John Jamison

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

The core inspiration for my life has always been music. I connect with music on a variety of levels, but it all comes down to emotion. How the music or the player makes me feel. How, when I hear something new that grabs my ear, I MUST have that music NOW! It's the music that drives my love of percussion. As an example, when I was a kid and first exposed to Buddy Rich, it was the band’s music that grabbed me first, and the way he played it. I didn't just want to be a great drummer, I wanted THAT music to play to!! Does that make sense?! As an educator, my biggest inspiration is seeing the lightbulb go off over someone's head. That realization, that moment where everything clicks in and comes together and becomes real for them. Because at that moment, they own that achievement, however big or small. That pride is a tangible feeling. And when that moment comes, no matter how much outside direction or instruction they've had, they've now learned to teach themself through negative feedback, correction, and positive reinforcement.

WORDS OF WISDOM FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF DRUMMERS

Build your foundation well, and technique is the bedrock of your foundation. You can intellectually learn the coolest things in the world, but if you don't have the hands and feet to pull it off, it won't matter. Learn to read music! Read, read, read, read, read! And then read some more. The more you understand rhythms, the more you can do with them. The easier it will be to hear something, instantly analyze it, and be able to play it yourself. Listen to as many types and styles of music as you can. Really listen. (There's a difference between drinking water and taking a sip. "Drink" the music in!) Listen to who came before you. Understand their circumstances and who their influences are. You have to be a forever student to really live. Not just with music or drumming, but with life. You have to stay curious if you want to live creatively! Now, more than ever, you have access to more music and information than at any time in the history of the world. Use that to your advantage. Turn to a radio (yes, radio) station you don't know and leave the dial there for an hour or two. One of my favorite stations, discovered by accident, is a Portuguese language station from another city. I don't speak a word of Portuguese, but they play the greatest music, and the language is so pleasant to listen to that the whole experience is always fun! Always try to go outside your comfort zone. It can be a scary place, and just by definition, the first thing you'll be is uncomfortable, but it also means you're starting to grow and discover. As you become more familiar with those new concepts/ideas/techniques, they become natural and all of a sudden you have a hugely expanded comfort zone! Lather, rinse, repeat! Learn something new. Meet a face. Make a new memory. Listen to different music. Don't shy away from music because there are too many black dots on the page. Don't avoid what you don't understand - ask questions so you can make your world a bigger and better place.

FAVORITE ZILDJIAN CYMBAL/COMBO

My 40 year old 22" Swish. It still sings, whether as a differently colored ride, a huge resonant sound when struck with a mallet that can sound like thunder or even a Chinese gong, and the explosive pang that can cut through any size ensemble when it's time to let loose!