ing/producing? When I was young, my father gave me a djembe and showed me How would you describe your style? Groovy! some grooves. My mother had some tab- Drumming and fashion. las and I loved watching her playing them. I Which designer would you love to collaboalso tried piano and guitar, but when I was rate with? I’d love to work more with Amin17, I bought a drum set and took lessons. I Couture. We already worked together. He wanted to become a drummer! Sheila E. and showed me how to sew bags. Cindy Blackman were a big inspiration. My first band was with my sister Jadu, and she Which designer represents your music best? played the guitar. I started producing when Myself! I prepared a playalong for the entrance examination to study popular music. So from that day, I started producing my own songs. Who have you worked with? I’m honored working with artists from different genres. Among others, I worked with Astrid North, Peter Fox (Seeed), and Bryan Little, teaching in their drumline school BÄM! in Berlin and performing on snare. Also, Judith Holofernes (Wir sind Helden), Siri Svegler, Keith Tynes (The Platters), Solène Garnier (So Lame Music Show), and Nachlader.

ISSUE 26: THE ROOTS ISSUE

INTERVIEW

DRUMS TO THE FRONT AND THE KIDS’ DRUMMER AND SINGER REBECCA LASAPONARO HEADS UP THE BEST BAND YOU DON’T KNOW YET

by Zoe Brecher photos courtesy of band

It’s great to see bands like And The Kids, where the drums are at the forefront. Rebecca Lasaponaro is at the percussive helm of this Northampton, Massachusetts-based trio. At South By Southwest this year, I met both Lasaponaro and bassist Tal Katz, and we became fast friends. I browsed their videos on YouTube and noticed that most of the comments were from people asking a very good question: Why isn’t this band bigger? Live, Lasaponaro manages to effortlessly play the most unconventional and complex beats all while singing and keeping the hi-hat going on beat and even bobbing her head. She comes up with rhythms that perfectly fit the eccentric vocal melodies and guitar and bass lines. Through her performances and mind-bending, inspiring song compositions, it’s apparent what a colorful person she is. We spoke with the 24-year-old about NPR's Tiny Desk series, playing the xylophone and drums concurrently, and the allure of Travis Barker.

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Has the lineup always been like this? And The Kids has had a couple different lineups in the past, but we're currently touring as a threepiece. We have a fourth member, Megan Miller (keyboards, vocals, best friend), who is a Canadian native and isn't allowed in the U.S. right now. She's on all the albums and you can catch us as a four-piece anywhere outside the U.S.

What type of kit do you have? I play a Gretsch Renown Maple kit. My snare drum is the drum I got in elementary school. It's a CB 5.5 x 14 steel drum. It came in a cool backpack case I wish I still had.

You’ve played some great shows like NPR’s Tiny Desk series. How was that? We drove from New York City to Washington, D.C. to do the Tiny Desk. We had two of our close friends with us, so the whole ride we were all trying not to freak out. But once we got there, it was all good. Everyone was so welcoming. We set up our gear and we thought we were doing a soundcheck and then Bob Boilen [creator the series] was like, “OK, that sounded good!” Our whole time there was like an hour long and that included buying stuff at the gift shop.

When did you know you wanted to be a drummer? I know this might sound corny, but when I saw the music video for Blink182’s “Always.” I didn't know Blink-182 or Travis Barker, I just saw this person wailing on this kit and I remember thinking that’s what I wanted to do.

Do you have a favorite show you’ve played so far? I don't have one favorite show that I can remember, but I'd say the shows where everyone is feeling relaxed and goofy are my favorite. Although I'm also answering this after being on tour for a month and a half so everything is feeling pretty goofy. How do you come up with your beats? Mostly through jamming. Sometimes I run through new songs in my head right before I fall asleep and I'll think of something and try to write it down. Do you write some of the songs? No, Hannah writes the songs, but we all work on the arrangements together. I noticed in a song you play xylophone and drums at the same time. You make it look so easy, but it must be so hard to play a melody line while keeping a beat. How is it? It definitely took a while to learn the two parts together. I just did the two patterns really slowly, seeing where each note matched up with each drum beat. After that, it's all muscle memory.

When did you start drumming? I started playing snare drum in my elementary school band when I was 10-years-old.

MY SNARE DRUM IS THE DRUM I GOT IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL... IT CAME IN A COOL BACKPACK CASE I WISH I STILL HAD. You’ve clearly taken lessons, right? Yes, I played drums in school and I took drum lessons outside of school on and off over the past 15 years. I love lessons. If we weren't touring so much I would be taking lessons right now. How do you practice? I practice out of the Stick Control Book every day on my pad. When I'm home I play the exercises on the drum set. I love playing with The Syncopation for the Modern Drummer—there are so many different ways to use that book. I just got this book called Rhythm Library. I'm trying to work on my chops! I also just discovered Drumeo's free lesson videos online.

ISSUE 26: THE ROOTS ISSUE

INTERVIEW

SPANISH FLY HINDS’ DRUMMER AMBER GRIMBERGEN BRINGS SPANISH ENERGY AND SMILES TO THE WORLD ONE ROCKING SHOW AT A TIME. by Zoe Brecher photos courtesy of band

Hinds has been a band for barely two years, but in that short time, the fourfemale, Spanish indie rockers have graced the covers of magazines, been featured in pretty much every blog imaginable, done countless radio and video interviews, and toured all over the world playing top festivals. The quartet started out as a duo with Carlotta Cosials and Ana García Perrote, but quickly added bassist Ade Martín and drummer Amber Grimbergen. From the earliest days to today, Hinds’ live shows just keep getting better, held together by Grimbergen’s fantastic time and infectious aura. She’s always smiling behind the kit, no matter what size venue she’s playing. She’s also equally bubbly and fun off-stage. Tom Tom caught up with the 20-year-old in a rare moment of free time to speak about what it’s like to bring a taste of España to the rest of the world and why it’s good to keep on rockin’ in the free world.

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Where are you from, and where do you live now? I’m from Holland, but I live in Madrid, Spain. When and why did you start drumming? I started playing drums like ten years ago because I used to go to my older sister's house after swimming classes when I was nine and her boyfriend was in a band. His band used to practice at their place, and one day, I saw the drum kit, and I fell in love. How did you come to be the drummer for Hinds? I was one of their Facebook followers, so one day I shared something with (Carlotta Cosials and Ana Perrote), and I had a profile pic playing drums, so Ana found me and asked me for a blind date. (Laughs.) We met having breakfast and talked about the bands we like and music we listen to and we matched very well, so five days later we started rehearsing together. Why do you think Hinds has become so popular so quickly? I wish I had the answer! It has been like a perfect domino game. I think the reason is that we haven’t let any opportunity go.

You basically live on the road now. How is that? It’s awesome because you get to see amazing places and you meet incredible people, but it’s hard sometimes because you also miss a lot of things, plus you’re in a van at least five hours a day. Do you guys play any pranks on each other? We all do constantly to each others all the time! (Laughs.) What was your reaction to the amazing reception your album got when it came out? Were you surprised? How did you all celebrate? We were very surprised. We had so much trust in this album, but the feedback has been way better than what we thought it would be! I think the celebration keeps going with us through every city we tour. You guys are so fun and everyone loves touring with you. Do you think it has something to do with Spanish culture? I think we are quite open people (laughs), but yes, I think it has a lot to do with the Spanish culture and the way we live

Do you have a favorite show you’ve played? It’s difficult to choose one, but I think it was L.A. on our last U.S. tour because we survived a massive storm and mudslides and we almost missed that gig, so when we finally made it, we went crazy and wanted more than ever that all those people have a good night. Who are your drum inspirations? I have three big ones: Matt Helders for the Arctic Monkeys, Chloe Saavedra from Chaos Chaos, and Rasmus Littauer from Mø. What’s it like being usually the only female drummer on the stage? Are you treated differently? I think people are just not so used to seeing female drummers, so it’s something that makes their minds explode! What would be your advice for girls who want to start drumming? It’s curious. A few weeks ago, I received a very beautiful Instagram message from a girl from California saying that she'd never thought about playing drums but she found Hinds and said that I was kind of an inspiration for her and that made me so so happy and proud, so I want to say keep going! Girls, keep on rockin’ in the free world! How do you cope with being away from home for so many days at a time? Any tips? You start to get used to it on day 15 of each tour. It wasn’t such a big deal for me though. I had no boyfriend, no job, and I quit my studies, so I just missed my mom and friends. But, yeah, keep your mind busy, read a lot, and watch some films. The important thing is not to run out of panties!

I SAW THE DRUM KIT, AND I FELL IN LOVE ISSUE 26: THE ROOTS ISSUE

by Shaina Joy Machlus Illustration by Amber Valentine

hat Karen is most famous for is a mix of music and devastation. She was the singer of the popular ‘70s sibling duo, the Carpenters, along with her brother Richard. They were some of the best-selling recording artists of all time. The Carpenters played soft-pop featuring Karen’s distinct vocals that capitalized on the then popular family act set-up. Their two massive hits, “We’ve Only Just Begun ” and “(They Long to Be) Close to You” won three Grammys. Perhaps every bit as impactful as Karen’s contributions to the Carpenters was her struggle with an eating disorder. Karen very publicly battled anorexia nervosa. At one point, her 5-foot-4 frame bore a mere 83 pounds. More privately,

TOM TOM MAGAZINE

It’s breathtaking to watch the grainy 1970s videos of Karen Carpenter playing the drums. I find myself literally unable to take a breath. There was so much force erupting from such a tiny body and total control, precision, as well as focus in her immensely complicated beats. There is no arguing that Karen Carpenter was a drummer—a very skilled, highly trained drummer—but what made these videos so popular has less to do with her actual expertise and more with novelty, the surprise that Karen Carpenter carried this “secret” intelligence of drumming. And the questions naturally arise: Why wasn’t Karen behind the drums all the time? How could such a talented drummer ever be known for anything else? she battled serious depression. Her despondency came to a head during a divorce from her husband, Thomas James Burris, after her many attempts to become pregnant, only to discover he had been lying about a vasectomy. In 1983, at only 32, Karen died of heart complications, her body yielding to the years of self-starvation, abuse of laxatives, and thyroid medication for weight loss. There is no denying this woman’s struggle. Like many gifted musicians, music is both an outlet and avenue for inner turmoil. Is it possible to hear where Karen lost herself? In those videos, more than any of her singing, there is a person trying to show the world their passion and ability. Her movements seem to scream: “I’m a drummer! Look, I can drum!”

I came across a startling JazzWax interview on May 7, 2012, with Hal Blaine, the infamous drummer and session musician who worked with everyone, including Elvis Presley, the Beach Boys, the Ronettes, Simon and Garfunkel, and the Carpenters. He revealed that Karen was forced against her own will and the better judgement of her family to give up drumming. Throughout the course of the interview, Blaine casually boats, at length, about being responsible for Karen putting down her drumsticks and becoming a singer. “The poor thing [was] playing her buns off on the drums,” he said of the late musician. I can’t imagine Blaine used the same language to describe Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys or Jeff Porcaro of Steely Dan, his other clients.

THOUGHT

Perhaps he was equally entranced with their buns, as well? To relieve Karen of her “suffering,” Blaine describes in painful detail how he coaxed Karen away from the drums. And the most effective manner? Total uprootal. Blaine makes it clear, in a seemingly annoyed manner, that Karen’s parents were always beside them. Blaine recalls, “When I arrived, the Carpenters’ parents were there. You could tell right away they ruled the roost.” As if this were to their detriment. “Her mother hated that I was there. Karen played the drums, and her mother didn’t like that I was playing on the session and not her. Her mother said, ‘I’ve seen many drummers on TV, and Karen can play just as good as they can.’”

professional music industry experience. If they And what about when Karen’s heart stopped wanted to make a hit record, they would have beating? Surely Blaine is not solely to blame for Karen’s personal downfall, but based on his own to follow the rules of the hit record-maker. braggadocious affirmations, he is the reason According to Blaine’s experience in the stu- we know Karen only as a singer. If the question dio, being a good drummer did not necessarily is, “Why didn’t the world have the opportunity equate with being a successful studio drummer. to know Karen Carpenter as a drummer?” it Studio drumming required years of practice, seems we have found the answer in this sinister careful listening, and experience. Things Karen conversation. could have learned had she been given the opportunity to do so. But not playing drums in Perhaps she could never reconcile her expresthe studio or on the album progressed into not sion with her imposed position of lead singer. When we stray from the things that make us playing drums on tour either. a person, it is all too easy to lose our way. The Blaine claimed to know exactly what it would people who knew her best, her family, tried, but take for the Carpenters to be a successful could not rescue her from becoming someone band, and with top charting records, it can be even she didn’t recognize. Her voice, the way argued that he did know what was best. Isn’t it she communicated creatively, as a drummer, possible that there are times when what is best was stolen. Ironically, it seems the more Karen for selling records is not best for the people sang, the more she was silenced. involved? Perhaps the Carpenters’ parents were more interested in their health than their fame.

