Many of this blog's readers have been playing more than 50 years. I'm in 48 years since I first learned the riff on "Smoke on the water" on an open E string. 

Why do we still keep at it? What do we still love about the "game"?

1. The Endorphn rush 
2. Community, band of brothers
3. Identity
4. Money

1. The endorphin rush of creating something of beauty alone or with others has been well documented. 

Music 'releases mood-enhancing chemical in the brain'By Sonya McGilchrist Health reporter, BBC News

2. Community. At this age jamming with my contemporaries is a warm friendly event of music, story telling, and camaraderie.

3. Identity: we are musicians, we've the scars and stories to prove it. We had careers, we made it, we celebrate it.  In the modern world it is a small club. 

4. Money: Music still feeds me. So off to work I go. Today I start with a drum coaching session with Terry Clarke, then teaching in the afternoon. 

Cheers, 

David Story

Full time teaching is over in 10 days. As the song says, "See you in September". Priority one this summer is getting ready for the big band workshop as a drummer. Priority two classical piano practice, time to re-engage the keyboard. I miss it dearly. 

Musical goals for the fall?
​

1. New compressed schedule, good bye 12 hours days, 10 hour days, hello 8 hour days. No excuses, no falling back. Staying healthy and sane is priority one.
2. Finding a piano coach. After 10 years of intense work on the drums, I'm going to split my attentions. I'm going to attempt to juggle two mistresses. Wish me luck. My motivation? I miss Bach, Beethoven, Chopin and the gang. Time is passing, I've got maybe 10 years left of good piano playing before noticeable compromises will show up. 
   

best, 

David Story

Sometime what you are looking for is right under your nose. Since moving to Toronto a few years ago I've been building bridges and rebuilding my musical/social circles. I'm trying to balance the urge to revisit past glories with the adventures of new vistas. Going back at this age in search our glorious youth will quickly put us in the old fart club. I truly believe this from experience doing just such activities. Fun but socially isolating. 

On the other hand new adventures are called adventures for a reason. They are the key to happiness and give the us the endorphins blast and adrenalin surges we still crave. A great thing at this age I say. 

​Let's get out there.  

My tribes:

1. new music/improv crowd: diverse, creative dynamic and self sustaining
2. jazz jammers: my foot in the past
3. trad jazz crowd: fun, diverse, ok really fun. 

​best regards, 

David

Never ignore aches and pains. I've got a sore shoulder area on the right side from presumably drumming. I will rest it this week before it gets serious. No drum kit until Friday's lessons, just pads played lightly. Trust Facebook for good advice from fellow drummers. 

Moldy bread verses happy puppy about sums it up. Or Grumpy cat verses a first date. Twice in the last couple of weeks I experienced listening to a couple of mature musicians performing sets at modest gigs. One at a mother's day brunch, the other online. Both men were dressed in tuxedos with bow ties circa 1977. The repertoire was so 1977. They played lovely. But, it was a meloncholy experience for me. I love the old stuff too, but... They might have spiced it up a bit. Even my 83 year old mother said as much. 

Cheers, 

​David

My drum practice now averages 10 hours a week. I’m organized, I’ve a long-term plan, a 6-month plan, and monthly, weekly, daily practice plans.  The practice space is in order, I’ve an accountability partner, a master teacher, workshops planned for the summer. I have deep listening sessions nearly everyday. I practice rudiments with my feet, I play along with great recordings. I’ve studied the history of jazz drumming. I’ve amassed over 90 tracks which have no drums. My jam partners have names like Oscar, Benny, Marc, Jim, Keith, Diana, and Barney. I’ve worked on my time. I’ve listened to over 400 episodes of drummer’s resource podcast. It goes on. Over the last decade since I’ve started, I’m about 5,000 hours in. I’ve listened to thousands of hours of practice sessions. Maybe 100 gigabits plus on my hard drive. I hang with other adults on a similar journey.  

