Seb Palmer

Today I’ve been inventorying all my drum and cymbal hardware. Or at least as much of it as I can lay my hands on. There’s still one or two bits laying around, such as a drum stool in the music room/office.

In the above picture, working clockwise from the Gibraltar hi-hat, at six-o’clock, there’s: a bunch of Yamaha stuff (the most numerous and most heavy-duty); a Premier triple-mount (across the centre); some unknown brand; CB Drums; and finally, two Big Dog (a now sadly defunct British brand) snare stands.

I didn’t get through all of it, either. There’s a bag full of floor-tom legs that I haven’t looked through yet. But this post is a place to catalogue the bulk of it.

The next pic’, above, is all the Gibraltar bits n’ pieces, which I mostly bought when I got my Gretsch Catalina Club Jazz kit. Not sure if I’ll keep or sell all this?

The aforementioned Gretsch kit only included a very few bits of hardware: the rack-tom pillar, and the floor-tom legs. I’ll only be selling these bits if I sell that kit.

The above is the portion of Mapex hardware I’ve set aside so far. In addition to this there’s a double-kick pedal (pictured below), and six floor-tom legs, which are mixed in with a whole load of floor-tom legs that need sorting out.

These next, pictured below, are unbranded, as far as I can see. I’m not sure how saleable these are, as they (ahem!) stand, as they appear to be missing various bits. I’m hoping I’ll be able to fix up any stands that are missing parts.

The same goes for some of this CB Drums hardware. I’d need a cushion for the seat. And a top part for one of the cymbal stands. This is definitely stuff I want rid of.

I think I’ll keep these two Big Dog snare stands, pictured below, at least for now. They’re useful for practice pads, secondary snares, or even Bonham style mounting of rack toms.

The biggest chunk of gear, by far, and I think I want to sell pretty much all of it, is the very heavy duty Yamaha (?) Series gear. I got this stuff to go with my Ayotte kit, many, many moons ago.

It’s superb stuff. And great for a permanent set up. But it’s too bulky and heavy for carting round gigging. That said, I did a lot of exactly that, for many years, with this very gear.

But that experience left me wanting to only use much lighter weight stuff! But then again, I might be jacking it all in anyway? So that may all be academic, now.

As well as being the most numerous, in terms of numbers of stands, the Yammy gear is also the stuff with most ancillary bits n’ bobs. Such as all the different length boom arms, pictured below.

Numerous further extras, and the very essential snare stand. These and the previous oddments allowed me to vary my cymbal set ups, and add percussion bits n’ pieces.

I hope I can shift all this Yamaha hardware? And I’m even more fervently hoping it’ll raise a few bob.

There are a number of other non-Yamaha oddments. Most of which I know what they are. But one or two I don’t. This is a mystery item:

Is the above some kind of percussion doodad holder? It looks like it wood have to mount on a very thin pole or stand… attached by the bit at left, in the above photo. Hmm!?

This Vruk thing, pictured below, is a pedal-extender, designed to amplify the effectiveness of a rocking back n’ forth heel-toe technique.

I got it after doing a review piece on it for Drummer, many years ago. The guy who makes them let me keep it. But once again, I’ve pretty much never used it. I wonder if anyone might buy it?

Then there’s stuff like these Pearl bits:

I also have some Pearl toms, inc. a couple of those Pearl rim mounts. I wanted to make a few mini bespoke busking type jellybean kits, with the various drums and shells I have laying around. But I don’t think that’ll be happening any time soon. So I’ll probably try and sell these odd drums.

Although I recently bought two vintage Premier stands, perhaps a tad foolishly (given recent events), until then, the only Premier hardware I had was this heavy duty triple mount. This could mount all sorts, such as two toms and a cymbal, for example.

These three, pictured above, are the three Ayotte ball-joint tom mounts, which came as part of the Ayotte kit I bought getting on for 25 or 30 years ago now. The kit is beautiful. But slightly odd and a little over-engineered.

I think all three of these ball-mounts no are both no longer complete, nor in good working order. That’s really hurting and annoying, as I really want to sell the Ayotte. But can’t, until these are fixed.

Ayotte is now defunct. So fixing these is a right cause-ache!

I’d like to say ‘last and most definitely least’, for the above L-clamps. But there is more…

I actually have three of these jingle-bells doodads. These two, and one that’s still plastic wrapped.

And finally, to round this post of, a bit of tinkering, by way of trying to restore a damaged part. In the above pic I’ve already ‘straightened’ out the bent thread by about 10°!