I wonder what it must have felt like for Karen’s mom in those moments. All the school concerts her parents sat proudly through, the noisy not-quite-on-beat practicing they had endured during all hours of the day, watching their daughter grow in skill and size, buying her first drumset... A tower they had built together But Blaine was able to create a vacuum in which over the course of a lifetime, knocked down in he could manipulate the family in whichever way he chose. And, as the Carpenter’s songs one swoop by an alien Godzilla. became hits, his suction power only grew. He The interviewer, obviously sensing the tension, critically explained that Karen grew to respect begins to pry more deeply into this discrep- him as the records became hits. ancy: What was understood was that if Karen wanted JazzWax: Why were her parents so insistent to be successful, she must conform to images of her that total strangers had conjured in their on her playing the drums? minds, be it her instrument or body type. Hal Blaine: Probably because I kept insisting she was the natural voice for the group, not The JazzWax interviewer observed, “Your drums always seem to be Karen’s heartbeat.” Blane’s the drummer. response was striking, “That’s the way I wanted Natural voice: being heard in the way most it.” authentic, most comfortable to one’s self. Isn’t it possible that Karen’s natural voice was drumming? Taking away her sticks silences a drummer’s voice. Being thrust into a spotlight at a young age has been disastrous for almost everyone who has faced such a challenge. But imagine being pulled from your roots, your family, their intuition, and your means of expression at the same moment. Blaine claims Karen’s mother firmly stood behind her daughter’s skill level and adamantly insisted she remain behind the drums. She had been watching her daughter alongside other drummers for years and knew she was every bit as talented. While there was no denying Karen’s drumming ability, Blaine hid behind his

IS IT POSSIBLE TO HEAR WHERE KAREN LOST HERSELF IN HER DRUMMING VIDEOS?

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Illustrations by Jenny Tang The beating heart of the sixth borough is pumping with music. Philadelphia is more than just the birthplace of American democracy, it’s also a ripe womb, gestating some of the finest sounds coming out of this great nation today. The Pennsylvania city has soul, it’s got rhythm, and sometimes, it’s also got the blues. Philly is hip-hop, it rocks, and it dances to house music late into the night. So right after you run the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, just like Rocky did, cheesesteak half-eaten in your clenched, triumphant fists, make sure to explore the diversity of this distinctly creative East Coast gem.

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SPRUCE STREET HARBOR PARK 401 Spruce St. / delawareriverwaterfront.com/places/sprucestreetharborpark The temporary village on Penn’s Landing makes for an essential Philadelphia summertime activity—and now springtime— attraction. It has everything you’d want for your day off with its floating restaurant, beer garden, hammocks, boardwalk, colorful LED lights, entertainment schedule, and delicious food options. BOURBON & BRANCH 705 N. 2nd St./ bourbonandbranchphilly.com This Northern Liberties restaurant and venue was built for live music. Sip on a few of about 80 whiskies and munch on banh mi at a bar made from an altar, all while listening to bands playing on a stage built by and for musicians with acoustics in mind. JOHNNY BRENDA’S 1201 N. Frankford Ave. / johnnybrendas.com This over-21, Fishtown space will blast you into the past with its old-timey design while you enjoy the state-of-the-art sound system while eating locally sourced foods and brews.

THE ROTUNDA 4014 Walnut St. / theortunda.org This community gathering space is located in the thriving University City area and hosts a wide range of musical events as well as cultural fairs, health initiatives, and performance events. PAINTED BRIDE ART CENTER 230 Vine St. / paintedbride.org Showcasing the works of local, national, and international acts, the Painted Bride is one of Philadelphia’s premier art centers. It’s served the Philadelphia community over 47 years and is as historically relevant to the music community as it is progressive and forward-thinking.

DAHLAK PARADISE ERI-ETHIOPIAN RESTAURANT & BAR 4708 Baltimore Ave. / dahlakrestaurant.com Over the past few years, Dahlak has become a hub for West Philly musicians and DJs, hosting live music almost every night of the week. The Drum Like a Lady jam session series, which features new female drummers collaborating monthly, is hosted there every third Friday. This family-owned business always makes you feel at home. BOOT & SADDLE 1131 S. Broad St. / bootandsaddlephilly.com Boot & Saddle has featured some of Philadelphia’s finest bands. It has a wide, raised stage that’s perfect for viewing live music. The stage area is closed off from the bar, so once you enter, you’re enveloped by the sound. CONNIE’S RIC RAC 1132 S. 9th St. / conniesricrac.com Connie’s is an intimate, South Philly club with cool lighting that just feels homey. There’s craft beer for sale, but as they say, “Our product is who’s on our stage, not what’s in our fridge.” Comedy, performance art, and local music is always on the menu. WORLD CAFE LIVE 3025 Walnut St. / worldcafelive.com World Cafe Live is a giant venue, built to offer quality sound to acts of all genres. You can grab dinner and catch music from every nationality on the plant on a regular basis. THE FOUNDRY AT FILLMORE PHILADELPHIA 29 East Allen St. / thefillmorephilly.com The 400-capacity Foundry room has its own bar, stage, and top-of-the-line production on its second floor. There’s a huge, free parking lot on the property to go along with its relaxed, casual atmosphere.

DIPINTO GUITARS 407 E. Girard Ave. / dipintoguitars.com This family-owned business has been selling their own guitars since 1995. DiPinto also has a really good in-house amp repair situation going on. It always offers interesting and varied gear in stock and doesn’t sling a lot of commercial stuff. SPRINGFIELD MUSIC STORE 41 Baltimore Pike, Springfield / springfieldmusicstore.com Great place to update your kit. Not only do they have an awesome selection of drum equipment at competitive prices, but if you’re lucky, they may take you into their specially stocked basement.

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CREEP RECORDS 1050 N. Hancock St. / creeprecords.com Creep Records launched as a label in 1993, but eventually sprouted roots in the Northern Liberties neighborhood to sling records, new and used, and so much more. They also offer a jawdropping gallery of blown glass pipes and even equipment for playing disc golf. MAIN STREET MUSIC 4444 Main St. / facebook.com/MainStreetMusicPA This isn’t just a store for hip teens, this waterfront music shop offers a selection to please those of any tastes or ages. You’ll find a wide selection of CDs and deals on vintage vinyl.

CLARK PARK facebook.com/ClarkParkDrummers Go to Clark Park at 43rd Street at Baltimore Ave., to see if the Clark Park Drummers are gathering for a jam session. Clark Park Drummers is a loose affiliation of area drummers who meet Sundays depending on weather and how the spirit moves them. You can check the Facebook page to see if anyone is there. Drum styles are mainly Afro-Cuban and West African, so if you are knowledgeable about those, you can sit in. PHILLY DRUM PROJECT phillydrumproject.com This is a drummer’s collective that gathers once a month to share beats, gear, and lessons. There is a featured professional presenter each month with a follow-up Q & A. Free and open to the public, and the venue varies monthly. Check the website for the “Beats, Brews, and Banter” for that month. Philly Drum Project also features programs that help local youth learn to play drums.

SIREN RECORDS 25 E State St., Doylestown / sirenrecords.com This vinyl enclave outside of Philly will require a short drive, but for the selection and atmosphere, it’ll be well worth the trek. Opened in 1985, the shop offers to sell any band’s album on consignment, has in-house shows, sells a huge offering of vinyl online, and even offers a frequent buyer's club for those obsessed. THE MARVELOUS 4916 Baltimore Ave. / facebook.com/The-Marvelous-MusicRecords-and-Instruments This lone West Philly music and instrument shop is dedicated to the local scene. It has friendly owners, new releases and old goodies, and a small supply of equipment from styluses to sticks. They even offer minor turntable repairs. PHILADELPHIA RECORD EXCHANGE 1524 Frankford Ave. / philarecx.com These guys have been buying your old, used R&B, jazz, and rock albums for over 30 years. REPO RECORDS 538 S. St. / reporecords.com Crate-diggers rejoice! Uncover the finest punk and indie nuggets of sonic gold at cheap prices in this shop that’s been running since the ‘80s in one location or another. GOLD MILLION RECORDS 851 W. Lancaster Ave. / goldmillionrecords.com This Bryn Mawr store is one classy joint specializing in vintage rock that’s as well organized as a library but also as lovely as a museum. BEAUTIFUL WORLD SYNDICATE 1619 E. Passyunk Ave. / facebook.com/BeautifulWorldSyndicate/ This vinyl shop sells Philly’s soul… records, that is. You can also snag some rare albums in a variety of genres. Watch your wallet in this cool spot.

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PHILLY PRINTWORKS philadelphiaprintworks.com Co-Founded in 2010 by Maryam April and Ruth Paloma Rivera Perez, Philadelphia Printworks has become one of Philadelphia’s most popular apparel companies. Their most recent collection, “The School of Thought,” was created in partnership with Dante Neal, honors African and African-American intellectuals and is donned by Hollywood celebrities. TAKE IT AWAY DANCE takeitawaydance.com Pamela Hetherington uses tap dance as percussion and often taps accompanied by live jazz. She collaborates with local musicians and brings in guest international instructors and performers. As a tap dancer, choreographer, and educator, she continues to push tap dance in new directions. DRUM LIKE A LADY facebook.com/drumlikealady LaTreice V. Branson founded Drum Like a Lady as an all-female, percussion ensemble that doubles as a community organization, networking female percussionists through a monthly, heartpounding jam session series. Since 2015, the organization has featured some of Philly’s finest female percussionists, including: Jackie “Ma Doox” Gore, Barbara Duncan, Jan Jeffries, Sunny Dee, and Brianna Sig.

TWO PIECE FEST twopiecefest.com It takes two! This annual festival is comprised of strictly duos. This day long event, held annually in February, will convince you more music can be made with duos than you’d think! BETHLEHEM MUSIKFEST musikfest.org This weeklong event includes music of every genre, including live acts fit for kids. The live music is everything at Bethlehem and places local bands alongside bigtime divas like Aretha Franklin. APRIL JAZZ APPRECIATION MONTH IN PHILADELPHIA creativephl.org/jazz A whole month of jazz performances, some free, some ticketed, it’s free form April in Philly. Sure you can hear jazz all year long in Philadelphia, but for these 30, your options in this arena are unlimited. THE SUBARU CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL visitphilly.com/events/philadelphia/thecherryblossomfestivalofgreaterphiladelphia The centuries old tradition of Sakura Matsuri, or Cherry Blossom Festival, takes place throughout the city with ceremonial taiko drumming, martial arts exhibitions, a traditional tea ceremony, sushi demonstrations, live music, a fashion show, and so much more. HOLLYSTOCK hebemusic.com/hollystock This is a fest that’s hella fun to play. The mid-August festival may take place in the New Jersey area, but it features mostly Philly bands that a slew of people turn out to watch. NIGHT MARKET PHILADELPHIA thefoodtrust.org/night-market Held once a month from May through October, the Night Market Philadelphia is a vibrant, seasonal celebration of food, music, and community. The market features live music by the artists living and working in different neighborhoods. XPONENTIAL MUSIC FEST xpnfest.org The giant, three-day festival is sponsored by WXPN each July and features acts like Ryan Adams, Alabama Shakes, and Gary Clark, Jr. on the main stages of the BB&T Pavilion.

GIRLS ROCK PHILLY 1867 Frankford Ave. / girlsrockphilly.org Hosting week-long summer camps, youth scholarship programs, group lessons, a summer music institute, a gear-loan program, and a practice space for women of all ages, Girls Rock Philly is a one-stop-shop for girls and and adult women who are interested in pursuing music. There are two practice spaces available for the GRP community and friends with backline. Get rehearsing while also supporting a youth mentoring organization in Philly. PHILLY SOUND STUDIOS 2829 S. 18th St. / phillysoundstudios.net You’ll love that it’s a church that’s been turned into a full-fledged studio, equipped with a stage and a few grand pianos. Go, and ask for Mariano Mattei! IVORY PRODUCTIONS 529 Plymouth Rd, Plymouth Meeting, PA / ivoryproductions.com This recording studio was founded by Grammy-nominated producer David Ivory. Many great artists have come through and recorded there, like Patty LaBelle, Halestorm, the Roots, and Silvertide. THE C.E.C. (COMMUNITY EDUCATION CENTER) 3500 Lancaster Ave. / cecarts.org The C.E.C. opened in 1973 and remains a long-standing professional arts organization that serves the community as a rehearsal, audition, workshop, and performance space. The director, Terri Shockley, is both kind-hearted and accessible, always making herself available to assist musicians and their diverse needs. THE PHILADELPHIA CLEF CLUB OF JAZZ & PERFORMING ARTS 738 South Broad St. / clefclubofjazz.org There’s always something going on at the Philadelphia Clef Club: Monday Night Jam Series, film screenings, adult lessons, teens lessons, ensemble class, theory class, improvisation class, and the list goes on. Local and touring bands enjoy performing at this intimate but professional venue.

THIS LIST BROUGHT TO YOU BY PHILLY'S FINEST FEMALE DRUMMERS: LaTreice V. Branson, Katy Otto, Maura Filoromo, Lynn Lasswell, Brianna Sig, Barbara Duncan, Maryam April and Jamila Hadiya

ISSUE 26: THE ROOTS ISSUE

DRUM LIKE A LADY IN ORDER TO SAVE HER OWN LIFE, LATREICE BRANSON CREATED A SAFE SPACE IN WHICH FEMALE DRUMMERS CAN THRIVE.

by Katy Otto Photos courtesy of artists

ATREICE BRANSON IS A FIERCE, UNDENIABLE musician and community organizer living in Philadelphia. When I first saw her play at a Girls Rock Philly event, I was blown away. Since then, I've been thrilled to see her musical community building with the monthly series Drum Like a Lady. Earlier this year, the badass crew of drumming women recently had an audience of thousands opening up at a Bernie Sanders rally at Temple University in Philadelphia. I spoke with LaTreice about her empowering program that offers women of all ages and background the safe space to express themselves through drumming at one-time only collaboration sessions at female-owned venues. The organization, founded in 2014 in response to sexism in the drumming community, also encourages women to explore themselves through dance, musical education, and mental health advocacy. Branson is a survivor of many challenges and a woman who is dedicated to thriving and helping others do the same.

