Ho, ho, ho! and a roomful of drums. It was time again for the Pro Drum Shop annual Christmas party this past Tuesday, December 15. Hollywood Drum has expressed sincere affection for the Pro Shop before, and we’re not about to stop the music now. There shall be no “Where Is The Love,” or “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers.” Regrettably, I was unavailable to attend and raise a Styrofoam cup to owners Stan and Jerry myself this year, so the lovely Jason Sutter graciously served as our guest reporter on this one.

This year’s fete held added significance as 2009 marked the beloved shop’s 50th anniversary. According to Sutter, attendance suggested that this bit of sentiment was not lost on L.A. drummers, with cars “pouring out to the street,” and people “filtering” through the front door. Not surprisingly, it seems fun was had and good cheer spread by all.

So, I figuratively raise my not-so-proverbial Styrofoam cup to thank Stan and Jerry for all they do for our drum community, and wish everyone joyful reflection on 2009 and happiness ahead for 2010.

Thanks to Sutter for his colorful coverage.

HollywoodDrum.com came alive in May of this year along with my debut news post. A little over half-a-year later, as I begin this post announcing our review of Steve Gadd and Friends and companion video interview with Steve, I can’t help but feel a bit reflective.

From Humble Beginnings…
That first post began and ended with references to our premier video interview with Wizard Sleeve drummer Elvy Brock—who strangely resembled a bandanna-ed Craig Macintyre, our other premier video interviewee—which featured a brief triangle workshop, silent drum “meditation”, and grainy home-video production. Amusing, to me anyway, but hardly an imposing debut. Far beyond the patiently-paced Steve Gadd and Friends set last Wednesday night at Catalina Jazz Club, we were leaving ample space to expand.

A bit of self-indulgent retrospection sweetens the satisfaction at hand. Six months forth from a manic Elvy imploring, “Come and get the rock!” we arrive at a revealing and meaningful sit-down with one of the most influential drummers of all time. The meeting held personal significance of another sort as well. The cassette of Chick Corea’s “Three Quartets” lived in the dash of my first car—a rusted old VW Beetle, if you must know—for months. Al Jarreau’s “Breaking Away” was the first CD I ever bought, and also endured a relentless workout. My own accounting of Gadd’s influence is extensive and hardly unique among drummers. I noticed that I smile a lot in this interview.

…To Humble Endings
“It’s never perfect.” We will take Steve’s words as a working motto, and hell—a raving endorsement, of our efforts here. It’s HollywoodDrum.com’s first remote interview production, and I think with this offering we have fully realized the ideal of non-perfection. Special thanks goes to our Swiss Army knife, Carl “El Rey” King, for his total down-ness and madd skillz. One disclaimer begs mention: We procured super-swanky lavalier mics to capture pro audio for just such occasions; regrettably, our sound technician plugged into the wrong hole. Ouch. Please accept our apologies and bear with the background noise of a jazz club after hours. Spin it as charming—works for us.

And now…
We are now proud to present you with Dr. Steve Gadd.