FEW PEOPLE ON THIS PLANET CAN TRULY BE CONSIDERED MASTERS OF THEIR CRAFTS. DRUMMER STEVE GADD IS ONE OF TODAY’S MUSICIANS IN THAT CATEGORY, SIGNIFIED BY HIS INFLUENTIAL RECORDINGS AND INSPIRATIONAL CONCERT PERFORMANCES. HIS DRUM WORK ON PAUL SIMON’S “FIFTY WAYS TO LEAVE YOUR LOVER” IS STILL CONSIDERED DE RIGUEUR FOR ASPIRING STICK MEN, WHILE HIS STUDIO WORK LIST INCLUDES ICONIC RECORDINGS WITH STEELY DAN, ERIC CLAPTON, CHICK COREA, DAVID SANBORN AND A PLETHORA OF CLASSIC SESSIONS IN THE 70S FOR THE LEGENDARY CTI LABEL.
HIS LATEST ALBUM, THE GRAMMY NOMINATED “WAY BACK HOME,’ IS A CONCERT RECORDING WITH JAMES TAYLORS ALL STAR BAND, ABLE TO STRETCH THE BOUNDARIES OF JAZZ AND BLUES, ALWAYS SUPPORTED BY THE SUI GENERIS GROOVE CREATED BY THE MASTER DRUMMER AND LEADER.
AS WITH ALL GREAT ARTISTS, GADD HAS HAD HIS PERSONAL BATTLES, ALL OF WHICH BY GOD’S GRACE HE HAS SURVIVED. UNLIKE THE REPUTATION OF MANY DRUMMERS, HE IS AN INTROSPECTIVE MAN, HUMBLED BY THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS, AND APPRECIATIVE OF THE TENDER MERCIES THAT GOD NOW BESTOWS UPON HIM.
WE RECENTLY HAD A CHAT WITH GADD JUST BEFORE HIS RECENT LA GIG, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE GREAT CONCERTS OF THE SEASON.
YOU’VE BEEN AN INSPIRATION TO MANY DRUMMERS
I’m grateful for that; it’s always a nice surprise. That’s like a bonus.
WHO HAS CONTRIBUTED MOST TO YOUR MUSICIANSHIP?
I had a lot of support from my family growing up. My mom, my dad, my brother… my dad’s parents and my dad’s brother were very supportive and hands on, taking us for lessons. The whole family would take us out to hear live music and they encouraged us to practice.
I had a drum set up in the living room; I played whenever I wanted and no one ever complained. My brother and I used to practice tap dancing in the basement, and my family would come down and watch us. They were very supportive of whatever we did.
WAS THERE A TEACHER OR MUSICIAN THAT EITHER INSPIRED YOU OR HELPED YOU ALONG?
My uncle was the guy who originally showed me how to hold a pair of sticks, and gave me a practice pad. He got me records and had me play along with the records. He would also do that, so I would copy what he did. He played drums when he was in high school, so he knew some things; whatever he knew he showed me. Whatever he did I would do listening to John Philip Souza marches.
And he also bought many different types of music for me to listen to; jazz, Dixieland and big band. And then along with that they would take us kids out hear live stuff. I played in drum choir as a kid and my family drove us out to drum competitions.
I had great teachers along the way; Stanley Street, who was Bill Street’s brother, and then I got with John Beck when he got out of the Marine band. He came up to Rochester and played tympani. I studied with him in the Eastman Preparatory Department. He became a professor at the Eastman School and that’s where I learned from him. He was my teacher.
I learned from whoever I heard along the way. I love drums, and every drummer does something that I’d like to do. I’ve seen more guys that I want to copy than I don’t!
That’s how I learned; by sitting close to the bandstand so I could see what the drummer was doing. And that’s how all of my attention went.
HOW DOES A DRUMMER GET HIS OWN “SOUND”?
It just sort of happens. The sounds that I try to get are sounds that are inspired by the music. It’s not like I’m starting from scratch and composing something and developing a new sound. That’s not what I’ve been doing. I’ve been a sideman, so I try to allow the music to be the best that it can be for the artist and the producer. So, it’s the music that inspires the sound for me.
MOST DRUMMERS HAVE ONE SPECIFIC FEEL AND MAKE THE WORLD ADAPT. YOU, HOWEVER, HAVE BEEN ON A WIDE RANGE OF RECORDINGS FROM ROCKRS ERIC CLAPTON TO MELLOWER ARTIST LIKE JANIS IAN, JUDY COLLINS AND SIMON AND GARFUNKLE TO YOUR OWN FUSION. HOW DO YOU CHANGE GEARS FOR THOSE DIFFERENT GENRES?