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Tom Tom: How did you first start playing drums? LaTreice Branson: I first started playing drums as a child. My mother, Reverend Paula Y. Branson, is a drummer, and a pretty amazing one at that, so I couldn’t imagine playing any other instrument. When I was in middle school, there was a woman who was in charge of the African drum and dance group. Although she was a drummer, she only taught the boys to play. I didn’t understand why she wouldn’t teach us (girls). It seemed so unfair. It wasn’t until my mother became the drum instructor at the school that drumming was presented as an option for both girls and boys. I was hooked! Why did you decide to start Drum Like a Lady? I decided to start the Drum Like a Lady Jam Session Series in response to my long-standing battle with depression and illness. Since being diagnosed with sciatica and neuropathy in both legs, it was nearly impossible for me to play drums and maintain a rigorous schedule. Life had brought me to a dark place. I barely left house and was often suicidal. I was unable to work and desperately needed to create something in my life that could keep me alive from month to month. I needed to create something so exciting and full of life that it was impossible to do it while thinking of death. As a result of the Drum Like a Lady series, this February, I celebrated my first full year outside of a mental institution or hospital. It took seven years to get to this point, and I hope to continue on this path of restoration for many years to come.

What is behind the series? The series features two new female drummers each month, whom in most cases have never met or played together before. I do this to ensure that the women are not coming to feature their individual talents but to collaborate in the creation of a one-time-only soundscape that will only exist only in that moment. Through improvisational collaborations, we get to expand our musical repertoire, exploring new time signature switches and patterns, learning from each other’s unique styles and influences. Not only do I love producing the series, but I also participate in the jam every month. Everyone that attends participates either by bringing an instrument, singing, dancing, clapping, or by bringing a friend. After the jam session, our resident DJ, DJ Precolumbian, ushers us into the “Sweat” dance party and drum cypHER, where all the women celebrate the jam by switching off on drum kit and congas throughout the full duration of the party. The soundscape is constantly changing and is as unique as the women who participate. Drum Like a Lady is the ultimate example of collaborative nightlife. What barriers do you see for women drumming? The greatest barrier for women drummers is that we have been led to believe that there are only a few of us sprinkled across the globe. And when you believe that you’re alone in any endeavor, you’re more likely to create mental barriers that may not actually exist. What kinds of community do you participate in when it comes to music? Drum Like a Lady supports women business owners wholeheartedly, hosting our jam sessions at a venue owned by a woman, our community drum circle at a gallery owned by a woman, and empowering women to teach and serve their own communities through drumming. Our outreach programs are designed to address the growing needs in my most precious community—the mental health and disabilities community— which desperately needs to see more of its own serving others while surviving graciously with the same illnesses that plague their own lives. ISSUE 26: THE ROOTS ISSUE

EVENT

THE ORAL HISTORY OF FEMALE DRUMMERS TOM TOM MAGAZINE'S BROOKLYN MUSEUM TAKEOVER Concept by Mindy Abovitz Photos by Keka Marzagao

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ISSUE 26: THE ROOTS ISSUE

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The Oral History of Female Drummer was a 20 female drummer Brooklyn Museum takeover that took place in the Brooklyn Museum on March 5th, 2016. For a full list of drummers, artist statement and more pictures visit: www.tomtommag.com. ISSUE 26: THE ROOTS ISSUE

ONE DRUMMER ONE QUESTION

DAISY PALMER Illustration by Jenny Tang Q: What are your drumming Roots? A: My first gig was in Kingston Youth Concert Band and big band. So I guess my roots are in big band drumming leading directly into small group jazz and then soul and funk. I didn't move to pop or rock until a little bit later, although I always adored Ringo Starr and John Bonham, who along with Gene Krupa make up my musical heros. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Daisy Palmer (Goldfrapp, Birdy, Beth Gibbons)

SOULFUL BEATS

CONGUERA DEVI GENUONE PLAYS FOR LIFE AND DEATH

by Liz Tracy Photo by Kimmy Le Funk

ercussionist, conguera, and vocalist Annette Musick also goes by the even more memorable title Devi Genuone, which stands for her mantra: "Divinely Evolving Vibrance Infinitely Guiding Elevated NOWledge Unconditionally from the One, one light, one love." Genuone blends elements of soul, jazz, and reggae with hip-hop and electronica. She recently put out a solo album and plays currently with Raw G. among others. She has been playing conga for 26 years and was taught as a teenager by Sandra Dillard, who went to Cuba to learn from master drummers. “I love congas por mi vida. I can't live without them!” Genuone exclaims. “They are my breath and mi corazon.” Dillard also taught her to play the batá drum,

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sacred in Santeria. “She taught me about the spirituality of [drumming].” Genuone says of her early teacher. The Texas native currently showcases her musical prowess full time in Oakland, California, where she says she lives on a “very percussion friendly block." She is surrounded by female drummers. And that’s not an exaggeration. “When I first moved into my apartment, we had a street gathering of some 30 drummers (mostly African djembe but me on my three congas), and we played in the middle of the street. It was very cool, and very Oakland,” the drummer recalls. There was a particular night she remembers when drumming, her community, and spirituality truly linked. “One of the neighbors would

have congas at her home a couple times over the summer. I would hear the drums and grab a drum of my own and run across the street to play. One day, I heard the drums and my heart raced. I noticed a more somber tone on my way in but didn't realize what had happened. I came in and joined the circle not completely aware of my surroundings. Once I started to play, I looked up and saw that my drumming friend was laying with flowers surrounding her body. She was dying. I continued to play for two rounds and said goodbye to her. She was diagnosed with stomach cancer and passed away in six days. It was a beautiful way to send a soul away, surrounded in flowers to congas all played by women.”

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THE

ROOTS ISSUE

WHERE WERE YOU BORN? WHO RAISED YOU? WHAT MADE YOU FIRST FEEL LIKE YOU WANTED TO HIT SOMETHING AND MAKE A SOUND? In this issue, Tom Tom asked several incredible percussionists to share the shapes and sounds of their personal and sonic roots. We explored the things that keep them grounded and the things that made them grow up and out into the musicians they are today. Sticking with the theme, we also spoke with people creating roots music and uncovered the nature of their practices. We talked to a wide variety of drummers, including talented Kenyan drummer Marcy Kimanzi, washboard players with captivating childhood narratives, and Autolux virtuoso Carla Azar. All of them opened up about their pasts, their processes, and their inspirations. M

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We all come from somewhere. No matter how far we stray from our first homes, elements of those early places and times and people are locked into our internal coding. Read on as we dig under the rocky surface of these fantastic percussionists and expose the labyrinthine roots beneath. zi

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A DRUMMING EVOLUTION Interview by El-P Photo by the1point8

Drummer: Raised in Huntsville, Alabama, Carla Azar grew up in a house that was brimming with music. Her pianist mother encouraged her interest in the drums. As she played the keys, her young daughter accompanied her using a simple setup of pots and pans. The collaboration payed off. Azar is the highly-regarded drummer and vocalist for Autolux, has toured with and contributed to Jack White’s Blunderbuss and Lazaretto albums, and, as a multi-instrumentalist, has collaborated with Mark Whalen on art installations and even acted in the 2014 film Frank . Interviewer: Rapper, producer, and entrepreneur El-P, short for El Producto, was born Jaime Meline and raised in Brooklyn, New York. The underground rapper started with hip-hop group Company Flow, has worked with Aesop Rock, Prefuse 72, Atmosphere, and others. He’s found great success as one half of duo Run the Jewels with Killer Mike, whose Run the Jewels 2 album ranked highly in the 2014 Pitchfork Media, Complex, and Stereogum best albums of 2014 lists. He’s also the CEO and founder of record label Definitive Jux.

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Azar: This magazine is for female drummers, so you can tap into your feminine side for this.

It would surprise me if you didn’t come hard up against a wall of people that did think that way.

El-P: Yeah, it’s insane that someone had to actually create a magazine because females weren’t being represented properly. I feel that women being passed over in any way is the last hold out of progressive thought, you know? Do you think it’s just straight up the last vestige of sexism, in the way that people look at music? Is it one of the last major ridiculous cultural mental blocks of male-dominated magazines? I guess you just get into your headspace in our world that we, the collective “we,” the music community, is progressive. Is that just a delusion?

Off course. People automatically assume you play a certain way if you’re a female. I think that’s changing though. Women are killing it.

I don’t really know what it is exactly. It’s ridiculous. I think for starters, over the years, there haven’t been as many female drummers as male drummers, but still, baffling. That probably starts young in terms of what people are encouraged to do and that’s based on old ideas of gender role, right? Probably. I think that’s a huge part of it. How did you become the exception to that, and people like you? Is it because you got lucky with the school that you went to? Is it that your parents were cooler than other parents, or is it that you just basically said, “Fuck everyone, I’m doing this shit because I really like it?” For me, it was all of those things. I was fortunate enough to go to a high school that had a pretty good classical music department. I started out playing music in an orchestra, playing various malletbased and percussion instruments and things of that nature. My mother was an exceptional jazz pianist and she always encouraged me to do anything that seemed rhythmic or musical when I was growing up. We were always told that we could do whatever we wanted in life. But then, of course it did get to a point when I was in high school where that support shifted to: “Wait, you aren’t seriously going to pursue music. There’s no money in music.” And that’s where the fuck you and me turning on them happened. Well that’s what we all do eventually, right? I mean, eventually everyone has to say fuck you in order to become a professional musician. You have to say fuck you to what everyone else wants for you because they just assume that it’s probably impossible, and that it’s not serious. But before you got there, as a woman, you probably needed to fight even harder just to shut people up around you about your choice of instrument. I think with being a female in this world, it’s automatic. You just fight harder if you’re in a male-dominated environment and want to be looked at as an equal. At least that’s how it is for me. The very first reasons that I wanted to play drums were for very shallow reasons, probably. I was invisible in school growing up. At one point, I got really obsessed with the idea of playing drums after watching videos. One of the drummers that had a huge impact on me deciding to play drums was Stewart Copeland. I saw a video of him playing live with the Police, and I was really drawn to how cool he looked and how unique his playing was. It may have been because I came from a classical percussive background or something, and he wasn’t a typical rock drummer. But I remember thinking that if I did what he was doing even half as good as him, people might notice me. I had never seen a female play drums like that either, so I thought that I could look cool doing that. Clyde Stubblefield was another, who I found out about by listening to Public Enemy. But, I never saw or heard of a woman playing beats like that either, at that point. But I was never coming from a place of “I’ll show everyone” or male versus female. All of the drummers I was drawn to, or influenced by happened to be male. 40

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Still, the conversation should be: Is this person one of the greatest drummers of all time? And how much of the conversation, for you, for what you do, is still framed in the female? Right. It still happens. I’m still introduced to people as a great female drummer or one of the best female drummers, or whatever. I never feel as though that’s a compliment. It’s silly. It would be like someone introducing you as the best Irish rapper. It immediately diminishes what you do. I don’t really pay attention to the term “the best” anyway, there’s just so much to do out there, as a musician. Of course, you don’t strike me as someone who needs validation from someone else. You already sealed the deal with what you do and what you love. But it’s interesting because when we’re all growing up, that’s the deal. That’s how people go from being kids who like music to being professional musicians. You just decide for yourself. As a dude who grew up with only sisters and a mother for the most part, basically just raised by women, it’s amazing how you end up seeing just a few key, really legitimate things that men who don’t grow up that way don’t see. No matter how talented, no matter how smart, no matter how strong, women are still thrown more bullshit just by the natural state of who they are. It was interesting for me to hear you talk about Copeland and Stubblefield because those are very influential drummers for me too, growing up. Specifically the Police. I was definitely a huge Police fan. It makes perfect sense and is probably why I’ve gravitated towards the beats you make over the years. Every time I hear a Police song, I can’t believe how futuristic he was back then. He was a huge influence on me in the way that he orchestrated drum arrangements within a song and made a song build. I really studied every aspect of his playing. Same with Ringo Starr. How far do you personally get into the sound of your drums? I go deep, real deep. Especially in recording. On every album, I try to do something different than before, even if it’s something really simple. I love experimenting with drum sounds. The sound of the drums always make the decision as to how, and sometimes what, I need to play. I would imagine it’s probably not that different for you. When you have samples of snares, kick drums, or hi-hats, you mess with them quite a bit to get them to sound unique to your ears. One hundred percent. But because a lot of times I’m using samples of kicks and snares or I’m using drum machine stuff that’s already laid out, it’s a little bit different than taking this kit that’s in front of you in your studio and being like “how do I get a different sound out of this today.” Yes, I’m very involved in that aspect. for example, on the song “Soft Scene,” from our new album, the majority of the beat sounds completely programmed and button pushing. But I recorded all the percussive elements, organically, on things other than a drum set and then kept tripping out the sounds to make them sound machinelike. The kick drum sound is a mallet on a drum stool that I mic’d. And all the other percussive elements are played on things that you wouldn’t think they are.