Trying to get it perfectly straight was getting nowhere. So I hacksawed it off. It was still incredibly difficult to remove the threaded bolt. But persistence paid off, and I finally succeeded.

Trying to unscrew the sawn off thread was ridiculously hard work. I’d only got it about a third of the way out, by which time I’d ground away the Philips head. As the above image attests, I then tried to saw/file a straight cut into it, for a normal flathead screwdriver. But the latter just kept slipping out. In the end it was a pair of ‘mole-grips’ that did the job.

A lot of work on a crappy old stand, which still requires not just a new threaded bolt, but washers, felts and a wing-nut. Is it worth the bother?

Anyway, that’s all for now, folks.

Teresa just sat down beside me, at the dining table, and, observing me, said ‘You don’t have to rush. Just take your time.’

Modern life has the habit of making one tense up, and rush everything, alas. I find it pretty hard to relax, other than when asleep; hence my ardent love of sleep!

This post is about that side of today. We lay in till midday. Lunch was a delicious pork curry, of leftovers, with rice and dhal. After that we played cards.

This afternoon I’ve been sorting through drum/cymbal hardware, with a view to selling as much of it as I can bear to par with.

It’s my intention to only keep the minimum necessary for the one or two drum kits I might keep. The rest of my drum-sets, which is somewhere between two to four, I’m hoping to sell, ASAP.

Not ‘cause I want to, btw. But ‘cause needs must. But I’ll post about that separately, methinks. This little post is, or was, about trying to chill on a Sunday. Which I’m managing to do, despite crushing fiscal anxieties.

I’ve woken up, at about 3.45 am.

Appalling depressive thoughts crowd my mind. Which is very normal for me. A desire to end my struggles with life by simply throwing in the towel.

I consult my affirmation cue-cards: lots of admonitions to remain calm/enjoy life. Less about how to effectively live it. Might need to address this!

Listening to rain sounds on YT, as normal these days, to help me sleep. At least I’m not dependent on pills.

I reflect on one positive thing – although to parts of my mind it feels like a loss, and an admission of feebleness, etc. – and that’s my cessation of desire for intoxication.

It’s starting to feel, and has for quite some time now, thankfully, that I simply no longer have the desire to medicate my woes by seeking oblivion in booze, or whatever.

I’m fervently hoping that this is indeed a lesson learned.

Then there are patterns. A newly emergent pattern is early waking. What do I do about it? Normally I just try and continue sleep. But now, I’m typing this. And after, I might go back to reading?

Teresa’s taken to leaving a sidelight on in our room. I might need to turn it off, to help me sleep? Small details like this can assume enormous, even terrifying, proportions. When you feel you’re teetering on the brink.

I knew I’d ordered this CD, as it’s in my Amazon ‘order history’. But I hadn’t been able to find it since I ordered it. Despite the order status saying ‘delivered’. I’d kind of given up on it, to be honest.

I bought it for myself as a reward for good behaviour, during a particularly troubled period, not that long ago. Each week I abstained from intoxication, I would reward myself with a small ‘prize’. This was one such.

I was also going through a slight J-Jazz phase, exploring more jazzy biz from the Land of The Rising Sun, thanks to the influence of artists like Casiopea and Masayoshi Takanaka.

Anyways, I’m glad Teresa found it. Thanks, love! Next step… listen to it. Not right now, tho’, as Teresa’s watching The Blue Planet II.

This isn’t – at least not yet – a review. It’s just a place for me to put up the above linked YouTube video, to listen to and potentially share with others, as a part of my newly begun exploration of Charles Gavin’s 25 selections for the 2006 Som Livre Masters.

So far what I’ve heard, of both this and other recordings on the list, is proving wonderful. Just down my boulevard.

Linguas de Fogo translates as Tongues of Fire. Here are the Brazilian Portuguese lyrics for the title track:

Deixa o meu verso passar
Como passa no ar
Esse sopro de vento
Que faz em seu corpo
Bem mais que fariam
Palavras no seu pensamento

Deixa o meu verso passar
Como passa no mar
Essa onda que dança
E que faz em seu corpo
Bem mais que fariam
Palavras na sua lembrança

Deixa o meu verso lamber
Entre as línguas de fogo
Deixa o meu verso correr
Entre as cartas do jogo

Pra onde vai o som
Depois que o escutamos?
Pra onde vai a voz
Que vem de nós?
Pra onde vamos?