If you’ve grown up with an open mind towards different kinds of music, and good music is inspiring to you no matter what style it is; if it’s great music it should be an inspiration, you’re able to see different styles as inspirational.
I might have been listening to some of these artists growing up and heard certain things.
IS THERE SOMEONE WHO HAS HELPED YOU GROW PERSONALLY AND SPIRTUALLY?
First, I got into (alcohol and drug) recovery and that really helped my spirituality. Then, once you get on the path there’s a spiritual world out there. And great people in it. I’m happy to be a part of that.
IS THERE ANY FELLOWSHIP YOU ATTEND, OR ANYTHING YOU READ THAT HELPS YOU GROW IN THIS DIMENSION?
A book that I’ve been reading for the past few years is A Course in Miracles. I like it, and it’s one that I have read every day for years. I haven’t read it for awhile, but it’s something that always hits close to home.
My wife is into a lot of different spiritual things, so she’s a guide for me. I learn a lot from her. I’ve been with her for 38 years.
WHERE DO YOU WANT TO TAKE YOUR TALENTS FROM HERE? ANY SPECIFIC DREAM PROJECTS?
When I sit down to practice, that’s what inspired me. I come up with new and different things. I love playing good music. I love it when you get on the bandstand and all of the guys are listening and they’re all able to what you’re doing at the time, and play it up there with no ego; just letting the music be the best that it can be. And sharing that with an audience.
YOU SEEM TO LOVE THE GUYS THAT YOU STOLE FROM JAMES TAYLOR
(laughs) I love those guys. But I would never steal them; James is always the priority. To play with people that much and do something original.
LET’S TALK A BIT ABOUT YOUR RECORDING LEGACY. IT SEEMS EVERY DRUMMER I KNOW SAYS THAT YOUR DRUM PART ON PAUL SIMON’S “50 WAYS TO LEAVE YOUR LOVER” IS A RIGHT OF PASSAGE TO LEARN. WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUT IT?
It’s a unique little part, and tricky. But, once you get it, it makes a lot of sense. I don’t know; it was just one of those things. I was in the right place at the right time. People play it all the time; it sure caught on, and I don’t know why!
You never know when it’s going to happen.
YOU’RE KNOWN AS “THE MASTER OF THE GROOVE.” WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT YOUR APPROACH TO PLAYING?
I’m not sure; I just know that the grooves that inspired me along the way, and I just try to revisit them without copying them. Those kinds of feeling of intensity in the music. When you can reach those levels and share it with an audience, it’s great.
That’s what the goal is, you know. And some nights are better than others, but it’s a good ride and we always try 150%. We always give it everything we’ve got. It’s nice to be able to play music and make a living at it. It’s not easy, but it’s good.
YOU’RE NOW ONE OF THE SAGES OF DRUMMERS. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO TELL YOUNGER DRUMMERS THAT THEY NEED TO HEAR ABOUT DRUMMING?
I don’t want to tell them anything; I’d want to listen to what he was doing, because you can learn a lot from these young people.
The one thing I would say to them is to follow your heart. The failure isn’t trying and not succeeding; the failure is in not trying and never knowing.
Always give it a shot, and keep your eyes open, because other doors open along the way. Especially today there are so many ways to get yourself out there. I’m not a technical person, but kids are whizzes on computers. They can do anything.
BUT IT’S LIKE RELIGION; IT’S NOT THE TECHNIQUE, YOU CAN KNOW EVERYTHING, BUT YOU HAVE TO EXPERIENCE THE BURNING BUSH.
Exactly, and the other thing is that you play because you enjoy doing it. You have to play because the music moves you.
HOW WAS IT WORKING WITH STEELY DAN ON THE AJA ALBUM?
It worked out well. We got it done, and they were happy. I know that they had tried it with some other people and they weren’t sold on them. I’m not sure if they really knew what they wanted, but they knew that the other guys didn’t have it. They just gave me a shot and it work out.
Those AJA tracks were done in a couple of takes, but there were a lot of other tracks that were done very tediously. Those guys are really meticulous.
YOU PLAYED WITH CHET BAKER. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON HIM AND THAT EXPERIENCE?
I loved his sound. I loved the way he sang. It was great.
WHAT ABOUT AL DI MEOLA?
Those were fun dates, too. I remember working with Al, Anthony Jackson, Jan Hammer, and was on the road with them playing some live gigs. That was a good time.
YOU ARE THE DRUMMER, ALONG WITH TONY WILLIAMS, ON ALMOST ALL OF THOSE CLASSIC CTI ALBUMS WITH GEORGE BENSON, FREDDIE HUBBARD, JIM HALL AND DEODATO, TO MENTION JUST A FEW.