Photo by Priscilla Scott & Ryan Converse

I’M STILL INTRODUCED TO PEOPLE AS A GREAT FEMALE DRUMMER OR ONE OF THE BEST FEMALE DRUMMERS, OR WHATEVER. I NEVER FEEL AS THOUGH THAT’S A COMPLIMENT. IT’S SILLY. ISSUE 26: THE ROOTS ISSUE

I love that sound, and I love the level of experimentation on the song. I don’t think people really realize that a lot of the crazy influential drummers also were sort of scientists of sound. The same way people do on a guitar, but they tweak their kit in a way that’s not normal or that’s not flat. I’m constantly experimenting with sounds, and I do it in so many different layers. But when you’re just taking a kit, it must be really fun. It is. always. That’s one of the things I love doing the most. There’s really nothing I won’t try when it comes to drum sound experimenting. What usually wins between the shit that you imagine and just experiment with, versus the shit that you learn by being an engineer, producer or by actually having whatever the accepted knowledge about those processes are between experimentation and actual schooled technical ability? That’s a good question. Well, I know we could never have mixed our record ourselves. I think that takes a whole other level of skill and it’s really a black art. I think I’m asking about sound design. Oh, OK. I think the winner is whatever it takes to make your music sound exactly the way you want, and if you’re making those sounds then you win. If someone with more technical skills can help get those sounds, then that’s great too. There are obviously ridiculously talented technical drummers, you know. Shit, people who went to university for it or are seriously schooled. But it seems like the ones that go on to make great music, or make an impact in music, are the ones that are driven like you are on some sound design shit. It seems that way. I saw an interview a while ago, or maybe I read it. David Bowie was responding to the person interviewing him, being told he had such a unique style of singing. Bowie said that when he was growing up and started singing, he didn’t think he had a great voice compared to the level of singers that he loved. And that you wouldn’t even think about becoming a singer unless you had a certain level of technical ability, which he didn’t think he had. He decided to start experimenting with the sound of his voice in order to come up with an unusual sound so no one could compare him to the singers he thought were better than him. I thought that was great. I really feel that limitations force you to explore new territory. We all have our limitations, right? And that’s where the rub is. I think that over-education in music is dangerous depending what time of genre. You’re right. I think it’s good to maintain a little bit of struggle and hunger at all times. I’m always feeling, to some degree, that I’m not good enough. A bit of self-doubt always makes me try harder. I’m always trying to keep myself in a place where I’m trying to make up or learn new beats that are outside my comfort zone. This keeps me feeling like I’m growing musically or expanding. My whole musical career is doing things I can’t do. Same here, I’m always in a constant state of almost disappointment which keeps me reaching for other things.

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At some point in your life, did it ever occur to you that drums were to some degree more about subtraction than addition? Yeah, I believe in space. Hip-hop seems to reside in that. Right now, that’s what’s influencing me on drums the most. That, and electronic music. Because people in that world are making the most interesting sounds, and they’re making beats that no drummer usually makes. And by the way, your hi-hat programming work is another thing. I’ve been focussed on that for awhile. Seriously. It’s interesting, it took me a long time to really get interested in hi-hats. Does it ever occur to you, in a moment of panic, that maybe you’ve only got a certain amount of original ideas, when it comes to drums, in your head? Every day. I always think it would be death to have all my best work behind me. I think about that a lot. So what do you do, just to jostle your shit loose, like when you’re just sitting there and you want to do something different? You know what, I guess I try to arrange or make a drum set that’s really fucked up. I change everything around. Just to inspire myself, I’ll take things and place them backwards and try to play a drum set like that and see what comes out. Or use random, non-musical instrument objects to play. If you’re like me, which I’m sure you are to a degree, your taste evolves. How much of your shit starts with you? In Autolux, a lot of the most interesting beats came from us jamming, being inspired while playing with (Autolux members) Greg (Edwards) or Eugene (Goreshteror) or both. But there are songs that have definitely come from a beat that I’ve made first and then Greg might take a beat of mine and loop it and write to it. But I feel that I am much more inspired by music to make a beat than the other way around. I feel like when I approach music from a drum perspective first, when I do the drums first, sometimes it’s much harder to add to it because I’m creating as though the drums are the music and that is the main element. I’m tempted to just keep it percussive. Same here. When I hear music I love, a melodic loop or sound, a drum part is much more immediate than if there was a really unique beat. I always find it harder to add music to that. When I’m dealing with an actual song with vocals, my drum parts and beats are more musical when I’m adding them to pre-existing music. Drumming is like the one thing we can do if the electricity goes out. I wonder about that sometimes with what I do. It seems like that’s how we all start too. It’s the one thing that everybody could potentially still do if everything gets fucked: We could still bang on a few things. Yeah, drums may be the best instrument!

by Attia Taylor Photo courtesy of the artist

DRUMMING COMES FROM HER HOME, CHURCH, AND POLICE CAMP WHERE NAIROBINATIVE MARCY KIMANZI WAS RAISED.

t 7 a.m. in Nairobi, Kenya, Marcy Kimanzi regularly awoke to the sounds of gunshots from the nearby shooting range and her father's huge military band practicing. Marcy was a punctual and orderly child. Maybe that’s because growing up in a Kenyan police camp means order: frequent home inspections and experiencing childhood in a fenced area for security. Her mother is a civilian but works for the policeunit. Marcy comes from a family who appreciates pattern and procedure. Music also runs through the 24-year-old’s bloodstream, was in her growing bones, and followed her from the police camp to school and into her life now as an adult. Her mother was the choir mistress, teaching her and her siblings how to sing and harmonize in every vocal range. Their father taught himself how to play guitar and a host of musical instruments at a young age. After joining the military band inside their encampment, he eventually became the band leader. They grew to be musical just like their parents. Her brother Simon is a drummer and DJ, her sister Faith, a pianist, and the youngest, Becky, a singer, drummer, and dancer. Marcy’s second home very quickly became the Christian church. It was then and is now a place of spiritual nourishment, worship, and joy. Outside of the police camp, it is the sanctuary where her sister Faith watched and learned how to play the piano and where she one day asked Marcy to the pulpit to take the drums for the first time. Faith demonstrated how to play a common Kapuka beat (played in many Kenyan churches) and Marcy picked it up right away. Drumming became Marcy’s passion and the church a vessel for that passion. She’s the only female drummer there.

By day, Marcy is an online researcher and data entry clerk for companies in Nairobi. She takes classes after work in the evenings, then drives through a mess of traffic on Mombasa Road home. She arrives and sets up the snare and cymbal that her dad gave her. First, she practices rudiments to tighten her technique and proficiencies. She focuses and plays alone to improve on speed, power, and touch. Then comes extensive drum research. Home practice sessions help to create a rhythm for her sets as she settles in for a healing, concentrated drill. Marcy learns Sebene and kwasa kwasa, Congolese grooves. Sheila E. can be heard blaring from her player. The American female drummer’s story is one of triumph and is a constant source of inspiration for Marcy. Her performances serve as a motivator and, at times, a source of financial support. There have been notable shows drumming for musicians like Dennis Wampayo, a Kenyan gospel singer, and Toto Kabeya from South Africa. The city of Nairobi has a rich and vibrant music scene that boasts pockets of hip-hop, jazz, rhumba, benga, soul, and Afro-fusion. The east African hub draws musical influence from foreign countries and all over Africa. Marcy exists within this hub. The life she has created for herself is of purpose. There are still very clear patterns and the designs have been crafted just so. The orderliness of her youth and the rhythm in her roots has produced a devout drummer and the passion in the drummer has created an artist who drives her music toward diversity. Marcy learns, practices, and creates in her very own world. Still very young, she works to one day become an entrepreneur in the music scene and continues to focus on her faith, her rudiments, and a desire to one day create a musical family of her own. ISSUE 26: THE ROOTS ISSUE

BACK TO AFRICA SPEAKING WITH THE FUTURE OF AMERICAN WOMEN IN WEST AFRICAN PERCUSSION by Valerie Naranjo Photos courtesy of the artists

he West African traditional pentatonic marimba, or gyil, and its jealously guarded outrageously complicated yet soulful sound, thrives in the Upper West of Ghana and the adjoining border areas of Burkina Faso and Côte D’Ivoire. The practice of slammin’ down a bass line, comping chords, and playing melody all with only two mallets is, for me, one of the most joyful and meaningful musical "multitasks" on the planet. I was fortunate to be embraced early in my Ghanian travels by the Dagara community of Lawra, which hosts one of the region’s primary gyil festivals, Kobine. I was mentored by the late Kakraba Lobi, a founding member of the National Dance Company of Ghana and one of the country’s foremost gyil soloists. I normally spend one month a year in West Africa studying and sharing music with master gyil player Ba-ere Yotere and many other fine percussionists, singers, and dancers. I was thrilled when Jonathan Hass, head of the percussion department of the Steinhardt School at New York University, called to invite me to bring West African music and dance into its curriculum. Now completing its fifth year, this component centers around applied studies (private lessons) and the NYU African Gyil/Percussion Ensemble (AGPE), which focusses on solo and ensemble gyil, song, dance, and hand drums of Ghana; djembe, djun djun, dance and song of Guinea; and shekere and song of Nigeria. I recently invited three of my top five students, Shannon Silver, Luz Carime Santa-Coloma, and Sara Barsky, to NBC Studio 8H to speak about their experiences in this program. 44

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Tom Tom: How did you begin to be interested in playing percussion?

In AGPE, we sing, drum, and dance. What effect has this had on your percussion playing?

Shannon Silver: My first instrument was piano, then I learned how to play orchestra bells. When I auditioned for performing arts middle school on orchestra bells, the director accepted me on the condition that I learn snare drum, timpani, and xylophone.

Barsky: I have always been told by my music teachers from elementary school to the present, "If you can sing it, you can play it." It becomes more complicated to sing and drum or dance at the same time! Yet it is so rewarding, because I really internalize the music and feel connected to it by learning in this way—sitting around a circle and repeating words and the melody while looking at the lyrics and tapping out the beat. Music is a universal language that shows the connection between my pop/rock culture and Ghanaian culture. Music’s language becomes even more personal when I can sing the lyrics sung by Ghanaians and learn their translations and meanings. I began dance study when I was three years old, and have always associated percussion with dance. Since seeing and hearing Stomp and Blue Man Group and taking dance classes with live percussion, I felt that dance is a way of taking the emotion felt from playing percussion to the next level. So it is really a privilege to be able to do this as a trifecta in our African ensemble.

Luz Carime Santa-Coloma: I began music studies on piano. I then joined my elementary school's “Beat for Peace” hand drumming club, and an Orff Instrument club. I then took snare drum and xylophone classes, and attended a performing arts middle school and arts high school. Sara Barsky: I started dance when I was three years old, and when I was eight, my parents bought me a drum set. Rhythm came naturally to me. I had a great private teacher. In the NYU African Gyil/Percussion Ensemble you are playing gyil. It was considered, until several years ago, a man’s instrument. How do you feel about playing an instrument that 30 years ago a woman wasn’t allowed to touch? Silver: It’s a fantastic feeling when you get feedback from West African musicians who are encouraged to see all females drumming for male dancers or all females playing a gyil piece. Barsky: I feel honored whenever I sit at a gyil or play a djembe, to think that this is not the traditional norm, yet here I am accepted by my community. When four women played gyil together at the Women’s Day of Percussion, I had to remember that this has probably not been done very much before. This is cutting edge, not to be taken for granted. One of my highlights of the Day of Percussion focussing on women (Saturday, February 13 at NYU) was watching you women tear it up playing CouCou (drum/dance of Guinea) together while the men were dancing! Can you share any stories that make you realize that you are breaking gender barriers in world music? Barsky: I feel so lucky to say that I can’t think of a time when I felt out of place playing my instrument. This is amazing, because that must not have been the case ten or fifteen years ago.

In AGPE we try to espouse the traditional West African principles that each one can teach one—if even a phrase or single concept—and no individual can truly move ahead except hand in hand with her/his community (in this case the ensemble). What are your reflections on this? Santa-Coloma: I think that these traditional principles are important not only for the group member that is being taught, but also for the person who is teaching. AGPE was one of the first environments where I was taught completely new concepts by a peer, and that kind of experience allowed me to realize a special kind of respect for my colleagues. Respect, not only their knowledge and experience, but also for their patience and willingness to spend the time to help me. After three years in the ensemble, I am now on the teaching end. Teaching will always be a learning experience—learning to be patient, figuring out what strategies bring good results, and making sure everyone understands, and no one is left behind. I think these are all important qualities for a musician as well. The overall sense of community and family that the ensemble produces when we find ourselves enjoying this entire process is the biggest reward of all.

Silver: I too cannot recall any moments when I have felt uncomfortable behind my instrument. In fact, in my advanced concert band, there were six girls and one boy in the percussion section. What attracted you to West African art? Silver: The groove, the polyrhythms. When I sit down at the gyil, I have to play a bass line pattern with my left hand and completely different melodic lines and rhythms with my right hand. It’s difficult and a bit uncomfortable at first, but as you work on it, the music really syncs together and you can groove. It’s an incredible feeling. I think that understanding West African music is important because its characteristics have influenced so many other genres. Jazz is influenced by West African rhythmic patterns. Jazz uses call-and-response patterns and it uses the polyrhythmic structure of West African music. West African music also has a direct influence—rhythmically and harmonically—on R&B, which is a lot of the music I listen to. It’s interesting and exciting to play a Steve Reich piece one hour and then play the traditional Ghanaian music that influenced Reich in our African Ensemble the next hour.

