“Master class” gets thrown around lately more than a Frisbee on any campus quadrangle, or blame for the current economic crisis. The meaning of the term has been rendered common through overuse and overstatement. I went to a yoga master-class recently for which “master” meant “twice as long.” When talking about 6-hour interactive workshops with Peter Erskine and Alex Acuña, the words are merely descriptive and defy exaggeration. Yes, even at 3 hours.

The L.A. Jazz Pro Connection has aligned a stellar constellation of master classes in August at Upstairs at Vitello’s jazz room that just happen to burn brightly out with consecutive showings by Erskine and Acuña, September 22 and 29, from 10am to 4pm. Hollywood Drum supports these events as a unique opportunity for drummers in L.A. to directly access the vast knowledge and experience of two truly masterful and influential drummers.

With our Q&A with Peter and Q&A with Alex, we find out a bit more about the classes, but mostly about the masters.

The word “intensive” does not usually bring to mind a good time. I took intensive French for two consecutive summer semesters in college: bad time. ICU: worse time. Vaseline Intensive Care could go either way, I suppose, but that’s for another day (or not). The “intensive” at issue here has the word “drummer” before it. Things are looking up.

Drummer Intensive Days is a traveling series of 6-hour interactive drum workshops run by New York-based drummer Phil Maturano. Phil has presented the participatory clinics around the world with guest clinicians such as Clayton Cameron and Cliff Almond.

Drummer Intensive Day in L.A.
And now…it’s L.A.’s turn. The premier Drummer Intensive Day L.A. is scheduled for Saturday August 8th, 2009 with Phil and Luis Conte at Los Angeles Music Academy. Interested drummers can check with Drummer Intensive Days directly for the latest details, and HollywoodDrum.com will also post updated info as we get it.

HollywoodDrum.com supports this event for the forum it provides drummers to learn, commune, encourage, and inspire. Check out our Q&A with Phil for more on his creds and philosophy and see for yourselves. We think he just may have scantily disguised a slight dig to our beloved L.A. (his ex-residence), but we’ll turn a modest eye this time for a good cause. I personally just got back from one of our many glorious beaches and am feeling magnanimous.

But seriously—thanks, Phil, for putting the “good times” in “intensive.” …Or something like that.