MD Fest Rebound...

[JFunky]

...okay, seriously "typing" (LOL)

...do you guys think that the Gospel Drumming Community was misrepresented in the MD Fest?  If so, would you agree or disagree about a possible rebound performance? 

..."if" given the opportunity....who would LGM Vote in to represent?

...my vote goes to Jeremy Haynes and F.L.O.W. and Calvin Rodgers with Aaron Lindsey and Rafiki on bass. (Trio)

      Your thoughts?

[JFunky]

...it could even be at "Drummers For Jesus."

[lockslie1]

...okay, seriously "typing" (LOL)

...do you guys think that the Gospel Drumming Community was misrepresented in the MD Fest?  If so, would you agree or disagree about a possible rebound performance? 

..."if" given the opportunity....who would LGM Vote in to represent?

...my vote goes to Jeremy Haynes and F.L.O.W. and Calvin Rodgers with Aaron Lindsey and Rafiki on bass. (Trio)

      Your thoughts?

I'd like to see that and I would let Marvin McQuitty get another set up with some gospel stuff to smash. I also love the feel and flavor that Spanky brings to some of the gospel music he's played.

[JrDADrumma]

Yeah I agree 100% with a rebound performance. However, it seems people forget that this was a Gospel AND R&B Summit. If it was just gospel, then definitely they should have had guys like Jeremy Haynes, Calvin Rodgers, etc. However, throwing R&B in the title gave Modern Drummer a chance to put their boys up there. They've all PLAYED gospel, so I guess that was enough. But I don't think it represented Gospel drumming very well. More so R&B. Playing with R&b tracks and that kinda stuff. It kind of made it seem as if all church drummers are about themselves and all about chops. Bring in a live band and show how Gospel drummers are TRUE MUSICIANS that can compliment other instruments and communicate musically with others. The way they set things up kinda reinforced the "me first", "all eyes on me" stereotypes that come with today's modern gospel/R&B drummers. Don't know if that makes sense, but that's what I think. And for the record, you can't have a gospel drumming display without CALVIN RODGERS and/or JEREMY HAYNES. I mean, even Terry Baker, Calvin Napper, somebody. They should have kept Aaron for the R&B stuff, and maybe Marvin for the gospel, but I would've gone without Teddy and Gerald and brought in Calvin and Jeremy, or even Spanky, and like J said, let them get down with a trio. Just my two pennies.   

[diligent-hands]

I'd like to see that and I would let Marvin McQuitty get another set up with some gospel stuff to smash. I also love the feel and flavor that Spanky brings to some of the gospel music he's played.

i only heard SPANKY play for TYE and when he played on the HERO tour with MARY MARY...now i would like to see him play for like ISREAL..ooooo ok he played 1 track on the FRED HAMMOND album..lol but he didnt do NOTHING the whole song..Fred had him on LOCK.. lol.. i remember AARON SPEARS saying if he ever gets the chance to be Fred's Drummer he would quit any gig to rock with Fred...NOW IMAGINE THAT.....


GodsDruMmEr..

[young talent]

Yeah I agree 100% with a rebound performance. However, it seems people forget that this was a Gospel AND R&B Summit. If it was just gospel, then definitely they should have had guys like Jeremy Haynes, Calvin Rodgers, etc. However, throwing R&B in the title gave Modern Drummer a chance to put their boys up there. They've all PLAYED gospel, so I guess that was enough. But I don't think it represented Gospel drumming very well. More so R&B. Playing with R&b tracks and that kinda stuff. It kind of made it seem as if all church drummers are about themselves and all about chops. Bring in a live band and show how Gospel drummers are TRUE MUSICIANS that can compliment other instruments and communicate musically with others. The way they set things up kinda reinforced the "me first", "all eyes on me" stereotypes that come with today's modern gospel/R&B drummers. Don't know if that makes sense, but that's what I think. And for the record, you can't have a gospel drumming display without CALVIN RODGERS and/or JEREMY HAYNES. I mean, even Terry Baker, Calvin Napper, somebody. They should have kept Aaron for the R&B stuff, and maybe Marvin for the gospel, but I would've gone without Teddy and Gerald and brought in Calvin and Jeremy, or even Spanky, and like J said, let them get down with a trio. Just my two pennies.   

Yea man I agree with you 100%, the gospel industry should've been put out there alot stronger then what it was represented. So I think they should have a rebound and get some more gospel drummers like Calvin Rodgers, and Calvin Napper and so on.

[Metronome]

I dont know.............it probably would be a lot of the same stuff even if they did get Calvin or Spank or any of them.  They would still play to clicks and show how to lock in because, this is 2008.  Its hard to find a blazin album out there wit no MPC or something like it playing.  You also gotta look at it from the reality stand point.  First of all it was their first gospel/r&b summit.  They went with names that everyone would know.  they had to cater to the masses.  Why would you bring only gospel drummers to a crowd full of people who probably don't listen to or play gospel.  I'm quite sure that more people would recognize teddy off of American Idol thatn Calvin off of Ricky dillard.   No ofense to calvin rodgers or anyone, but in the terms of drumming their choice to stick to gospel means less exposure when it comes to stuff like this, since gospel still doesn't get a lot of respect in terms of music.  Not that I agree or disagree, its just the way it is.

