OMG,
i just got Bill B's Earthworks "Footloose in NYC" DVD, and WOW, its pretty dang good. filmed at the Bottom Line here in NYC, its hisself with an
acoustic jazz rendition of his quartet, Earthworks.
admittedly, i never gave B a chance despite his killer chops and imaginative drum setups. i just couldnt really get into all that prog rocker / fantasy stuff he did with Yes and King Crimson. and yes, the Simmons pads turned me off. but this straight up bebop version of his band Earthworks is amazing! without all the crazy synths and whatnot, things just seem to breathe.
with every song, most of which i'm pretty sure Bill helped pen, the band feels less modern fusion'y than it does pre-avant angry Coltrane / early Fusion. and thankfully, the songs are great! nothin' that makes me wince at the cheesiness, or at anything that feels overly wrought with technical highbrow.
on the whole, Bill plays soooo musically, and in tune with what's going on. this definitely isnt a "look-at-me" gig, tho his solos are ever soo tasteful and slick. on the whole, nothing that seems too over-the-top like he's trying too hard. just lots of gorgeously subtle flashes with driving groove that makes it even harder to wipe the smile from my face.
and that kit! to me, it just makes sense. never mind the fact that i love using french grip, paiste cymbals, tama drums and hardware, or small 18" basses.
guess his setup harkens back to his timpani background. but that, coupled with his french grip and ergonomic kit, makes his movements small and compact from snare to tom to cymbal and back. thusly, he just seems and plays soooo relaxed. his style doesnt seem to be about fast runs or the like. rather more about choosing what he wants from the kit. again, just a great example of tasteful playing.
definitely pick it up for a great DVD to add to your collection.
