This is the Preface to a series of stories I plan on writing in the weeks and months ahead. I want to write my recollections of as many of the folks I have worked with over the years as I can remember. Beginning with Frankie Laine and finishing with Liza Minnelli. There's a lot of names in between those two and it will be a kick to part the curtains of my memory and revisit people and places. I will be telling the truth as I saw it, no punches will be pulled. (Sorry Liza). I will only write about things I actually witnessed or was a part of...no third or fourth party gossip.
So...
I play drums. I've never liked it when people say they play THE drums. I play DRUMS. I started banging on things as a baby and in Kindergarten I played in the Rhythm Band (maracas-I have a picture) and the teacher told my Mother she had never had a student with so much rhythm.
My parents brought back a small Ludwig set from Lyon and Healy in Chicago when I was in the third grade. Small Bass drum, 3 x 13 snare, (which I wish I still had today) small spun brass cymbal and Bass drum pedal. No Hi Hat, no toms, no seat. Also no instructions and for weeks I tried to figure out how to set these things up correctly. Somehow, I had managed to attach the Bass Drum pedal in such a way that I had to take my foot OFF the pedal in order for it to strike the drum. I can't imagine how I managed that trick but after a while I was able to get the pedal on correctly and the drums tuned up so they sounded nice to my ear.
Our record collection was entirely made up of Broadway Show Cast albums, Big Band records, Symphonic and Opera recordings, and possibly every record ever made by Al Jolson.
Back in the Dark Ages of the late 50's, there was Music on Television. One could actually see musicians, even Jazz musicians quite frequently on TV. Ed Sullivan, Steve Allen, Jack Paar, Jackie Gleason and others all featured real players. The Dorsey Brothers even had a Summer replacement Show with Their band, singers and guests like Elvis Presley.
I learned how to play drums by watching those musicians on TV and also by playing along with the records in our house. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
