You made me really nostalgic starting this tribe,
Oogie. Thanks for doing it.
I must have seen Tower of Power 10 or 12 times for free
back in their early days. They played a lot of
free shows in the parks in San Jose and at record stores.
That band was the shit at that time! The rhythm section of
David Garibaldi and Rocco Prestia was a convoluted force of nature.
I once heard it said that David didn't think he had done his job correctly (with his hyper intricate left hand independence work on the snare and hi hats) if he didn't make Rocco lose the downbeat once a gig.
It was fascinating to me, because I was raised as a player on
East Coast and Southern black funk which was very rigidly disciplined and minimalistic. Compared to that, Garibaldi and Prestia seemed like virtual anarchists........but fucking
FUNKY Anarchists. In a wierd way, it could be argued that Prestia really was the drummer in the band in the same way that Sting was the drummer in the Police under Stewart Copelands inventive and wildly varying beats.
I've always been a minimalist pocket trapset drummer myself, but I really admire the style that these incredible musicians
innovated. "What is Hip" was a perfect funk tune I think.
Oogie. Thanks for doing it.
I must have seen Tower of Power 10 or 12 times for free
back in their early days. They played a lot of
free shows in the parks in San Jose and at record stores.
That band was the shit at that time! The rhythm section of
David Garibaldi and Rocco Prestia was a convoluted force of nature.
I once heard it said that David didn't think he had done his job correctly (with his hyper intricate left hand independence work on the snare and hi hats) if he didn't make Rocco lose the downbeat once a gig.
It was fascinating to me, because I was raised as a player on
East Coast and Southern black funk which was very rigidly disciplined and minimalistic. Compared to that, Garibaldi and Prestia seemed like virtual anarchists........but fucking
FUNKY Anarchists. In a wierd way, it could be argued that Prestia really was the drummer in the band in the same way that Sting was the drummer in the Police under Stewart Copelands inventive and wildly varying beats.
I've always been a minimalist pocket trapset drummer myself, but I really admire the style that these incredible musicians
innovated. "What is Hip" was a perfect funk tune I think.
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Re: East Bay Greece
Tue, June 1, 2004 - 4:24 PMRight on, mang. I think the "perfect"funk tune has yet to be played, cuz as it is, I'm not seeing EVERY fine ass in every joint I go to up and shakin it like there's no tomorrow, but we're working on it. Didn't know you play traps too. Might have to get you up into Oaktown for a session one of these days, if you're up for it. There are booties that need some motivatin for the gyratin, you know what I'm sayin?
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Re: East Bay Greece
Tue, June 1, 2004 - 10:40 PMYeah, I was playing in East Side San Jose funk bands (none that were famous) when I was a kid back in the early 70's.
I've actually toured all over the world as a professional trapset drummer. When I got back from my summer looping tour in Europe I actually played a few gigs of hard minimalist funk
and R&B with a local band called the Jive Hounds.
I probably have more expertise on traps than any other instrument that I play although I'm as well known as a multi-percussionists as I am for that.
It would be fun to come up to Oaktown and lay it down.
You know, it's funny, but after talking about early Tower of Power I was thinking about my drumset students. For any of them that are getting into funk I always try to have a date with them whenever George Clinton comes to town (about once a year or so). There assignment? Watch what the drummer does in one of the funkiest bands on the planet. And the amazing thing is, is that the drummer in that band hardly play at all and frequently they will only play 1 and 3 on the kick and backbeat on the snare without ANY SYNCOPATION whatsoever.
It's the guitars, bass, keys and horns that general supply the syncopation in the huge funk band.
It's just like I heard a great swing drummer say about learning how to play swing, "You should be able to swing a large Big Band by only playing quarter notes".
Funk, as well as swing, are frequently states of mind. I find West Coast players have a tendency to want to play everything syncopated...........the Red Hot Chili Peppers syndrome (god bless you , flea!).
I actually think some of the funkiest stuff I've ever heard was understated (re: minimally syncopated) enough so that the
dancer has got to imply the 'funk'.
Those are some of my ridiculously opinionated views on funk.............lol.
I look forward to playing with you some day, Oogie.
ps who else plays funk out in public these days on this list?
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Re: East Bay Greece
Tue, June 8, 2004 - 2:57 PM>booties that need some motivatin for the gyratin, you know >what I'm sayin?
Oogie, that's not Ebonics, that's *Bubonics* ! -
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Re: Drummer: Pericles Jacobs
Tue, June 8, 2004 - 3:05 PMSpeaking of drummings and drummers, anybody know anything about the resume or present whereabouts/projects of a drummer named Pericles Jacobs?
I played with him here in DC for a few weeks in the early 80s, then he went to New York for a *real* gig of some kind...
He was on Fantasy records in the early 70s with an ensemble called "Waldo" [?] (not sure I've got my facts straight here)
He was the best drummer I've ever played with! Very minimalistic, smallest set of any drummer I've played with as well. Used to tune his (few) drums with a tuning fork in preparation for every rehearsal. It was such a learning experience, to work with him even for just a few weeks...
I've always suspected he had a deeper resume than I knew about, and wondered what he's done since his brief period of slumming with me & my pallid funkless cohorts way back then...
Anybody know?
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