READERS PLATFORMThe letters reprinted here are typical of the hundreds we have received over the past several months. We thank you, one and all. Please continue to write and tell us what you want to see in MODERN DRUMMER.
View From The TopThe club was filled; filled w i t h people of a l l ages, and lots of young wideeyed drummers, there for a glimpse of the l i v i n g legend called Buddy R i c h . MD met up with Buddy and his youthful band at a club in St. Louis. E n t e r - ing informally through the front door, he watched as t h e road crew set up; he signed some autographs and shook some hands. His performance, as usual was flawless. Colossal technique combined with total control and dynamic propelling drive.
Page 5The choice is yours. Never before in the history of the instrument have the choices been so wide and varied, and we mean choices: Wood, fiberglass, woodcovered fiberglass, plastic, chrome, and stainless steel, plus the widest array ever of super sturdy hardware and beautiful finishes. The drummer of today is in a position to choose and custom design his equipment for every conceivable musical need. With so much to choose from, one might easily find himself in a virtual maze of shells, heads and hardware. We hope to clarify things a bit, to aid you in your decisions, in this our first A D R U M SET S H O P P E R S G U I D E : PART O N E candid report on the equipment features of LUDWIG, SONOR and PEARL P A R T 2 next issue, MD looks at Gretsch, Slingerland, Fibes and Premier. In P A R T 3 we'll visit Rogers, Camco and Tama.
Page 6PEARL c/o Nortin 7373 Cicero Avenue Lincolnwood, Illinois 60646 Pearl, perhaps the newest of all the firms in our report, has enjoyed very rapid growth, acceptance, and recognition among some of the top players in the country. The line is a mixture between wood and fiberglass construction with equipment offered in three forms: 1) 9-ply wood, 2) 9-ply wood lined with fiberglass, 3) all fiberglass. The fiberglass line is excellent for volume and undistorted projection and they're super sensitive.
The one-thousand year old DUFFY JACKSON by GABE VILLANIWhen Duffy Jackson was 4, he start- ed playing on stage. When he was 6, he appeared on major network T. V. with the late Gene Krupa. By the age of 9, he had already played with hundreds of famous musicians that his father, bass player. Chubby Jackson had worked with. By the age of 20, he had appeared with Lena Home and Sammy Davis, Jr., and had credits for major T.V. shows such as "The Mike Douglas Show", "The Dinah Shore Show", and "Sammy and Company" Great musicians have commented on Duffy's fantastic playing; Stan Kenton said, "Duffy will be our next big band leader; Duke Ellington said, "Duffy plays great!"; Count Basie said, "Duffy is as heavy as they come".
Powerhouse DrummerBILLY COBHAM P H O T O G R A P H Y BY T O N Y T O D A R O , JR.
Page 9P R O - M A R K I N T R O D U C E S Q U I C K - C H A N G E M U L T I - M A L L E T P r o - M a r k Corporation is m a r k e t i n g M u l t i - M a l l e t , (the first quick change det a c h a b l e heater lor bass drum and gong. The c o m p l e t e set consists of a d u r a b l e , l i g h t w e i g h t a l u m i n u m h a n d l e w i t h seven d e t a c h a b l e beaters. Remo/Pro-Mark percussionist Bill C a r p e n t e r conceived t h e M u l t i - M a l l e t , t h e first q u i c k change d e t a c h a b l e beater for bass drum and gong. The complete set consists of a durable, l i g h t w e i g h t a l u m i n u m h a n d l e w i t h seven d e t a c h - able beaters. R e m o / P r o - M a r k percussionist
Page 10LUDWIG'S B I C E N T E N N I A L D R U M S SPORT F U L L COLOR E A G L E S To commemorate the country's 200th birthday, Ludwig Industries introduces its new B i c e n t e n n i a l Series of "Rope-Rod" marching percussion. Highlighting each Rope-Rod snare drum is a 4-color eagle proudly displaying the stars and stripes. The Bicentennial Series is a colorful, patriotic way to salute our nation's history this year, and an even better way to carry the spirit to the field in years to come. Of course, behind the special Rope- Rod drums for the bicentennial is the traditional Ludwig durability and quality, and the familiar sound that already marks Ludwig's Drummers' Revolution. Rope-Rod snare and bass drums are available in Maple Cortex, or other Pearl and Vistalite finishes. NEW A M P L I F I E D A F R I C A N LOG D R U M CAN BE T U N E D "More different types of sound than a n y t h i n g but an electric organ" is what t h e new e l e c t r o n i c OSI Drum can produce, according to Glen Peterson, president of Oscar S c h m i d t - l n t e r n a t i o n a l , makers and marketers of t h i s unique instrument. The OSI Drum, a patented i t e m , is a modern version of the so-called A f r i c a n log drum.
Page 11C H A R A N G A STYLE C O W B E L L B R A C K E T - For many years, there has been a different way of m o u n t i n g a cowbell on Timbales, but only a few have known about i t . I t is a Cuban s t y l e of p l a y i n g t h e cowbell and t r a d i t i o n a l l y used a sponge rubber ball for a f f i x i n g t h e handle of t h e cowbell to t h e rim of the Timbales, w i t h t h e open end of t h e bell resting on t h e head. This style of cowbell playing emits a rich, b e a u t i f u l sound as it is not only the cowbell you hear, but t h e cowbell in concert with the head. This new bracket from Latin Percussion, Inc. accomplishes t h e same result w i t h added benefits. To begin w i t h , the cowbell is f i r m l y fixed in place and does not "walk" over the head of the drum while being played. Second of a l l , t h e bell can be quickly swung out of place leaving the heads free for solo work and s t i l l keep the bell accessible w h i l e soloing. The latest additions to the "Olympic by Premier" m i l i t a r y range are two metal-shell snare drums. The 1050 is 14 x 10" (35 x 25cm) and the 1 0 5 2 is 14 x 12" (35 x 30cm). The shells (and all other metal parts)