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THREE LADIES OF THE WASHBOARD

ELEPHANT REVIVAL, ROCK BOTTOM STRING BAND, AND APRIL MAE AND THE JUNE BUGS, ALL FEATURE FEMALE WASHBOARD TITANS

by Liz Tracy Illustrations by Christopher Darling

ELEPHANT REVIVAL PERCUSSIONIST BONNIE PAINE GREW up at the final stop on the Trail of Tears, just outside of Tahlequah, Oklahoma. There, in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains, her mother sang lullabies while her daughters hummed along and her carpenter father played harmonica. He became the sound man for musical events in their small town simply by buying a PA. At age five, she met her step-sister Christy who let the young girls play her drum set and taught them the solo from Iron Butterfly’s “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.” They would play along with her band’s drummer on a flatbed trailer in their backyard, where her father hosted parties. When she was ten, her step-sister moved into a Greyhound bus in the front yard with the bass player. On their makeshift band room on the porch, he mentored Paine on electric guitar, one sister on bass, and the other on drums. “Being the youngest of four sisters that were interested in playing the drums, I often was given the option of whatever random hand percussion was not in high demand when we had our rhythm jams, which may have pointed me towards the washboard in a way,” Paine says. It was at age 17 at the Winfield Bluegrass Festival in Kansas where her dad noticed his daughter tapping on her stomach and over her heart to the rhythm. “He suggested we go down to the festival market and get some banjo picks to play with on our friend Steve Fields’ washboard. I felt like I was just humoring him by going along with the idea. Then I became surprisingly enthralled with the different sounds you could get out of such a simple instrument.” And the washboard is what Paine primarily plays for her current act, Elephant Revival, along with the bass heavy stomp box, also singing lead and harmony vocals. “I am going for more of a kind of subtle kit sound than traditional hand percussion,” Paine explains. She describes the roots music they write and perform as having both “ethereal dynamics” and “edgier tones of electric folk to rock with an occasional rambunctious Celtic-like fiddle tune.” Paine also performs solo and can play the djembe with a stomp box and cymbal, the musical saw, tambourine, guitar, and cello. Her side projects are too numerous to name, but in addition to playing with Big Little, Elegant Survival, and Dandelion Seeds, Paine sticks with her roots and still sometimes performs with her original bandmates: her sisters.

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THE BRANCHES OF APRIL MAE IORIO’S FAMILY TREE SWAY TO A WIDE VARIETY OF SOUNDS. Born and raised in South Jersey, she currently heads up Americana trio April Mae and the June Bugs. But roots music runs through her DNA. One grandmother loved playing the blues and a roaring B3 Hammond organ, while her husband performed in a string band. Her other grandmother was a flamenco dancer and flapper whose husband played a beautiful archtop guitar. At night, her own father dressed up slickly to head up his sonic combo, The 3 Holidays. Iorio’s mom also crooned to the sounds of her stepfather’s keys onstage as Silva. During band rehearsals at their home, “I loved lurking around as a kid, listening and soaking it all in,” April Mae recalls. “I was surrounded by people I loved all making music… I realize now what a lovely gift it is.” One year, her father made a trip to the south and returned with a banjo. April Mae and her brother, singer and drummer, Marc, enjoyed the its twang lakeside at family picnics. In high school, she took bass lesson from her music teacher father (who also taught her now husband “Catfish” Dave Fecca), an instrument she still uses for songwriting. But jamming with her contemporaries brought out her shy side. She was the only girl in the room and would turn her chair to face the wall when performing. After art school and a lot of encouragement from a good friend, April Mae found her voice and began singing professionally with a blues-rock band. She picked up the washboard when a neighbor who built cigar boxes presented her with one. With the June Bugs, April Mae feels like the chief of the trio, that and “cook and bottlewasher.” In fact, besides singing, songwriting, and playing the washboard, she handles all the band’s business affairs. The June Bugs, which she says is sonically “under the influence of jump blues, Rockabilly, and swing” are releasing their next album, SUN Kissed, this spring. It was recorded at the legendary Memphis Sun Studios. As far as side projects, she plays New Orleans classics with April Mae’s June Bug Brass. April Mae also brings roots to kids by teaching music and arts education in school auditoriums, turning blues, jazz, Rockabilly, and jug band performances into learning experiences. Through this, she ensures that the younger generation knows that this genre and its unique instrumentation is still alive and vibrant.

ROCK BOTTOM STRING BAND’S WASHBOARD PLAYER TARA MILLER was born in the Pecan Capital of the U.S., Seguin, Texas. Her music fan parents listened to everything from tejano to reggae to gospel. So, it wasn’t long before they bought her a Muppet Babies drum set at five that she pounded holes in, much like Animal, the character best known for his skills on the skins. At 13, she learned guitar, and her supportive elders put her in a mariachi band. “I love me some mariachi music,” the Texan exclaims. She also showed off her instrumental skills in church bands. Miller tried jamming on the drums when she joined Rock Bottom String Band in 2012, but the band didn’t think it was the right fit. So, Miller started messing around with the washboard. “Transitioning from drums to washboard was kind of boring at first. I was used to having a nine-piece set that had all those different sounds and then moving over to washboard that only had like three,” she admits. “So, I started adding trash to my setup.” Some of that “trash” includes a pick axe, an empty kitty litter container, a camping cup, and a whole lot of duct tape. “I like the natural sounds that come out of the trash. It's everyday noises you recognize, but played to music,” she observes. From her current outpost in San Marcos, Texas, she continues to hone her skills with the six-piece RBSB. She describes the music they create as “two cups of roots music, one cup of punk, one cup country, and a cup and a half of bluegrass. Then you pour a case of Lonestar (beer) on it and top it off with a DIY bow.” Miller also plays with three “and a half” other bands, calling herself “a band slut” with blues duo the Washboard Machine, a punk act for which she contributes the Cajon, ConwaytheWhale, and drums for Black Eyed Vermillion. She describes RBSB as a family, each member has a different function. “I feel like I'm just one of the wheels that keeps this thing rolling… I feel like or hope that I inspire. Not just musically but by being a female in this boys club music scene, being a lesbian face to folks that don't often see LGBTQ people, and being black and Hispanic in a predominantly white genre.” Miller is taking roots music into the modern world, just by being herself.

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BIG CAJONES GISELLA GIURFA BRINGS PERUVIAN CULTURE TO THE WORLD THROUGH HER STICKS AND HER ROLE AS RESIDENT DRUMMER FOR THE VOICE

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THE CAJÓN TO ME IS AN INSTRUMENT OF FREEDOM. ACCORDING TO ITS HISTORY, IT WAS FABRICATED BY AFRICAN SLAVES THAT ARRIVED TO PERU. by Mayra Lucia Cortez Photos by Alejandro Ohlmaier

With a huge smile on her tan face and long, black curly hair, Gisella Giurfa greeted us right before doing sound check at the iconic Alex Theatre in Los Angeles where she prepared for a big show with four-time Latin Grammy winner Gianmarco. She started drumming at 13-years-old and attended the National Conservatory of Music in her homeland, inspired to her instrument by Sheila E. and Cindy Blackman. Even though the 28-year-old Peruvian has established herself as a drummer of the highest caliber, she still keeps a warm and welcoming spirit that makes everyone around her feel so good. Her busy schedule includes a U.S. and European tour with the aforementioned popular act, a role as the resident drummer at the Peruvian franchise of The Voice, and many festivals with Peruvian indie supergroup Kanaku y El Tigre, as well as the promotion of her new album In/Out.

Tom Tom: This edition of Tom Tom Magazine is focused on “Roots,” where you come from. So we wanted to ask you about the influence that Afro-Peruvian and Andean music has in your drumming style.

Tom Tom: Esta edición de Tom Tom Magazine está enfocada en las rutas; de donde vienes, asi que queriamos preguntarte acerca de la influencia que la música Afroperuana y Andina tienen en tu estilo.

Gisella Giurfa: In my house, we have always had Afro-Peruvian and Andean music present, and that is always with me in some way; it comes out with every band I play with. Every style that I perform always ends up converting into fusion, thanks to my country’s musical influence.

Gisella Giurfa: Desde siempre en mi casa se ha escuchado la música de Perú, tanto la Afro-Peruana como la Andina. Eso siempre está presente en mi de alguna manera y sale con cada banda en la que toco. Cada estilo llega a ser fusión de cierta manera gracias a las influencias de mi país.

One of the most emblematic instruments of peruvian music is the cajón, and you have had the opportunity of playing it on live television as part of The Voice Peru . We would like to know a little bit more about the instrument and how it identifies you as a Peruvian percussionist.

Uno de los instrumentos más emblemáticos de la música Peruana es el Cajón y tu has tenido la oportunidad de tocarlo como parte de la banda de La Voz Peru, quisiéramos saber un poco más acerca del instrumento, y como tu experiencia con él te identifica como percusionista Peruana.

The cajón to me is an instrument of freedom. According to its history, it was fabricated by african slaves that arrived to Peru. All their instruments were burnt by their masters so they built these boxes to express their sorrows in their free time. To me, sitting on the cajón means freedom, and I really enjoy playing it.

El Cajón para mi es un instrumento de libertad. Según la historia que conocemos, el Cajón fue fabricado por esclavos africanos que llegaron a Perú y ellos al no tener ningun instrumento (porque se los quemaron) construyeron estas cajas para poder en sus tiempos libres soltar todo lo que tenían dentro. Para mí, sentarme en un Cajón sabiendo toda esta historia es un simbolo de libertad y me encanta mucho tocarlo.

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IT’S SO BEAUTIFUL TO BE ABLE TO PLAY FOR PERUVIAN PEOPLE IN ANOTHER PART OF THE WORLD BECAUSE THEY FEEL VERY EMOTIONAL

You play for four-time Latin Grammy winner Gianmarco! How did you end up playing for him?

Tu tocas para Gianmarco, quien ha sido ganador del Latin Grammy cuatro veces. Cómo llegaste a trabajar con el?

I went back to Peru last year after living almost ten years in Japan. I saw an open call for drummers and I sent two videos of me playing his songs. Not long after, he called me through Skype and asked me to be part of his band. Ever since then, I’ve been playing and touring with him, it’s very exciting!

El año pasado yo regresé a Perú después de vivir casi 10 años en Japón. Vi que convocaron una audición para bateristas y envíe dos videos tocando canciones de él. Gianmarco me llamó por Skype y me propuso ser parte de su banda. Desde el año pasado estamos tocando y de gira ;es muy emocionante ser parte de su banda.

Gianmarco’s music has Andean inspirations. How does it feel to play South American music and being able to share Andean culture around the world?

La musica de Gianmarco tiene inspiraciones Andinas. Cómo te hace sentir el poder tocar música sudamericana y compartir la cultura Andina alrededor del mundo?

It feels incredible because people really connect with the music, it is like a language. It’s so beautiful to be able to play for Peruvian people in another part of the world because they feel very emotional. They miss their country a lot. I understand because I also missed my land when I was in Japan. I understand the excitement!

Es increíble porque la gente llega a conectarse a través de la música muy fácilmente, es como un idioma. Tocar para peruanos que están fuera del país es muy lindo, ellos se emocionan mucho por que extrañan mucho a su patria. Yo tambien cuando estaba en Japon tambien extrañaba asi que entiendo lo emocionante que es!

TOM TOM MAGAZINE

RESTRICTED RHYTHMS TRADITIONALLY, FEMALE SANTERIA INITIATES AREN’T ALLOWED TO PLAY THE BATÁ DRUMS IN CERTAIN CEREMONIES. WE ASKED WHY. by Liz Tracy

t is through the sacred batá drums that divine energies are able to manifest in the human body in the syncretic Yoruban-Cuban religion known as Santeria. These hourglass-shaped, two-sided drums lay on the laps of babalawos, the male high priests of the faith (also known as Lukumí or Regla de Ocha). Their hands are first “washed” through an herbal and sacrificial ritual to dedicate them to the female spirit of the drums, Añá, making them ready to pound celestial beats during a tambor ceremony. The only role in Santeria that women and homosexual males cannot fill is that of the babalawo, and thus, they cannot play batá when it’s time to usher in holy entities through possession. The orishas—the Earth spirits, saints, African deities—embody the frames of worshipers, animating their figures with their own colorful and very individual personalities. Obá Oriaté Miguel “Willie” Ramos, Lukumí priest and scholar, explains that drums “call the energy of the cosmos to descend to the earthly realm, bringing together deities and human beings who bond to the beat of the drums.” This is how santeros and santeras communicate with the gods.

dealing with blood is powerful business. Ritual sacrificing of animals offers ashé, or universal good energy, from the animal to a particular orisha. Blood restores balance. The largest of the three batá drums is the mother drum, the Iyá, next is the male, and the smallest one is their child. Añá lives inside of the drums, she charges them, giving them the ability to create new spiritual life to devotees. Ramos found through his research that Yoruban society was once matriarchal until the reign of a warrior, Oduduwa. Añá was actually in charge before that. Now she “enslaves men to suffer by beating her hide. If they want to communicate with the divine, they must do so through her. If they want to host social events and dance, they must do so through her. In many ways, this relationship counters patriarchy,” Ramos explains.

