Denny Seiwell the BLACK PAGE JANUARY 2010
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JANUARY 2010 Denny Seiwell The Timeless Art of Responsibility THE BLACK PAGE THE BLACK PAGE JANUARY 2010 4 Denny Seiwell: by Sean Mitchell 13 Inspiration: by Jayson Brinkworth 16 Back To Basics: by Ryan Carver 17 Global Educators Database 20 The Final Word Solo drums, beautiful drums, warm drum tones and full-on exhilarating drums. In this double CD, master-mu- THE BLACK PAGE is distributed via PDF to sician David Jones has allowed the email inboxes worldwide. drums to shine in all their acoustic To get the latest edition click below: glory. Not since Gene Krupa in the 1940s or Sandy Nelson in the 1960s www.theblackpage.net have drums been this far out front. David Jones has long been famous for his utilisation of every conceivable Send us your feedback at: percussive instrument – yes, even [email protected] the kitchen sink – to make interesting Sean Mitchell Publisher soundscapes and rhythmic flourishes Jill Schettler Editor in Chief that leave an indelible mark on the Jayson Brinkworth Writer heart and soul of his listeners. Ryan Carver Writer Click below to visit www.davidjonesdrums.com.au EARTH FRIENDLY For international sales outside Australia please click HERE. No Paper,m No Ink, No Waste 2010 THE YEAR OF THE LEGENDS Feature Artists Chad Wackerman Michael Shrieve Scott Atkins Skip Hadden Pete Lockett Danny Seraphine May 22 - 23, 2010 Liberty DeVitto Bernard Purdie Savoy Theatre Jerry Mercer Glace Bay, Nova Scotia Asani, Ed Mann & Bruce Aitken Canada Paul Wertico Dylan Mombourquette Chris Sutherland Roxy Petrucci Special Guest Stars Sean Mitchell, Ben Ross, Moe Hashie, Carmine Appice Mark Marshall, Todd Mercer, and The Denny Seiwell Pete Lockett Cape Breton Percussion Bill Cobham Ensemble. Virgil Donati Alan White Legends Award 2010 Carmine Appice, Alan White, Jerry John Morrison Mercer, Roxy Petrucci, Virgil Donati Steve Wilton Dom Famularo Click below to visit www.capebretoninternationaldrumfestival.com by Sean Mitchell number of years ago, a young drummer, paying his musical dues A in the concrete wilds of New York City, attended an audition that would lead him into the history books. That drummer was Denny Seiwell, and the band was to be called Wings. Now more than 30 years after the fact, the phone continues to ring off the hook for the in-demand drummer. What keeps the Pennsylvania native busy is well be- yond his incredible skill and technique. Denny maintains a responsibility for the music he creates and the industry in which he flourishes. Not only does he respect his jazz roots and the catalogue of music he has contributed to in days gone by, Denny also keeps his feet well grounded in the present, as a technologi- cal savvy session and studio player. Denny truly is the stuff legends are made of--99% hard work and a dash of opportunity. In talking with Denny, it is clear now that it is what you do with the opportunity that really counts; for many a player has been content to rest on laurels of past fame and glory. Denny, however, has so much more to give to the music world. What a great relief to know that Denny still has students. In the age of Pro Tools, Seiwell holds only himself and his musi- cality responsible on any project, for his are the philosophies that will bridge the gap between the old school and the new. Advertise with The Black Page THIS AD SPACE AS LOW AS $50 per month Canadian funds. Based on 6 month contract. Contact Sean at: [email protected] for ad rates Denny, tell me about your dad. He must I’d be playing on the drums, and he’d say, have been a big influence in your life be- “Get off my drums, dangit!” ing that he got you into drumming. He wouldn’t let me play them but enrolled me in this boy’s band association, and that’s He was a great drummer. He even played how I started taking lessons when I was a little bit with Tommy Dorsey in the begin- seven. ning. They lived very close to us and they He passed away unfortunately in Septem- started in Lansford, Pennsylvania—we ber, 1973. In August I’d left Paul [McCartney] were from Lehighton, Pennsylvania. My dad and my dad passed away from a massive was playing with the local big bands; it was heart attack September 28th 1973—just sit- a very musical town in those days. He kind ting at the Friday night high school football of gave it up when I was born. When kids game with my mom. started coming along (I was the oldest), he got a regular job and knuckled down and If the Denny of today could give the Den- just worked weekends with the guys [in the ny of 20 years ago a piece of advice what band] once in awhile. He put music on the would it be? backburner and tried to provide for the fam- ily. Well, I guess I would have said learn a little When I was three years old I was hearing bit more about the business side of the busi- him play with the big bands up at the Flag- ness. That would have been a good piece of staff. He talked about how I’d be there in my advice to have. You always think that if you baby walker. So I grew up with big band mu- fall into a good situation that it’s going to be sic right off the bat. He played great brushes fair, everything will be taken care of, and you and just had a real good feel. take people for their word. Soon as you start When he’d leave the house to go run an bringing money and music together there’s errand or something, he’d come home and Shea Stadium. He said, “Would you be interested?” I said, “Yeah, man, go for it.” He calls me a couple days later and he says, “I went to the auc- tion and guess what? I got the damn kit!” I said, “Great, how much?” He said, “Well, I’m keeping the snare but you can have the bass drum and the two toms for three hun- dred bucks.” I used them on the Ram album. When Paul showed up in the studio he did a double take because I left the Beatles head on it. (laughs) Do you still have Ringo’s kit? No, I sold it back to the drum shop that procured it for me. something evil that comes up. I wish I would As a player who has not only played for have spent a little more time at understand- a number of big names, but someone ing and knowing how to work all that [busi- who has been a founding member of a ness] stuff—a few costly mistakes. band like Wings, how do you overcome nerves, whether it be onstage or off? At one time, you actually surprised Paul McCartney by showing up to a Wings I really don’t get nerves. What I get is a session with the Ludwig kit Ringo used sense of responsibility. You’re not there by at Shea Stadium. How the heck did you accident. You’re not playing with these peo- manage to come into possession of ple just because of some weird coincidence. that? You’re there because you’ve earned the re- spect of these people that call you to work Frank Ippolito’s Pro Drum in New York. with them. After that it just becomes a re- Frank had called me one day and he said, “I sponsibility that you’re going to do whatever heard that the Museum of Famous People is necessary. You’re going to draw upon the is going out of business in New York and musical reservoir that you have to just do they’re having an auction of the stuff they what has to be done. had on display.” There’s no time to get nervous; it’s time to One of the things they had on display sup- get your stuff together. That’s really the bot- posedly (I’m not even certain if this is true tom line. I have to use all my musical sensi- or not) was the kit that Ringo Starr used at bilities, I have to stay out of the way of the vocals, and I have to lay down a good solid player) told me that Zoot Sims and Al Cohn groove. I want to make the perfect drum part were going to have an audition for a drum- for the song and then play it with incredible mer because their regular guy at the Half virtuosity. Note was leaving to go on the road. I went down and played with them—sat in and got Did you always know that you would the gig. By having that gig, that’s where you end up at this level in the industry, or do kind of meet everybody in town. They come you feel you just sort of got lucky? Right down to see Al and Zoot on a Sunday night place at the right time sort of thing? and word goes out that there’s a new kid in town and kid plays his ass off. That’s how There is a bit of luck involved. I was play- it happened for me. So there is a degree of ing in a show band up in the Poconos when luck. I first got out of the service.