[dude-on-drums]

Metronome you make a good point, but the whole idea of introducing a gospel summit is just that.  An introduction to everyone who may be sleep on the gospel scene.  And I think it would be best that they play to tracks because that is the modern way of gospel now.  With that said, I would definately have to say...

Calvin Rodgers

Calvin Napper

Jeremy Haynes

Doobie Powell

Joey Oscar



And if I had to choose somone for the up and coming category...

Varo

Brent Easton

Billy Powell

[baldeagle]

Metronome you make a good point, but the whole idea of introducing a gospel summit is just that.  An introduction to everyone who may be sleep on the gospel scene.  And I think it would be best that they play to tracks because that is the modern way of gospel now. 

Question: Billy Powell is only "up-&-coming?"

Statement: I agree this should be a medium of exposure. . . a means of introducing TRUE Gospel drummers to those who may not know them. I have to admit, I don't know 1/2 the other drummers on last year's MD DVD. But they still had them on there. And very few of them gave me anything that I will implement into my own playing. Steve Smith, Thomas Lang, those guys I know. But some of the others to me were just as hum-drum as the Gospel summit.

Bring some real Gospel drummers on, if they choose to play with a track - fine. If not, fine (I don't play to a track for every song). But I do play with other musicians, so that definitely does need to be an added feature. Gospel music is played with a live band. They need to make that happen.

Oh, yeah. I agree with Calvin (both), Terry, Jeremy, and Doobie. And I'd like to add Ladell Abrams to the list of highly qualified potentials.

[dude-on-drums]

Question: Billy Powell is only "up-&-coming?"

In terms of his name as it relates to work he's completed.  Yes.  He's good enough to be in the top list, (and in my opinion he could be more effective than a few of those names) but he doesnt have the resume they have.

[JrDADrumma]

I guess I agree about the track from an MPC/click stand point, but to me playing to a track of an actual song doesn't represent gospel drumming properly. Like baldeagle pointed out, gospel music is about the live band, and a lot of the excitement and intrigue in gospel music is the interaction between musicians and the spontaneity of those unplanned progressions that take place between different instruments. That's gospel drumming to me, not playing to a song track and basically playing all over it. But that's my opinion. GB

[Boopey]

O.k. now that the R&b and Gospel has been SOMEWHAT introduced to the Modern Drummer audience, how do you guys suppose they continue to show acceptance for this/these genres. I hope they have at least  someone(s) on the lineup each year to further the exposure of said genres. Part of me (a great part), does not think it will happen. When I look out into that MD audience and see an audience made up of mostly.......ummmm how shall I say Non-R&B/Especially GOSPEL interested/influenced persons, I wonder if the Higher-ups at MD will be eager to keep bringing these other Great musicians that you guys have named and then some, back again and again...........I keep mind-bogglin wonderin WHY i do not see alot of these guys in MD or Drum magazine with good write-ups no skimpin.

[bigblackdrummer]

I thought it was a joke! Again the industry exploiting Black People again to make its money!!!! It was suppose to be all about the gospel! In some cases it was made to look like a gospel drummer forum!!! But the truth is that the real gospel drummers don't generate as much revenue as guys with a gospel background who are big in the secular world, that's why guys like Calvin, Jeremy, Doobie/Billy (who is not a new comer) would never see the lights of the MD fest.

The drummers most likely had to conform to whatever they were asked to play by the industry...BUT if they did what they did on their own then its for shame!!!! Every drummer there has a bunch of gospel tunes they could have played over!!! Oh and don't forget we would want to offend the people who are Christians who came to see the gospel music event!!!!!

[JFunky]

...look guys, as soon as you put the word "Gospel" along with something else....that word stands out more than anything.  Notice how no one is calling those cats R&B drummers.  Zoro and Sonny Emory are known as R&B drummers to the masses.  Even Russ Miller at times.

...GospelChops.com was (is) at a very high level of popularity and I guess M.D. banked on it and brought the players that were invited.  (My Opinion.)

...an old forum member told me that they were treated like the "Harlem Globe-trotters" of drumming.  LOL  He said they should've gave them a bucket of Popeyes Chicken on the way off the stage.LOL

...point is that everyone wanted to see what was up with this New Gospel Drumming Fad or whatever.   All I've been hearing and reading is nothing but complaints.  Sooooo, I still say that Jeremy Haynes, Calvin Rodgers and bring back Marvin McQuitty to show the world what it's all about.  Shoot, they can even have "Varo" in there with the Choir and all. LOL

[E.R.]

I still have not seen the ENTIRE DVD, BUT from the clips that I have seen,

I definitely believe that it was a poor showing of Gospel Drummers and Gospel Music as a whole.

Will they ever correct it, or give an Honest showing of what true Gospel Music is about? Probably not.

[Boopey]

Didn't Nathaniel Townsley show them anything, the music he and his bandmates Graced MD fest with, it twas so sweet and tasteful,and I believe one of the tunes was a Gospel song.