Female Drummers

Robert Bluman
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Re: Female Drummers

Postby Robert Bluman » Tue Aug 23, 2011 2:10 pm

I have a serious problem with this. Call me crazy, but I don't feel the arts have anything to do with whether you're carrying a penis, or a vagina. Sports do, because hormones like testosterone build muscle easier, and still I know plenty of women who are more muscular and stronger than men. But I do get it in sports. An actor is an actor, why the female or male categories. The question is, how good are they? Not if they're male or female. Same with music. Sure a female singer has a different range, but that's about it.
I feel that female drummers have an edge, hell female musicians period. Most never play as well as men, yet they get more attention and more work. Some are pretty great, but there hasn't been an adequate female session drummer, ever. None of the greats were ever female. Yet, a decent female drummer will gain more attention than an amazing male drummer. I know at least three hundred drummers no one has ever heard of that play better than every single female drummer in this post. Obviously that's my opinion, but I'm pretty sure you guys/girls agree. If any of these women were men, we would not know them. Cindy Blackman got her fame playing like Tony Williams. There are a thousand drummers world wide who do a better Tony WIlliams impression. HIllary Jones? Really? If she were a male, the highlight of her career would be playing weddings.
This thread itself is an example. Why should there be a female drummer thread? Musicality and ability have nothing to do with sex or race. Maybe someone here can explain this.
For the guy who said Steve Smith has no voice, I don't understand that. Don't Stop Believing was pretty much at the beginning of his career and one of the most original rock grooves at the time. To each their own I suppose, but I think Steve Smith is a top drummer. I was just browsing when I saw this post, and I was very curious. Does anyone else feel this way?
amoergosum
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Re: Female Drummers

Postby amoergosum » Tue Aug 23, 2011 2:39 pm

Robert Bluman wrote:I have a serious problem with this. Call me crazy, but I don't feel the arts have anything to do with whether you're carrying a penis, or a vagina. Sports do, because hormones like testosterone build muscle easier, and still I know plenty of women who are more muscular and stronger than men. But I do get it in sports. An actor is an actor, why the female or male categories. The question is, how good are they? Not if they're male or female. Same with music. Sure a female singer has a different range, but that's about it.
I feel that female drummers have an edge, hell female musicians period. Most never play as well as men, yet they get more attention and more work. Some are pretty great, but there hasn't been an adequate female session drummer, ever. None of the greats were ever female. Yet, a decent female drummer will gain more attention than an amazing male drummer. I know at least three hundred drummers no one has ever heard of that play better than every single female drummer in this post. Obviously that's my opinion, but I'm pretty sure you guys/girls agree. If any of these women were men, we would not know them. Cindy Blackman got her fame playing like Tony Williams. There are a thousand drummers world wide who do a better Tony WIlliams impression. HIllary Jones? Really? If she were a male, the highlight of her career would be playing weddings.
This thread itself is an example. Why should there be a female drummer thread? Musicality and ability have nothing to do with sex or race. Maybe someone here can explain this.
For the guy who said Steve Smith has no voice, I don't understand that. Don't Stop Believing was pretty much at the beginning of his career and one of the most original rock grooves at the time. To each their own I suppose, but I think Steve Smith is a top drummer. I was just browsing when I saw this post, and I was very curious. Does anyone else feel this way?



Since there are not that many professional female drummers out there I started this thread...that's the whole story.
If you want to start a discussion about men versus women, please do so and start another thread.
So let's continue to share here...

P.S.: Cindy Blackman became well known when she played with Lenny Kravitz.
Robert Bluman
Posts: 101
Joined: Thu Nov 25, 2010 1:46 pm

Re: Female Drummers

Postby Robert Bluman » Tue Aug 23, 2011 2:49 pm

I didn't mean to come off harsh its just that this has been an irritation to me in all art forms. I just don't get it. The girls here in this thread can play, but if they were men, do you think they would be known drummers? Just FYI though, Cindy was very well known in the drum world long before Lenny Kravitz even had a record deal. She was playing exactly like Tony WIlliams with many many jazz artists. Look her up.
It's not about men vs women, in fact it's anti division at all. I believe a person's sex should be a factor at all. There aren't too many professional drummers that are from Hawaii either, but there isn't a thread about it. Know what I'm getting at? This female drummer/musician thing as been going on for years. There are even websites for them and a separate section on drummerworld.com. Why?
It doesn't matter, I just don't feel a persons sex is a factor at all, yet they get more attention because of it.
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Rafael Dolinski
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Location: Brazil - São Paulo
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Re: Female Drummers

