New never-before seen Vinnie footage

[Steve Holmes]

Darren, I hear you. That's why I prefaced the video with the fact that it's drum porn. Vinnie's stepping all over the solo, but I would say that the solo itself is having an affect on the tension/release of what Vinnie is doing. I would also bet money that Taviglione is 100% OK with it.
No one else can get away with this kind of thing. If Borlai or Bruner were playing so much stuff over a solo it would sound like crap. But Vinnie's always been an exception because the stuff he's playing is literally ahead of his time. And a lot of musicians recognize that - it's WHY they call him. I asked Mark Isham about that very thing. He said he called Vinnie to get the Vinnie thing. No one else provides that. Also keep in mind the context. It's a small jazz club gig.

I'm not saying it's 100% OK, but there is a WHY, and that's what I'm examining.

[Pocketplayer]

The VENUE is key here...in my experience, these smaller venues bring out a more raw
approach that is and can be the proverbial "throwing in everything but the kitchen sink...
and in many cases, the sink itself as well."

I used to bag on Virgil at the Spud...at the end of every song he would go racer x and
hit anything on a stand at M3 speeds (BMW reference...sorry).

If VC did this as a pattern, he would not get hired as much. I think this is understood.
No soloist wants his music or his ego stomped on by a drummer regularly.

So I think the real question here is, "Is it ever allowed to wank for wank sake on a gig?"
Is it that the pure musician would never allow themselves to forsake the given musical context?
Is it a matter of conscience? Should V's conscience not allow him to go places in a smaller
venue that might/probably trumped the given solo musically? If this was recorded for a
CD, would he have played differently?

Bottom line...take all the above and stretch it far and wide...because this is Vinnie, the
general discussion does not apply to most/all. If I conclude with the common, "That's just
the way it is" there would be some closure, but there is much to discuss about this other
category of acceptance...because so few are allowed this access, we collectively do not
have much vocabulary for the discussion.

There are a handful of great painters that can break rules that are taught as gospel in
schools. They also enter this other category...pick a profession...there are the handful
in everyone of them.

Just my observation.

[Manu]

Darren, I hear you. That's why I prefaced the video with the fact that it's drum porn. Vinnie's stepping all over the solo, but I would say that the solo itself is having an affect on the tension/release of what Vinnie is doing. I would also bet money that Taviglione is 100% OK with it.
No one else can get away with this kind of thing. If Borlai or Bruner were playing so much stuff over a solo it would sound like crap. But Vinnie's always been an exception because the stuff he's playing is literally ahead of his time. And a lot of musicians recognize that - it's WHY they call him. I asked Mark Isham about that very thing. He said he called Vinnie to get the Vinnie thing. No one else provides that. Also keep in mind the context. It's a small jazz club gig.

I'm not saying it's 100% OK, but there is a WHY, and that's what I'm examining.

I agree with all except saying that Borlai or Bruner would sound like crap, certainly that's not the case. However if you listen to this clip a dozen times you begin to realize that Vinnie is not blowing over the music without any regards to it, he is actually interacting with the other instruments in his particular, far out Vinnie way. Borlai and Bruner can't do the spontaneous Vinnie thing, they would sound like blowing over the solo, Vinnie is painting strokes of neurotic genius over the solo and as you say Steve, Taviglione is probably loving it 100%.

Some people just can't get it, oh well, there's plenty of more orthodox players to watch, don't stress over it.

[Yussuf]

Actually I think there was a nice musical conversation with Vinnie and Tavaglione in this clip. I liked it. A lot.
I agree with Darren that sometimes his playing gets so aggressive and "drummy" that the actual music kind of dies.

Still he is one of the few geniuses on the drums with a sound and approach of HIS own. That is what I respect.

[Rodge]

Thanks Steve, that clip, that's someting !!!
I don't even know what to add when you see something like this, anyway, thanks Steve.

[Isaac Lee]

Wow...its a heavy clip that is causing some heavy forum chatter. I do enjoy it though because I learn from hearing conflicting thoughts on a subject. I can find the middle ground and keep pushing forward without limiting myself or becoming too negative.

Steve, do you have something in mind for the next Vinnie clip? We wants more...

[Matthijs Ament]

Thanks so much Steve!

Reading about the 'overplaying' debate I figured that sound wise the clip is a bit off balance. If you would have a mix with the drums blending better with the other instruments, it might not sound so offensive. This is often the case with great gigs taped with a 'handy cam'. I love the way Vinnie plays here and I love the debate on HOD. It is not easy to hear right away how Vinnie connects with the soloist and the other musicians, but he certainly does. It just takes a while to 'hear' guys like Elvin or Colaiuta. The magic with Vinnie is that he can do it all. He can be smooth as silk and tough and complex as in this clip. I don't think he would like to be subject to scientists studying his brain, and it does not do him justice. He's human like everyone else, but his passion, work ethos, and willingness to take risks are beyond what most people are willing and able to do. That's what he said in the MD interview 'we are all human'.

[Derek DeFields]

For what it's worth, I don't think someone who views this clip as overplaying necessarily can't, "hear" what's going on. Also, while it has been 10+ years (wow) that club pretty much sounded like this vid, especially if you were stage right as you were behind the house speakers.

[arhyth]

that was epic. just out of curiosity... how much would i have to dish out to get a seat in that kind of venue(with vinnie playing)?

[Kurtis]

how much would i have to dish out to get a seat in that kind of venue(with vinnie playing)?

20 bucks and two drink minimum. about 5 bucks a drink. even if it's water. That baked potato was only there for like 5 minutes and it was gone. great location. to bad it was short lived.