How are my hands and feet? My spirit?

Happy.

(My long term goals.

1. My drumming is musically equal to my piano playing.
2. I play with other musicians who inspire me.
3. I bring new insights to my teaching of adults.
4. I continue to play with my adult jazz piano students
5. Teach drums)

It has been a great way to spend my 50s. Now to think ahead to my quickly approaching 60s.

The video below suggest ideas around staying in the game. 

1. emotional connected, visualisation
2. break the long-term goal into manageable bites
3. have fun, just play, get out of your head

​Cheers,
David

Another night of big band playing. Wow what blast, I'm grateful to have been invited. What did I learn? Some thoughts on my performance that come to mind are:

1. "Time, time, time" Terry Clarke
2. Set-ups at quicker tempi need work
3. Endurance
4. Dynamics
5. Sight reading
6. Fast cymbal needed; 17-inch crash is an awesome ride cymbal but is too long for a crash in this context. Flat ride and 20” paiste are great though.
7. Always bring my own drum set.
8. Horns really do slow down during breaks, therefore keeping the backbeat on the high hat going really helps.
9. I now understand why that drummer played so much backbeat: Keep the horns from slowing down.
10. This is no substitute for experience.
11. I must really listen in order not too rush.
12. It was fun, but really challenging last night.

Going forward:

1. Better physical fitness
2. Better diet
3. More sleep: even out my schedule to conserve energy
4. More transcriptions
5. “It’s all about the basics” Wynton Marsalis
   1. Time
   2. Rudiments
   3. Repertoire and more repertoire
   4. Gear

 
Now I'm off to see Terry Clarke for some coaching. 

Happy Swinging,

David

Last Wednesday I showed up at new boxing club for a cardio workout. Full of young bucks swinging away. Yikes. A couple of old guys, I was definitely the oldest. Over the next 60 minutes there was:  

• skipping
• punch combinations
  
• buddy sit-ups
  
• planks
  
• dumb bells
  
• more punching
  
• push ups and more push ups
  

Wow, I'm still standing. I'll be back. 

​David Story

Piano update. I teach piano: jazz and classical piano. The piano has fed me for over 40 years. But, as you know from reading this blog, I'm devoted to learning to play the drums with the dream that maybe someday my drumming will equal my piano playing. So, piano practice has been neglected.

​Over the last few weeks, I've been practicing 30 minutes a day advanced classical repertoire. Tonight I went to my first jam since starting this project. My friend Tim has a lovely well maintained piano. The guys all play well, they are friends. They all noticed a change in my playing. The piano was singing. 

Cool.

Next week 45 minutes a day.

Cheers,

David

 What happens when at age 59 you go from 7 hours a week to 10 hours a week of practice?

Since  I started playing drums at age 50 I've been averaging about an hour a day of disciplined practice on the kit. On top of that add passive listening time. This year I thought what the heck, let's go to 10 hours a week and see what happens. 

What happened?

A lot. I'm just finishing my third month and the hands and feet have never felt better. I've become even more focused on the exercises from my various teachers over the years. 

1. Terry Clarke
2. Enrique Loyola
3. Paul DeLong
4. Greg Hutchinson
5. Lowell Whitty
6. Tony Nesbit-Larking
7.  Ali Jackson
8. Rufus Reid, yes the bassist

Musicians can hear the changes. I can hear the changes.

That's the good news. The concerning news is this. This past week was a bit tough, I'm pooped. I didn't make my numbers. I'm always watching the clock. 

The challenge this week to mediate on how to maintain my enthusiasm and energy. Rearranging some elements of my work schedule is one step. Keeping up my exercise regime is the second. Practice has eaten into exercise time, not a good thing.

Reading Brad Stulberg's new book: "The passion paradox" is a priority this week. More on this book soon. 

In the meantime general rules apply.

1. sleep
2. have fun with my spouse
3. exercise
4. count and measure carefully

Cheers,

​David Story