Scholar Mary Ann Clark, in her book Santería: Correcting the Myths and Uncovering the Realities of a Growing Religion, believes that there may have been a few female Ifa priests during pre-colonial days. The reason men kept these few secrets to themselves might Besides these drum duties, the highest priest position allows the be because in Africa, traditions and training were passed from father initiate to read Ifa, the complicated, binary divination system that to son. Daughters usually left home at puberty, before this knowloffers guidance to practitioners through stories of lives of the edge was imparted. She does note that in America, where roles are more fluid orishas. In Santeria, female and male orishas yield generally, many equal power—they have torrid love affairs, fight c ommunities in battle alongside each other, they live their have initiated divine lives much like we do on Earth, but in an iyanifa (mother even more, in a way, liberated and timeless sociof Ifa), women ety. Ramos says, “Other than Ifa ordination and who can use the batá drumming, women can do everything that divination sysmen do. They can direct rituals, divine, sacrifice, tem but still are perform ordinations.” not allowed all The relationship between women and batá is complicated. The aspects of privilege given a babalawo. Many women in the faith question begs, is it a hindrance or an honor that females can’t play? accept this position. One half of Parisian-Cuban soulful duo Ibeyi, “The reasoning that I have heard about why women are forbidden to batá drummer and santera Naomi Diaz said when asked if she was play drums is the belief that menstrual blood is so powerful that it ever allowed to drum in ceremonies, “We never drum when we are can disturb the drums and their effectiveness,” shares Dr. Joseph in ceremonies because we feel that we don't have the knowledge Murphy, professor of Theology at Georgetown University, “Several enough yet to drum, but we sing. We do sing.” people that I’ve talked to about this—both men and women—have insisted that this is not prejudice against women but a recognition “Ocha is a woman's religion,” Ramos insists. Though he sees that of their power. Others, as you might guess, haven’t been con- in modern times, women are conforming to submissive roles once vinced by this argument.” He goes on to reference drummer and delegated to men. “Women are strong cult leaders, and history priest Felipé García Villamil quoted in ethnologist Maria Teresa clearly demonstrates that they laid the foundations for the develVélez’s book on the subject, Drumming for the Gods, which notes opment of Lukumí religion in Cuba… It is the patriarchal imposition, that “women are kept from playing drums in order to protect them, stemming from Yorubaland and the encounter with the similarly not the drums. Añá, desirous of blood, may cause women who are patriarchal Catholic religions in the diaspora, which seems to relnear the drums to bleed to death.” In the cosmology of the faith, egate women to an inferior status. However, when you look beyond the surface, this is just a very thin veneer.”

“OCHA IS A WOMAN'S RELIGION,” RAMOS INSISTS

BIG COUNTRY

SIMONTON’S DRUMMING ROOTS RUN DEEP AND WIDE, FROM THE MIDWEST TO THE DEEP SOUTH

by Lauren K Newman Photo courtesy of the artist

laying country drums from classic rock roots with the heartbeat and the groove of the rhythm of life bombastic is the stuff of Simone Simonton. Hers is a rich, colorful, and melodic career as a drummer and songwriter. She went from playing on her family's farming equipment in the sticks of Illinois to a college and post-college career in underground indie rock bands, Lift and South 70. She has held court on the center drum throne of the Indigo Girls and had a whirlwind of songwriting successes with country megastars Sugarland all as she found her way from the country to the country music capital of Nashville. She’s just getting warmed up to take the big beats that make the heart thump up the Billboard charts with country rising star Drew Baldridge and their single “Dance With Ya.” Schooled and naturally talented, Simonton’s beats are ready to be heard around the world. We engaged in a percussion discussion with this force of nature.

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Tom Tom: What model was your first drum kit? Simone: It was a Ludwig a 1963 or ‘64, with an aquamarine wrap. Drumming and music were my socialization, for the most part. We lived 20 miles from the nearest town where I went to school. I grew up out in the country. I was the oldest of six kids. Everything kind of centered around my family and my drums. My parents mostly listened to country. At that time, I was not into it. I really grew up playing rock and classic rock and Police and punk rock. Then I went to college and played jazz. I think as women, I can’t speak for all, I want to believe that we play differently. We have a little bit more of a sense of dynamics and musicality than most guys. I’ve met some guys who are amazing with that kind of stuff too. I think there is a uniqueness about women drummers. You’re currently based in Nashville and involved in songwriting as well as drumming with Drew Baldridge, mostly supporting country artists as a drummer. It’s fascinating that your roots were in country via your parents. Now you’ve come full circle from indie rock drumming, jazz drumming to country drumming. I hear the Bonham in your beats. Your style is big. You bridge the gap. You have natural talent. Did you find that when you studied it “blew the doors wide open?

Using his guitar, I started playing chords and these words started coming out. I started singing, and my brother was there. He said, “How do you know what you’re singing?” I said, “I don’t know. Words are just coming out.” He would fascinate me too. Once he knew the words to my song, he would start singing harmony automatically. I asked, “What are you singing right now? That’s not the melody.” He said, “I don’t know, It’s just coming out.” He was a natural harmonizer. I’ve never had that gift. We sat there and together wrote the song. He was fifteen at the time. Sure enough, we went to the funeral and we sang the song. I remember everyone being really moved by it. Most people write about their first boyfriend or girlfriend or whatever. I happened to write this very Christian based song about death and life and appreciating somebody. So, twenty-five years in “Hotlanta?”

Yes, I moved there right out of college, met the Indigo Girls, Jennifer Nettles, Kristian Bush, and Kristen Hall, you know, all of these amazing musicians. These are some of the people I wound up doing music with pretty much the whole time I was there. The Indigo Girls, that was one of those things where I met them when I was playing in some other little band and they were playing at the same pub. They It did open a lot of doors. A would come out and hear lot of people were curious our band. We’d come out as to why I would get a muand hear them. Once they sic degree. You know? Why got signed, I was joking with didn’t I just move straight to them one night. I said, “Hey, Nashville? I ended up in Atif you ever need drummer…” lanta. I bypassed Nashville, It was just the two of them at because at the time I didn’t the time. They didn’t have a want to have anything to do backing band. Sure enough, with country music. I knew their first big tour that they that I needed to mature in had before they were huge… other ways, in life ways. They had “Closer to Fine.” That was a big hit. Then they asked me if I wanted to join them on Growing up in the country I was pretty sheltered. I wanted to take a summer tour of amphitheaters, and of course I wanted to go. So four years, go to college. The university I went to was only a couthere I am, 24 at that time… It was awesome. ple hours from where I grew up, and so it was a good step for me. I also wanted to learn more about theory. I wanted to learn more Looking forward now with Drew Baldridge what are your plans, about the workings of music. I respect that. I respect people who what’s on the horizon for the rest of 2016? can read music. I had just barely started playing piano at that time. Maybe that was the songwriter in me, maybe that was the person More playing, more getting out there and getting that song up the charts. Hopefully, there will be more songs to come this year, who wanted to understand the composition of a song more. more tours. We’ve got some really good shows coming up, openWhen did you realize that you had a gift and a talent for song- ing shows for Eric Paslay. We’ve got all kinds of big shows on the writing? Did that coincide with your drumming initially, or did horizon. that come about later in college years? You had a landscaping company too. That’s a rhythm-based voI wrote my first song when I was 17. My uncle and a couple of cation. You’re chopping this and mowing that all to the rhythm cousins had died in a car accident. My aunt was in the vehicle as of life. well, and she survived it. She asked if I would write a song for the funeral. I wondered if I could even do that. I had played guitar a Oh, yes. I wrote some of my best songs when I was pushing a little bit. My brother played and he had taught me some things. mower or blowing leaves, honestly.

I WROTE SOME OF MY BEST SONGS WHEN I WAS PUSHING A MOWER OR BLOWING LEAVES

ISSUE 26: THE ROOTS ISSUE

DREAM ON

THE MUSIC OF ISRAELI DUO APRONS REFLECTS THE CONFLICTS OF THEIR HOMELAND THROUGH A DREAMY VEIL

by Lucy Katz Photo courtesy of artist

alia Peri and Hava Cohen stars’ aligned many years before they started to create the bittersweet dream-pop of the Aprons. In fact, the Tel-Aviv natives were introduced by two different mutual friends within the same week. It was a “bizarre and lucky coincidence that made us feel like ours was a friendship destined to be born,” the two explained to me over email. Theirs is a relationship that, so far, has proven itself to be nothing less than alchemic. “As soon as we started playing together, a river of musical ideas and lyrics started to flow. Apparently, we were a perfect musical fit and our songs just seemed to write themselves,” they relayed. This idea river manifested in gossamer threads of melody, breezily intertwined with lyrics that are tethered by Cohen’s heavily percussive backdrop. If this is dream-pop, it’s the kind of dream that clings to your ribs all day, haunting you long after you awaken. The minimalist composition is transformed into something far stronger than the sum of its parts, maybe due to the women’s eschewing of classic pop construction and instrumentation. Tom Tom spoke with the Israeli duo in the wake of their new release Day Off and prior to their next album to be unveiled later this year.

Tom Tom: I’m interested to know about your musical set-up, specifically your choice to omit guitars and use harps, piano and violins. Aprons: We started by playing whatever instruments were at hand. Neither of us played guitar, but we had a drum set, bass guitar, and piano. As we started to play together and came up with more and more songs, we realized that the minimalistic sound of bass guitar and drums gave a very interesting and balancing contrast to our soft voices and melodies. We try to maintain this special balance and to make sure not to fall into the traps of standard, predictable, and obvious sounds and ensembles. So, we welcome interesting instruments such as harp, melodica, saw, and try to avoid standard guitar parts. That said, we don't rule out guitars altogether. Nowadays, whenever we feel a song "requires" a guitar part, we do not refuse it. Hava, how and why did you start playing drums? Hava: I always wanted to play drums, but my parents weren't so enthusiastic about it, so I took piano lessons instead. For many years, I thought about learning, until one day I was at a friend's place and he had a drum set. I sat down and started playing. It felt natural. After that experience, I started taking lessons and had two teachers, both brilliant drummers. But only when I started playing with Talia did it feel like I was making music.

TOM TOM MAGAZINE

I can relate to that, it’s like your independent learning only really starts making sense in the context of other instruments and musicians. How rooted are you to your Israeli heritage, as well as it being the place that you live and are from, how does it inform your creative process and music? It is a little hard to recognize where exactly our Israeli and Mediterranean roots have had an impact on our music, maybe because both of us grew up listening to European and American music. Additionally, much of the Israeli music we did like was influenced by those same international trends. It’s easier to see how we have been influenced by bands like Blonde Redhead, Sonic Youth, Stone Roses, This Mortal Coil, and 9 Inch Nails. We do think that growing up and living in Israel might have had a different type of influence on our creative processes. Israel is a very special, beautiful country, and we love it, but it is also a conflicted and crazy place. We are forced to somehow find a way to deal with the realities of war, terror, and fear. One way of dealing with it is escapism. Our music is, in a way, creating an alternative and magical reality. It is not just sweet and dreamy. The hardship and pain of real life exist in the magical world of our music, but they are sugarcoated and easier to cope with. This could maybe also give some context to both of our music videos, in which dreamy, natural, harmonic elements are underlined by violence and fear.

There is a nightmarish quality to your videos and music, which, while not threatening enough to overthrow the sweeter side, is present nonetheless. Tell me about the concept behind your beautiful video for “Sound Stain” [a part animated saga set in a forest, which I highly recommend]? How did it come into existence? The first video's concept began with the idea of creating a visual interpretation of the femininity and gentleness of the female pair, by creating a world where everything feels organic and fragile. Everything was filmed in the forest, which we then filled with crystal animals and two hunters, symbolizing conflict. The video took a year to realize, with the help of a crew of 40 volunteer animators. Your second and newly released video for “Day Off” seems comprised of similar themes, especially this tension and interdependence between violence and nature. Could you expand on this? The second video is, in a way, an homage to the first one. The idea in the new video is that the girls go back into the forest, seeking revenge. They are dressed up as deer, but this time they are the hunters, going to track down the shooters who hurt them in the previous video. It has to do with empowerment and closure.

ONLY WHEN I STARTED PLAYING WITH TALIA DID IT FEEL LIKE I WAS MAKING MUSIC Well those are ideas which are powerfully realized. Now, what does femininity mean to you? We both have a pretty modern view of femininity, and I think that it is fairly recognizable in our music. Especially as we both play instruments that are traditionally masculine, but use them to create soft, melodic, “feminine" music. Both of us have successful careers outside of music. We provide for ourselves. We don't like cooking or cleaning. On the other hand, we do love to indulge in shopping, makeup, cute things, massages, etc. But basically, for us, femininity is not based on gender conventions and/or feminine/masculine stereotypes, but on what feels right to us as women and lets us be true to our unique selves.

ISSUE 26: THE ROOTS ISSUE

SPREADING ROOTS

YURI YAMASHITA’S CULTURAL ROOTS GREW AROUND THE WORLD, FROM JAPAN TO BRAZIL by Joe Wong

uri Yamashita is a mind-bogglingly versatile percussionist. She possesses an impressive and varied resume to match. After finishing graduate programs at Juilliard and Mannes College of Music, she began her career in the “legit” world, performing onstage percussion with the Metropolitan Opera as well as playing featured percussion parts with Munich Philharmonic, Academia de Santa Cecilia, Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, to name a few. She's worked with modern composers such as Tyondai Braxton and Tan Dun and ensembles such as Asphalt Orchestra, Alarm Will Sound and Wordless Music Orchestra. Currently, she works as a freelancer/sub on Broadway shows such as Gloria Estefan's On Your Feet! and The Lion King, among others. She spoke with Tom Tom about her roots.

