|
 Cindy Blackman is one of the rare drummers who can seamlessly jump from jazz to rock. Her ability to do this is understandable when you consider that her mentors include Art Blakey and Tony Williams, both drummers who could play with intensity at both ends of the dynamic spectrum.
Formerly with the rocker Lenny Kravitz, Cindy's main focus in the band was keeping a solid backbeat. She mentioned, "Its got to feel good and groove as hard as possible all the time." In such situations she uses LP instruments for variations in color and timbre.
With her jazz group, however, Cindy's time is not restricted to " two and four", and those textures become integral to the groove. On her most recent recording "Music For The New Millennium" she covers a variety of these textures and feels. Even at the quickest tempos, she articulates every note. You see this also on her video Multiplicity. She accentuates each stroke, a trait she shares with Tony Williams - along with those Swiss Triplets! (drum rudiment) And defying a frequent criticism of jazz players, Cindy hasn't forgotten the bass drum.
Cindy has also accompanied artists as diverse as Jackie McLean, Sam Rivers, Joss Stone, Don Pullen, George Benson, Angela Bofil, Bill Laswell, Buckethead, Pattie Labelle, Larry Coryell, and Wallace Roney. Although in a sense she is a veteran percussionist, Cindy is primarily a drumset player. A self-professed "practice-aholic," she says: "I love making rhythms, melodies, and the soft sounds. But I also love speed and intensity."
Cindy's choice of LP percussion instruments reflects her search for sounds that have clarity at all dynamic levels.
To learn more about Cindy Blackman visit her website at: www.cindyblackman.com
Equipment List: LP Blocks, LPBells, LP Congas
|