And here’s my (slightly tweaked) Google Translate rendering:

Let my verse pass
How it passes in the air
A breath of wind
What do these words do to your body?
Much more than they would
As just words in your thoughts

Let my verse pass
How does it fare at sea
This wave that dances
What do these words do to your body?
Much more than they would
As just words in your memory

Let my verse flicker 
Amongst tongues of fire
Let my verse run
Amongst the playing cards

Where does the sound go
After we hear it?
Where does the voice go?
What comes from us?
Where are we going?

I utterly adore the poetic philosophical vibe of these words. I even flatter myself that some of my own songs explore similar territory.

It’s interesting to note that amongst the musician credits there are numerous names I recognise, such as Toninho Horta (guitar), Luiz Alves (bass), and Danilo Caymmi (flute, backing vocals).

I have plenty of other music these guys appear on. And it’s nice to see some of them are still going; Luiz Alves, for example, played with Arthur Verocai on some of the latter’s fairly recent ‘comeback’ performances.

I plan to explore all 25 of Charles Gavin’s choices/recommendations. And so far, so very, very good.

Whilst researching the previous Som Livre Masters post, I stumbled upon this. A Boiler Room production, it’s from that weird lockdown period several years back.

It’s great seeing and hearing Marcos playing a little solo set from his home, in Rio de Janeiro. Just as he did on the gig we saw, he comes across so humble and natural. It’s very refreshing.

When he talks about working with Leon Ware, you don’t feel he’s ego tripping. But simply remembering treasured times. It’s quite moving, in an understated way.

And when he plays Summer Samba, he prefaces it with a very succinct preamble, about how he still enjoys playing it, and tweaking it, to keep it fresh.

And then he does just that; plays it beautifully, with the perfect balance of old and new. And, in an interesting aside, he also divides the lyrics fairly equally between English and Portuguese.

And… oh, sweet bliss! He sings Tira Mao! One of my absolute favourites from his terrific Previsão do Tempo album (a vinyl copy of which is visible behind him.

Marcos… we love you!

Some might think otherwise, but I really don’t like to think about or talk about or give any oxygen to my depressive tendencies. But I’m going through a rough patch right now.

A court appearance – accused of something I didn’t do – is looming. And I just crashed and trashed our car. Of the latter, I am very much guilty. So I’m without wheels, and consequently without income.

Watching Marcos perform this intimate concert – which I’m doing as I type this – is a real balm. He even says, during his intro, ‘I’m glad I can help, with my music, people who are really needing the support.’ When he said that I didn’t pay too much heed. But I see now that I am one such!

He also says, later on, that he co-composed a song, the title of which translates as ‘Protect Yourself’ before the ‘problem with the virus’ hit us all. In his gently understated way – I think he says it’s ‘funny’ – he notes how oddly apt this makes the song; recorded before, but released during the height of the Covid pandemic.

As he gets towards the end of the set, he treats us to another old warhorse, the classic ‘Os Grilos’ (or ‘Crickets Sing For Ana Maria’. And once again he tweaks it beautifully, keeping this ages old number beautifully and warmly present and alive.

He closes out the set with ‘Estrelar’ (‘Star’), another Leon Ware collab’. Thanks to all involved in making this beautiful cosy gig happen, and sharing it with us. Truly wonderful.

Brazilian drummer and producer Charles Gavin, who I’ve become aware of through his role in selecting titles for the Som Livre Masters series, has written a book, called 300 Discos Importantes da Música Brasileira. I wonder if it’s available in English?

Here’s a pictorial list of the 25 albums he chose for Som Livre Masters:

There are many names on the list I recognise, from some, like Marcos Valle, Walter Wanderley and Tim Maia, that I both know and I’m to varying degrees familiar with, to others I’ve heard of, but don’t really know, like Novod Baianos and Brazilian Octopus, to those that are totally new to me, like Os Brazoes, Sidney Miller, and Alceu Valença.

Most of the albums are artist lead. But there are some others, like Vila Sesamo, the Brazilian version of Sesame Street, which is, I believe, a Marcos Valle project (and I think I have it, in mp3 format), and – completely new to me – Sitio do Picapau Amarelo, which appears to be another children’s TV thing, and about which I currently know absolutely nothing.

There’s stuff by names I’ve heard a lot, in relation to Brazilian music, like Tom Zé, but have yet to explore, to stuff I’m quite familiar with, but only in limited ways, such as the collaborative works of Vinicius de Moraes and Toquinho, who appear on this list with Marilia Medalha, a name that’s entirely new to me.

So, lots to be explored!