I had gotten introduced to (CTI founder) Creed (Taylor) by Joe Farrell on an album on an album he did with Joe Beck (Penny Arcade). That’s when he started using me on other things that he was producing.
I was in awe of all of these people that I was working with; this was like a dream come true. It was surreal, and it was happening so fast. It was just fantastic.
YOU ARE ALSO ON ERIC CLAPTON’S LATEST CONCERT ALBUM. HOW DID YOU MEET HIM?
I think it was (producer/composer) Russ Titelman who put us both together.
DID CLAPTON GIVE YOU ANY DIRECTIONS ON HOW TO PLAY?
He had suggestions. It wasn’t like he was telling me what to play for the most part. He definitely had suggestions about arrangements, and how we might be doing it differently from another time that we did it.
HE’S A PILGRIM LIKE YOU ARE. DID YOU HAVE ANY SPIRITUAL TALKS WITH HIM?
We’ve had spiritual talks; we have things in common in our lives that make it easy for us to talk.
NATHAN EAST, WHO WAS ALSO IN THAT BAND, SAID THAT YOU GUYS ALWAYS PRAYED TOGETHER BEFORE A CONCERT.
Eric and us, yes we always do.
WAS THERE EVER A TIME IN YOUR CAREER THAT YOU’VE LOOKED AROUND AND SAID TO YOURSELF “I’VE MADE IT”?
No. I think you’re constantly trying to get to another level. I’d like to think that.
YOUR TWO RECENT ALBUMS, 70 STRONG AND THE WAY BACK SEEM TO REFLECT A NEW LEASE ON LIFE
I’m having a ball with this band. It just sort of keeps evolving. I’d like to get some more music together this year and do another album with these guys and see what happens.
DO YOU HAVE ANY INTERESTS OUTSIDE OF MUSIC THAT KEEP YOU STIMULATED AND MOTIVATED?
I’ve got five dogs, so that takes up a lot of time. When I’m home, I like hanging around the house because I like spending as much time as I can with (my wife) Carol. We’ve been apart a lot, so I do whatever I can together with her, whether it’s shopping, or it’s an appointment I’ll drive her and wait for her. I like to do that.
Sometimes, if the weather is cool enough, I can even take the dogs and we can wait in the care while she’s at an appointment or something. I’ll just sit in the car, hang with the dogs, listen to music and maybe make some calls. It just feels good, you know?
WHAT YOU JUST SAID REMINDS ME OF A WRITING BY THE APOSTLE PAUL, WHERE HE WRITES “TO MAKE IT YOUR AMBITION TO LEAD A QUIET LIFE…AND WORK WITH YOUR HANDS.”
I love working with my hands, I really do. The drums have been good to me, and I really appreciate it.
YOUR WEB SITE MENTIONS A PRAYER FOR PEACE. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
There’s a prayer by Saint Francis of Assisi. I don’t have it all memorized (ed note-so I included it here)
Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;
To be understood, as to understand; To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned ;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
I’VE ALWAYS LOVED THE PART “HELP ME NOT TO BE UNDERSTOOD, AS TO UNDERSTAND”
I love that prayer. I don’t have it memorized anymore. I also like the Serenity Prayer. I like prayers that help me stop taking myself so seriously and put me back on track with what’s important, which is that we’re all connected.
I RECENTLY READ A BOOK ON DWIGHT EISENHOWER, AND HIS MOTTO WAS “TAKE YOUR JOB SERIOUSLY, BUT NOT YOURSELF.” IT’S THE RARE VETERAN MUSICIAN WHO IS HUMBLE ENOUGH TO BELIEVE HE HAS SOMETHING TO LEARN FROM THE YOUNGER GENERATION INSTEAD OF FEELING THAT HE HAS TO BE THE “MASTER TEACHER.” THIS ALONE REVEALS THE SPIRIT OF THIS LEGENDARY ARTISTS, WHO FINDS TIME TO SHOP WITH HIS WIFE AND MEDITATE OF PRAYERS OF SAINTS TO BE THE TRUE JOYS OF LIFE.
ANY MINISTRY NEEDS TO BE AN OVERFLOW OF ONE’S OWN PERSONAL LIFE. STEVE GADD THROUGH THE YEARS AND TRIBULATIONS HAS LEARNED THE IMPORTANT THINGS OF LIFE; FAITH, FAMILY AND FRIENDS. RARE AND BLESSED ARE THE PEOPLE WHO FIND THEIR WAY BACK HOME, AND MAY GADD’S JOURNEY BE AN INSPIRATION TO ALL OF US PILGRIMS.