drummers take it up a notch

 I loved this NY Times piece about the long slow rise of percussionists in contemporary music. I've always thought Western classical music, as remarkable as it is harmonically and structurally, didn't give me much of what I was looking for in the rhythm department. It's why I was drawn more to jazz and the modern minimalists like Steve Reich. But of late, writes Allan Kozinn, percussion-forward music has become hot.

Having established their centrality to the sound of contemporary music, percussionists are beginning to make themselves heard in other ways; for example, by composing and conducting. Again the contrast with the 19th century and even the first part of the 20th century is enormous.

He mentions one of my favorite musicians in the world, Evelyn Glennie, the deaf Scottish percussion soloist and composer. I heard about her years ago on a 60 Minutes profile and was gobsmacked. Then I saw her a couple summers ago in Boone NC. It was as involving and exciting a classical concert as I've seen in years. And since I was just in touch with him and he's great, I'll give a shout-out to my friend Danny Holt, a contemporary percussionist/pianist  who's making waves out in LA. 

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