How did you get into playing the drums and become interested in jazz?I started with classical piano when I was eight, but I didn’t enjoy it. I’d try to learn everything by ear instead of by reading it. So I ended up quitting, and when I was twelve my parents let me choose my own instrument. So I chose the drums. As a little kid I was always banging on things. I have a picture of myself when I was three or four playing a little conga drum, which I still have. When I was 13, I was figuring out how to play with the sticks. I was listening to rock`n’roll and Top 40 stuff on the radio, which was a cool revelation. Just before high school I began attending a youth music program, where I began learning jazz standards and playing with other kids my age.
You’ve developed a melodic approach to an incredibly high level on your two solo drum records. Does this approach come out in a live situation?Sure. Some of the stuff is worked out ahead of time, but mostly it’s improvised. Sometimes I’ll go out on a limb and not know where the pitches are and I’ll just fall totally on my arse, which is fine. That does happen once in a while, because I play a lot of rental drum-sets when I’m out on tour. So often I’ll just tap the drums to know where they’re at pitch-wise before I go into a solo. It’s almost like being a timpani player in an orchestra.
Who are you listening to right now?Billy Childs, Joao Bosco, traditional music from Reunion Island
What has been your career highlight thus far?Probably playing with Herbie Hancock at Carnegie Hall, although it was years ago.
What are you most looking forward to about coming to Melbourne?Being able to hang in one place for a while and have some laughs. I’m also looking forward to all the great Asian food there.