And to finish, here’s the list in text form:

1. Sambas - Don Junior, Seu Conjunto
2. Bossa Nova, Nova Bossa - Manfredo Fest e Seu Conjunto
3. Bossa Jazz Trio - Bossa Jazz Trio
4. Sansa Trio - Sansa Trio
5. Os Brazões - Os Brazões
6. Em Som Maior - Sambrasa Trio
7. Sambossa 5
8. Quarteto Bossamba - Walter Wanderley 
9.  Reencontro com Sambalanço Trio - Sambalanço Trio
10. Som 3 - Som 3
11. Conjunto, a Voz do Morro - Os Sambistas
12. Decisão - Zombo Trio + Metais
13. Brazilian Octopus - Brazilian Octopus
14. Com Dizia O Poeta - Vinicius de Moraes, Marilia Medalha, Toquinho
15. E Deixa o Relógio Andar - Osmar Milito
16. Rosinha de Valença - Rosinha de Valença
17. Molhado de Suor - Alceu Valença
18. Vila Sésamo - Marcos Valle?
19. Vamos pro Mundo - Novos Baianos 
20. GersonConrad e Zezé Motta
21. Sítio do Picapau Amarelo
22. Tim Maia - Tim Maia
23. Vontade De Rever Você - Marcos Valle
24. Nave Maria - Tom Zé
25. Línguas de Fogo - Sidney Miller

At the time of posting, I believe I have this album in mp3 format, on a hard drive. But not on CD, or vinyl.

It’s one of Valle’s ‘later’ albums – to my way of seeing things (i.e. post 60s-70s) – that I’m less familiar with, although being released in 1980 it’s now pretty old!

It’s also one of the 25 albums chosen by Charles Gavin, as part of the Som Livre Masters reissue series. A series I want to explore in more depth.

Oh yes! In my longstanding love affair with Brazilian music, finding and acquiring this rates quite highly.

I’ve known and loved the work of Antonio Carlos Jobim for decades now. And I’ve long known, as any ardent admirer of such things ought to, that Vinicius de Moraes was a crucial ‘elder statesman’ figure – both literally and metaphorically – in relation to many prominent folk in Brazilian music, ‘Tom’ Jobim among them.

Anyway, it’s taken until now – kind of (more on this later) – to really discover this old and early gem from their collaborations. Orpheus of the Conception is a play by de Moraes, for which he got Jobim to do the music, this recording being waxed in ‘56.

And so it is that I’m learning that certain Jobim tunes go back further than I’d formerly realised. For example, ‘Lamento No Morro’, which I first encountered as the instrumental ‘Lamento’, and which also features prominently in the beautiful ‘Overture’, here.

So too with ‘Se Todos Fossem Iguais A Você’, or literally, ‘If Everyone Were Like You’, which is generally better known to English speakers as ‘Someone To Light Up My Life’. I thought this was a later composition. Not so!

This recording features Jobim as musical director – literally credited here as ‘maestro’! – of the 35 piece Odeon record label orchestra. And it’s a 50th anniversary release, from 2006, on the same Odeon label. So this 50th celebration is now itself 18 years of age… old enough to drink/vote, etc.

The vocals, which later in his career would prob’ be sung by Jobim, or even de Moraes (who often sang with singer/guitarist Toquinho), are handled here – when it’s not ‘chorus’ style vocals – by one Roberto Paiva. A new name to me.

Pavia died aged 93, in 2014. So, unlike de Moraes (d. 1980, at 66), Jobim (d. ‘94, aged 67), or Bonfa (d. 2001, 78), he was still around when this recording turned 50!

My only quibble with this disc – the reason it’s four stars, not five – is how short it is. The seven tracks total approx 17:30, the whole clocking in at under twenty minutes! This same music has been repackaged, along with lots of other stuff, on releases such as this:

I’m a bit worried I might just’ve bought a CD duplicating just a small portion of another CD (or set of) that I might already own… I need to check the CD shelves.

Anyway, whilst it’s very different in many ways from what Jobim would go on to do in his own right – when he was established enough to do things his own way – it’s great to hear his ideas in a different setting, and the seeds of his style.

Got a few more drummer prints done, at March Stationary & Print. These are intended for the music room, cum office, or drum ‘studio’. Aka the little box room off of our master bedroom.

There’s something of an irony in all of this flurry of getting prints made up. In that I’m on the cusp of jacking the whole music thing in. And selling off everything I possibly can.

I’m still torn and conflicted over it all. But it’s getting harder and harder to justify hanging on to stuff I’m not actually using. And esp’ so when times are – as they are and have been for ages now – very challenging.

I didn’t have sufficient frames for all of this latest batch. So Clyde awaits framing… (‘I swear, I didn’t do it…’)