TOM TOM MAGAZINE

I grew up in Takarazuka, a quiet suburb of Osaka and Kobe. The town is known for the Takarazuka Revue, an all-female musical company. My father worked as a systems analyst and my mother was a stay-athome mom. She wanted to play music growing up but never had the opportunity. So, when I was about four, she signed me up for Yamaha Music School, and I played Electone. It was just one of my activities; my parents were not trying to encourage me to become a musician or an artist. My mother told me every time she made me sit down in front of the keyboard to practice I would fall asleep. She never imagined I would become a professional musician. My father always listened to the Beatles and the Carpenters in the car. Every once in awhile, he would play a compilation of Japanese folk singers. As a kid, I would imitate my Japanese pop idols, Aidoru. I remember performing for my friend's mom on top of the dining table in their house. I really enjoyed learning songs and choreography to go along with them. At 13, I started playing percussion in my junior high school band. That’s when I got hooked.

track "Águas de Março". Every single time I listen to it, I just melt. Two years ago, I had the opportunity to sing my own version of "Águas de Março," "Berimbau," and "Chega de Saudade" on the track “Rita's Medley” on the Latin Jazz album called Forward. This has been an inspiring experience and I can’t wait to start my solo project of singing and playing Brazilian and Latin music. I often think of the contrast between Latin and Japanese cultures with regard to traditional music. Why is it common for percussionists from Latin or Caribbean countries to play conga, timbales, or bongo but rare for Japanese percussionists to play taiko? I really wish I did! In Japan, we had greater access to Western music and instruments than to traditional Japanese ones. Historically, Japanese music evolved as part of high society. Noh, kabuki, and bunraku theatres were never fully popularized with commoners. In contrast, if you turn on the TV or radio in Latin countries, you'll hear all kinds of music that’s deeply rooted in their culture, like salsa, merengue, and samba. They are just part of everyday life. That's not the case for traditional Japanese music. The musical style Enka that stylistically resembles traditional music, is as close as it gets, but that’s mostly popular with older generations. I do see more and more bands playing traditional Japanese instruments, which is really cool.

MY MOTHER TOLD ME EVERY TIME SHE MADE ME SIT DOWN IN FRONT OF THE KEYBOARD TO PRACTICE I WOULD FALL ASLEEP. SHE NEVER IMAGINED I WOULD BECOME A PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN.

I auditioned for a music high school. I kind of knew that's what I wanted to do professionally. My family provided me with everything I needed to prepare for it. It was an intense three years with additional curriculum that included orchestra and chamber music rehearsals, music theory and history, ear training, weekly percussion and piano lessons. My parents are not musicians and don't know much about music, but they supported me throughout my studies in Japan and graduate studies in New York.

My heart is always with Brazilian music, no matter what I played for a living. My first encounter with bossa nova was in college. I came across the album by Lisa Ono, who is a Japanese-Brazilian bossa nova singer. I loved her warm, whispering voice and the sound and rhythm of lyrics. Can you believe that I thought she was singing in French? As a kid, I fantasized about living in Paris and speaking French. But as soon as I learned that it was bossa nova, my interest shifted completely to Brazil. It became my go-to music for a long time. About ten years ago, I visited Brazil and spent three weeks in Salvador, Bahia. I took a bunch of lessons with local percussionists over there. I learned about música popular brasileira, forró, and Olodum. After that trip, I seriously considered moving to Brazil to submerge myself even more, which didn’t materialize due to my freelancing work in New York. Luckily, one of great things about living in New York is to meet and work with great musicians of many different cultures. This allowed me to continue studying Brazilian and Latin music. Currently, I take pandeiro lessons and ensemble workshops with Sergio Krakowski in Brooklyn and Latin percussion with Rolando Morales-Matos. A touchstone record for me is Elis & Tom by Elis Regina and Antonio Carlos Jobim, especially the

I'm amazed by the popularity of so many groups, (such as AKB 48, Exile, Johnny's groups) which has huge numbers of young girls or boys singing and dancing together. I want to see more independent or underground bands/musicians with real artistry to get more attention.

ISSUE 26: THE ROOTS ISSUE

U B

TOM TOM MAG .COM

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Synthesize your low end and arpeggiate your highs with the & POCKET PIANO. Use them in tandem, on their own, or with other synths in your jams, recordings and live shows.

CRITTER & GUITARIÂŽ critterandguitari.com

TRIPLET FUN

INCORPORATING THE BASS DRUM by Michèle Drees

This is a great exercise for bringing the bass drum into a triplet figure. Below are four greats exercises that you can do to help bring your bass drum into your regular drumming practice and into a triplet figure. Try each exercise for a few minutes each before moving on to the next one. Good luck!

TRIPLET FUN INCORPORATING THE BASS EX 1. At first, the right hand should stay on the floor tomDRUM to help keep everything even.

Michèle Drees

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TOM TOM MAGAZINE

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RUDIMENTS AS ROOTS by Kristen Gleeson-Prata

Rudiments are one of the many roots of drumming, and therefore are usually among the first lessons students learn when they start playing. I used to think of them as tedious exercises which I would rush through in my practice sessions in order to get to the “cooler” stuff. Don’t be fooled though—they’re not just for warm-ups and drum corps. It wasn’t until years after I started playing that I got really comfortable with some of them. I began to explore ways to use them in the context of playing and learned to really appreciate them. Whether we know it or not, virtually everything we play is made up of rudiments, even if they’re inversions, variations, or as simple as single or double stroke rolls. When you break them down, some of the (seemingly) most complicated grooves and licks are really just combinations of simple rudiments. This realization makes learning those grooves and licks, and creating your own, much more possible and fun.

Drum Set

Paradiddle

One of the first rudiments we learn, the paradiddle, can be found hiding in a lot of funk grooves. Splitting up the strokes of the paradiddle between the hi-hat and the snare drum gives the illusion of a really fast hi-hat hand, when in reality you’re only ever playing two [Composer] notes in a row at most. Varying [Subtitle] the strength of the snare drum strokes to include ghost [Arranger] notes and a backbeat gives the groove depth. The groove transcribed below is very similar to David Garibaldi’s iconic groove played in Tower of Power’s “What Is Hip?”.

funk groove

4 x e x x >œ x e e x e x x >œ x e e ã4 œ œ œ œ

Drum Set

∑

[Composer] [Arranger]

∑

One of my favorite rudiments that I whip out often in fills and solos is the paradiddlediddle, a variation of which is called the six stroke roll. In terms of a paradiddle-diddle, it starts on the second stroke. Since the rudiment contains six strokes, I find it most fun to play in the context of triplets. Adding accents on the first and last strokes (the single ones, conveniently!) really rounds out the feel and the sound. Since I’m right-handed, I technically play a left paradiddle-diddle, which actually starts on the right hand when you[Composer] start on the second stroke. It’s fun to play completely on the snare, or also to move the [Arranger] single strokes to the toms.

Six Stroke Roll [Subtitle]

Stroke Roll variation >œ œ œ œ œ >œ >œSix > œ œ œ œ œ [Subtitle]∑ ã4

Drum Set4

HIT HARD

4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ [Subtitle] œ ã4

[Arranger]

>œ œ œ œ œ >œ > œ œ œ œ >œ 4 œ ã4 3

∑ [Composer]

∑

Practice your rudiments with the mindset of applying them to your everyday playing. Once certain ones start to naturally feel good in your hands, explore moving them around the kit and watch the possibilities unfold.

ISSUE 26: THE ROOTS ISSUE

THE ONE DROP by Morgan Doctor

The One Drop is a common beat in Roots Reggae music. It was popularized by Carlton Barrett of Bob Marley and the Wailers and you can hear it in “Get Up Stand Up” and “Three Little Birds” as well as many other Bob Marley and reggae tunes. It drops a heavy beat (kick and snare) on the 3 beat (depending on how you are counting it can be the 2 and 4). The One Drop is a great beat to have in your back pocket for any reggae style tunes you may play. It’s also great practice for not relying on the “one” when playing beats, and knowing where you are in a bar without depending on the “one” will overall help your drumming. Dropping the “one” of each bar is what makes this beat the One Drop.

TECHNIQUE

Here is a basic One Drop beat and some hi hat variations. The first two beats are played with a side stick. Notice the open hi hat on 4+ in versions 2 and 3.

TOM TOM MAGAZINE

THE ROOTS OF DRUMMING Every groove, chop or drum solo you've ever heard or performed has a foundation, a root system and that system is called Rudiments, and every rudiment is built up from either the single stroke roll and/or the double stroke roll with the exception of the triple stroke roll. Don't believe me? Watch this.

by Vanessa Dominique

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ISSUE 26: THE ROOTS ISSUE

FIGHTING STAGE FRIGHT & BUILDING CONFIDENCE COMBAT INSECURITY WITH THESE EASY WARM-UP EXERCISES

TECHNIQUE

by Cherisse Ofosu-Osei

Most musicians experience insecurity and nerves that tend to come about before an important audition, gig, or television appearance. As a drummer, you learn to deal with these emotions and perform to the best of your ability when the moment demands. Sometimes you can even end up paralyzed by fear. One thing people have always asked me is how to get that confidence on stage and play with conviction. I am not sure if any of you know this, but I suffer from a stutter and have done so since I was a child. For me, overcoming my stutter as I grew up presented the same confidence crisis as overcoming my nerves as a drummer on stage. For me, preparation is key to building confidence. When I walk onto stage I am prepared. When you feel you are ready and prepared then you will be able to give your best. You can be the most confident of players in the rehearsal room but that environment will not prepare you for the full on wow-factor of a real, live, breathing audience!

PREPARATION IS

Pre show nerves are indeed a very common aspect of performing and all us musicians experience them in one way or another. I’ve found that establishing a routine backstage before a gig can be very helpful. Every time you perform it is different and developing a consistent routine will provide a familiar base from which to work from. I find ‘getting in the zone’ by listening to some chilled music or going for a walk and doing some breathing exercises helps with my nerves. Also I find some simple sticking exercises on either a pad or pillow helpful. I do anything from 1025 minutes to warm up and feel ready to play. Finally I use visualization techniques where I picture myself playing the first song in the set and killing it! This focuses me on the best possible performance which leads to the positive outcome. I got into the habit of doing this and found it really helps with my pre performance nerves.

KEY TO BUILDING CONFIDENCE

So my advice is be organised and well prepared and then the confidence will take care of itself. Try to see nerves not as fear but as excitement, because after all, the buzz you get on stage from ‘nervous energy’ is what makes it fun! Rock on!

TOM TOM MAGAZINE

YOUR TICKET TO THE NEXT LEVEL. Introducing the New Jen Ledger Signature Stick

When we sat down with Jen, she said her stick needed to deliver the power of an “extreme” model, with quick feel and clarity. Starting with a 3A, we beefed up the length and diameter, and created a unique medium-length taper that flanges back out into a bold tear drop tip, providing great response, power and clarity. Because next-level music requires next-level thinking. Try something new. See where it takes you. Jen Ledger | SKILLET

WITCHING WAVES

Crystal Cafe Soft Power/HHBTM / February 2016

It would be easy to dismiss this album in a record store—how many witches, waves, or crystals does indie music need these days? But look past the fairly pedestrian album art and you’ll find this UK trio is anything but boring. The driving beats and relentless guitar, along with Kim and Thurston-esque back-and-forth vocals, represent an evolution from the noise of yesterday to the post-punk of today, with almost handclappy pop melodies hidden beneath the fuzz (their American distributor is HHBTM, after all.) Through sung tracks and instrumentals, the energy stays high on this sophomore effort right to the end.

WHITE LUNG

Paradise Domino /May 2016

After 10 years and four albums, White Lung can still bring the house down. Paradise is on one hand what you'd expect from the Vancouver four piece—hard drums, loud guitars, the fist-pumping, mosh-inducing yell of Mish Way—yet the melodies are a little brighter than before and the songwriting a little tighter. The production is also more slick than past releases, but the mix brings out the high end and the snare sounds GREAT. Bonus: check out Mish Way's sex-advice column in Vancouver publication Westender. Listen to this: while trying to put your eyeliner on straight on the train en route to a punk show.

Listen to this: while the room is slightly spinning —Chantal-Marie Wright post-party. —Chantal-Marie Wright

Otis Was A Polar Bear Royal Potato Family / April 2016 Allison Miller's drumming talents are top notch. She's played with greats ranging from Natalie Merchant to Dr. Lonnie Smith. But on Otis Was a Polar Bear, she showcases her evolving dynamic range as a composer, exercising restraint and release with a precision that only comes with experience. Miller writes counterpoint reminiscent of Bach and Ellington, but has developed her own creative, powerful voice in these 10 songs, inspired by the birth of her first child. The tracks take you on an emotional, ecstatic journey. Her band, which includes violinist Jenny Scheinman and upright bassist Todd Sickafoose, moves as one unit through shifting time signatures, moods, and textures. One of the best jazz albums of 2016.

REVIEWS

Listen to this: while packing up your gear to get inspired for the show. —Lisa Liu

ANNE PACEO

THE DOLLYROTS

Family Vacation Live in Los Angeles Arrested Youth Records / January 2016

Saddle 6 Pack Self-released / March 2016

Anne Paceo's fourth studio album, Circles, is a result of four years of examination of the cyclical nature of time, life and death, light and dark. From deep-patterned grooves to tender moments on brushes, Paceo's drumming and compositions are deliberate and genuine. Joining her is Lelia Martial, whose angelic voice soars delicately over these 12 songs, notably on “Tzigane,” which evokes gypsy swing rhythms and harmonies. Tony Paeleman's electric keyboard vacillates from a feverish pitch to a low-end foundational force. But behind each song is Paceo's powerful sense of time and movement, conjuring the driving nature of Miles Davis' album Bitches Brew. A valiant record that pushes the jazz idiom forward.

The infectious pop punk energy of The Dollyrots’ live show is obvious within the opening lines of the first track “My Best Friend’s Hot” and you can’t help but bob your head the whole way through. This collection captures tracks ranging from their previous five studio albums and serves as the soundtrack to their live DVD, also titled Family Vacation, recorded over their summer 2015 tour. With the production sharp for a live album, staying crisp and clean throughout, you’ll feel like you’re right there at the show singing along. Singer Kelly Ogden’s snarky voice dares you not to jump around listening to standout tracks “Kick Me to the Curb,” “Because I’m Awesome,” and the spunky ska-infused “Twist Me To The Left.”