Postby Rafael Dolinski » Tue Aug 23, 2011 8:28 pm

Robert Bluman wrote:I feel that female drummers have an edge, hell female musicians period


:|

Robert Bluman
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Re: Female Drummers

Postby Robert Bluman » Tue Aug 23, 2011 8:39 pm

Perfect example! Girl can play, but she's not burning like Larry Goldings, Joey Defrancesco , Marco Benevento or a dozen other B3 players that don't quite receive TV coverage.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying these women are not very good musicians. They are. But are they on the level of the men that get the same exposure? Clearly not. Great example Rafael.
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S.P
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Re: Female Drummers

Postby S.P » Thu Aug 25, 2011 5:23 am

TLC is by far my favourite, she burns the house down on 'Trane by John Patitucci!
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gretsch-o-rama
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Location: Hornell, NY

Re: Female Drummers

Postby gretsch-o-rama » Sat Aug 27, 2011 5:26 am

Robert Bluman wrote:Perfect example! Girl can play, but she's not burning like Larry Goldings, Joey Defrancesco , Marco Benevento or a dozen other B3 players that don't quite receive TV coverage.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying these women are not very good musicians. They are. But are they on the level of the men that get the same exposure? Clearly not. Great example Rafael.



I don't get it. How is that example not burning? She's outplaying the drummer and he's a dude. I might add and all the names you mentioned I'm familiar with...hers I'd never heard before and I watched it for 5 seconds and knew she was amazing. :| Also, you're never gonna have a female VC if aggressiveness is what you're looking for but if that is then look somewhere else than music...maybe a gym. Look at Tal Wilkenfeld...she's around 23 24 and played with all the heavies and her playing is the real deal!
"Ding ding da ding." Apollo teaching Rocky how to Jazz.
Manu
Posts: 299
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2011 3:50 am

Re: Female Drummers

Postby Manu » Sun Aug 28, 2011 10:12 am

drum6282 wrote:Agreed, reminds me of Steve Smith who is great at playing everyone elses styles, except his own.



You guys are BRUTAL - DAMN![/quote]

Yeah, I agree, I think Hilary rocks, despite whatever views she might have. And Steve Smith, well anyone who blasts Steve's playing needs to examine themselves. :|
Manu
Posts: 299
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Re: Female Drummers

Postby Manu » Sun Aug 28, 2011 10:17 am

bensdrums wrote:
janne jansson wrote:You are a hard bunch to please..
She has toured and have played with some really great musicians, been in modern drummer and have nothing to be ashamed of in her drumming.
littlegrooves wrote:She is a rabid radical conservative

Well almost 50% of US population is :)
I guess that means there have to be a lot of great musicians that are Conservative and have a right wing political view but still play great stuff...
I don't share their political view but could still enjoy the music..

What did Gadd, Weckl, Erskine or Vinnie Vote?
Who cares?


All fair points, which is why you'll notice the absence of absurd commentary in my post such as, "republicans are not good drummers" or "politics makes a difference in one's musical aptitude/ability", etc.

Somebody asked what her political views were, and I shared based on my experience with her on FB.

When it comes to her drumming, it sounds good to me. It's not ground-breaking, sure, but it's pretty good and she's found considerable success. I wouldn't have followed her on FB in the first place if her drumming/music didn't interest me. Unfortunately, what she decides to put on facebook has (or had, in my brief experience) very little to do with her drumming and quite a bit to do with political ranting and extremism. After that, I wasn't interested in maintaining the connection. That's all I meant... I did not intend to slam her drumming.



That's why people should get a separate fb for private and professional matters. Some folks dont get that.
Henry II
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Re: Female Drummers

Postby Henry II » Sun Aug 28, 2011 10:50 am

amoergosum wrote:Let's have a thread about the best female drummers >>>


Cindy Blackman:





I went to a Cindy Blackman clinic a few years ago. She's very versatile and a master of the styles of the great bebop drummers of the 50's and 60's.
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