Baltimore-based Saddle of Centaur's new EP Saddle 6 Pack is well-produced, sassy, laughout-loud funny and, at times, a little gross; like if the women of Sleater-Kinny fronted GWAR. With lyrical content ranging from pap smears and tampon tea to hating teenagers and finger banging, they are definitely more fearlessly liberated than your average garage band. I really hope “SeX Files” becomes the intro music for an X-Files-themed porno. “Tampon Tea” will make you glad you usually drink coffee. Overall, the drums sound tight and clear and they really give the record that great glam-alternative vibe.

Listen to this: on a long drive in the dark through the mountains.

Listen to this: when you need catchy anthems to shout out loud and feel like being an air guitar champion.

Circles Laborie Jazz Records / January 2016

—Lisa Liu 66

ALLISON MILLER'S BOOM TIC BOOM

TOM TOM MAGAZINE

—Kate Hoos

SADDLE OF CENTAUR

Listen to this: to cheer you up the morning after you take home a girl from the margarita bar on Cinco de Mayo and you realize she didn’t take the piece of paper you wrote your phone number on when she left the next morning. —Tarra Thiessesn

RILLA

LADY BITS

I Am Not A Robot Self-released / 2016

It’s Always On Self-released / March 2016

I Am Not A Robot, the debut EP from Portland’s RILLA, is fascinating five song work featuring deft songwriting that feels tight and compact while effortlessly drifting into more expansive instrumental passages. A locked-in rhythm section takes the feel from a frantic surf-punk assault, to a bouncy dance beat, to a slow grove without missing a step. Interlocking guitars create a melodic tapestry of sonic force, over which harmonious vocals pepper the listener with abstract lyrics repeated in an almost mantric fashion.

Lady Bits is a trio of whip smart riot grrrls who don’t suffer fools or the patriarchy lightly and they aren’t going to take your shit. It’s Always On is their second release and first EP. These five songs pack a punch and are built around crunchy guitar riffs, hard hitting drums, and slinky bass lines that make you want to jump all over with your grrrls by your side. Singer/guitarist Krishanti Daryanani sounds sweet one minute then is spitting venom the next; she isn’t afraid to tell you how she feels about dealing with dude bros and the reality of being a woman moving through a world that is still plagued by the “boys club mentality” and unfair double standards in relationships.

BIG KNIFE LITTLE KNIFE

Anchor Rights Self-released / April 2016

—Liz Burke

THE BREAKBEAT BIBLE:

MUSIC + BOOKS

From the opening track “Brickwork,” Big Knife Little Knife’s Anchor Rights doesn’t ease you in; it jolts you in. The Montréal trio’s debut LP clearly nods to its post-hardcore 90s influences, but the record also does a good job of incorporating other styles. The third track “Christa McAuliffe” opens with a woman’s voice optimistically talking about the launch of the Challenger Space Shuttle while sinister strings play in the background. McAuliffe was an American teacher killed aboard the Challenger when it exploded in 1986. It begins with the baroque pop-ish vibes before revving up into a hardcore punk feel There’s a lot going on in these compositions, but with screaming vocals. The song has an ominone of it detracts from the fun; it never feels nous quality throughout it. It’s just those kind of too heady or over-calculated. It’s impressive to sonic-shifts within songs you’ll find throughout hear a band’s first EP come off with such focus The whole EP shines, with stand outs being the the album. Anchor Rights dabbles in a range of while still showing the kind of diversity that will angry callout song “Cupcake Man” and “Pussy- styles within the songs while overall remaining a make for an inspired LP. Get in on the ground whipped” which sees the band slow it down and cohesive album. floor with this band. musically go into darker, grungier composition with a sick, dirty distorted bass line and military Listen to this: driving home from a rainy Sunday Listen to this: when you pre-game with friends march-esque drums leading the charge as they night show. before a party you might not even go to. continue to challenge you lyrically. —Maura Filoromo —Stephen Otto Perry Listen to this: when you’re side eying the jerky dude giving you 'tude and taking down mansplainers.

THE FUNDAMENTALS OF BREAKBEAT DRUMMING by Mike Adamo Hudson Music / 2010

As a professional drummer and jazz/hip hop/electronica groove-head who needed some serious focus on my kick drum chops and more syncopated grooves in my back pocket, The Breakbeat Bible solved both issues easily. This book takes one through each element of breakbeat drumming in a step-by-step break down. Each element is demonstrated through a mix of technique examples and samples from classic funk, Motown, hip hop, and breakbeat albums. The technique exercises are fantastic chop builders and the samples from classic albums let the player truly get inside the musicality as well as demonstrate the utmost importance of playing good time. The book culminates with two sections comprised of partial transcriptions from classic hip hop albums and how to drum with electronic samples. The play-along CD has examples of each technique exercise in the book as well as five play along tracks that correlate to the classic album transcriptions from the partial transcription section of the book that can be played with or without recorded drum samples. My favorite part of working with this book, besides the chop and groove building, was being able to play classic breaks from hip hop and funk greats such as Tribe Called Quest, The Roots, J Dilla, Parliament, The Meters, and various grooves by the legendary Steve Gadd. The techniques in this book also showed up in my jazz playing as well, as the bass drum exercises translate wonderfully to traditional jazz comping. I highly recommend this book for intermediate to advanced players. —Jessie Nelson

ISSUE 26: THE ROOTS ISSUE

SALT DRUMS REVIEWS

CUSTOM SNARE By Brittany Maccarello Photo by Ale Robles

From the design to the sound quality, Shawn Ryan's snares from Salt Drums are game changers. The personally crafted 14x6 snare is injection molded with a 1/2" cast shell with blue, white and black lettering forming TomTom Magazine's logo. The work put into its appearance brings to light the attention to detail Salt Drums puts into a snare. But the sound is the icing on the cake. My favorite sound to have in a snare is deep and heavy which is more suited for rock. This past weekend however, I played the Sofa Street Fair in San Jose, CA with Artist Starro. His style falls under a tight, funky sound. The hoops covering an inch of the skin helped give that tight, punchy sound my snare needed. That combination blew so many companies away with their snare drum creations. Something I definitely thought stood out from any other custom company. If you're looking for a drum company that creates and snares to exactly what you're looking for, Salt Drums is the way to go.

TOM TOM MAGAZINE

This is what happens when the world leader in percussion throws away the cajon rule book.

THE MATADOR STAVE TUMBA CAJON

BLUE

MO-FI HEADPHONES

by Rosana Cabán

REVIEWS

If you aren’t already familiar with Blue as a microphone manufacturer, you should definitely check them out. Recently, they stepped into a new category by creating powered headphones. What are powered headphones? Well, headphones are basically tiny speakers, and even tiny speakers need amps. Most listening devices like iphones, laptops, and tablets have built in amplifiers, but they aren’t particularly powerful and their performance diminishes at higher volumes. Blue takes care of this issue with the Mo-Fi headphones, which have a built in amplifier that can output around 240mW, whereas mobile devices will typically output about 40mW before starting to distort. That means Mo-Fi actually improves the quality of sound that your device outputs. For years, audiophiles have been solving this issue by buying headphone amplifiers, but headphone amps are clunky boxes that don’t allow for portability. That’s why the built in headphone amp is such a great feature for Mo-Fi.

There are three listening setting on the Mo-Fi; On, On+, and Off. On delivers completely natural, detailed sound. On+ engages the amplifier’s analog low-frequency enhancement circuit, which delivers incredibly deep and smooth bass, and Off puts Mo-Fi in passive mode, ideal for connecting the headphones to studio gear. This is the only mode that Mo-Fo also operates in when the batteries run out, but don’t worry, the rechargeable, polymer Li-on battery that provides power to the amp delivers around12 hours of listening time on a single charge. All in all, these are incredible sounding headphones that are well worth the price for audiophiles. We were impressed with the quality of the product and the quality of the sound.

TOM TOM MAGAZINE

This is what happens when the world leader in percussion gets authentic.

THE WOOD BRICK CAJON

Meticulously hand-inlayed in Peru from solid walnut, mahogany and almond, offering the quintessential Spanish cajon sound. The Art of Rhythm is LP. LPMUSIC.COM Â©2016 LATIN PERCUSSION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

SHOW US YOUR KITS ALEX KLIMAN'S SET UP by Zoe Brecher

SONOR SQ² DRUM SET

HARDWARE:

HEADS:

A 22x17” Bass Drum (Medium Maple Shell) B 10x9” Tom Tom (Thin Maple Shell) C 12x10” Tom Tom (Thin Maple Shell) D 14x13” Floor Tom (Medium Maple Shell) E 16x15” Floor Tom (Medium Maple Shell) F 14x6” Snare Drum ProLite Brass Shell

Pedal TAMA HP900RSN Iron Cobra Throne Sonor DT 470 Double Tom Stand (DTS 475) Cymbal Tom Stand (CTS 479) 4x Multi Clamp (MC 276) + 1x Mini Boom Arm (MBA 471) Boom Cymbal Stand (MBS 673 MC) Boom Cymbal Stand (MBS 400) Snare Drum Stand (SS 277) Hi Hat Stand (HH 674)

Evans Drumheads

CYMBALS: 1 Sabian 22” APX Ride Cymbal 2 Sabian HHX 16" X-Plosion Crash Cymbal 3 Sabian Hi-Hat XS20 14” medium hats 4 Sabian 18” HH Chinese Brilliant I’ve got more, but this is my main working kit.

STICKS: Vic Firth Vater

This is what happens when the world leader in percussion builds a boutique cajon.

THE AMERICANA 2-VOICE CAJON

DRUMMER LOVE LOVE LETTERS FROM BANDMATES TO THEIR DRUMMERS

Dear Jessy, You are the only drummer we want to play with. Your fills are so tasty they might even be better than our post rehearsal taco runs. Thank you for keeping strict time with our sometimes wandering rhythms - even when you make us practice on a metronome for hours on end. Your visualizations of what we can be help us materialize our songs into reality. P.S. Your hair looks great no matter how you wear your headphones.

Dear Erin, You are the (musical) love of my life. You're such a high-energy drummer and always push the band to play our hardest. All while being a badass punk rock mama!! I physically can't stop myself from bouncing around every time you groove on the ride cymbal. And don't even get me started on those gnarly fills! Your positivity is infectious and I'm truly #blessed to call you my bandmate and friend. Love, Krishanti (Guitarist for LADY BITS)

Love, Anna, Rosie, Sapphire, (ur cycle sisters in Gypsum, Los Angeles, CA)

Dear Sara, You always say, ‘If you can count to four, you can drum’. You’re full of shit! But I love you for being so humble, whilst also being the most kick arse, hard hitting drummer in Hobart town! You’re not afraid to sweat like a beast and you’re constantly inspiring me as you push your limits (and swear like a trooper) to master new and wonderful ways to beat those skins. You’re the best thing that happened to me in 2014. Love, Kirsty (other half of Straddlepuss, Hobart, Tasmania)

Dearest Shea, Thanks for being the most beast mode leg of our rock and roll tripod! The Thundercat is definitely the perfect nickname for you. And in spite of all the broken sticks, heads, and cymbals that are a byproduct of your aggressively powerful style, you still keep us firmly locked into the groove. Swinging back and forth like a set of bull nuts on the back of a jacked up 4x4! Don't ever change. You do you boo! XOXO Papa B (Brent-guitarist/vocals in The Many Colored Death, Columbia, MO)

Katie [Ton-Tuan] Whether laying down a solid back beat or working her magic with a mixing bowl full of marbles, Katie plays what is needed to take a song to another level while always letting her wicked sense of humor shine through. She's also a fantastic singer. She's straight out of the Levon Helm mold...and you gotta love that. —Scott Bookman (Lancasphere Music Collective)

TOM TOM MAGAZINE

Dear Ellie, Dear Bruni Lee,

You're one of the best drummers I've the opportunity to share the stage with. You have such a passion for your music, a creative and technically able musician and it's great to work with a liked minded individual.

I feel so lucky to have you as my good friend, and we are also very fortunate to have you as the drummer of our band, Thundera! You're an incredibly talented, creative and insightful person. You add so much to our music, if not for you, Thundera wouldn't sound as awesome as we do right now!

Love, Louisa (Vocalist/Guitarist in Flowerpot, UK)

Love, Marianna (the guitarist of Thundera, NYC)

Dear Elise, You are an incredible friend, drummer, and overall musician. I'm happy to have you, to shred and share in this journey together. Thank you for being a great team player and always being down! It isn't easy to keep band vibes up but you don't make it hard and you are easy to be around. Love you! Lætitia Tamko (Vagabon) Dear Bec, You're an amazing drummer and an even better friend! Plus you can drink Budweiser like no one I've ever met. —Andy, bass player in Weekend Wars, St. Helens, Merseyside, UK

To my rhythm section sister Sam! I have seen you progress over the years that we’ve known each other and I am so impressed with you! When I see you play I’m like ‘Dayum!, what a badass!’. You have such great feel and such a versatile player, everything and more that a bass player could want!. I’m looking forward to more jam nights and working on our covers band together. Not only are you an incredible drummer, you are an incredible friend and so glad to have you in my life.

We are Organized K-hos and we think our drummer is awesome! She became our drummer when she was 10 years old and is now ancient at 15! She is modest, chilled out, wise beyond her years and most important an epic musician. Never complains and adapts to whatever crazy stuff we come up with, thanks for being a great band member. George & Tom

Keep being amazing!!!!! Love Zoe <3 xxx

Do you love your drummer? Do you feel she needs some recognition? Would you like to show her some love in Tom Tom?? Send your drummer love letter to: info@tomtommag.com with “Drummer Love” in the subject and keep it around 50-100 words. Include a photo of your band or your drummer.

ISSUE 26: THE ROOTS ISSUE