Odd time signatures, polyrhythms, and odd meter funk/rock are my brain candy jars of choice. I've included a few samples of rhythm section grooves that demonstrate how odd meter funk can flow. Check out my website www.davidaldridge.net for more samples.
Over the years, I was very fortunate to have taken lessons here and there from Peter Erskine, Terry Bozzio, Ed Soph, David Garibaldi, Joe Broncotta and Jim Chapin. In some cases it was only once, but once was enough to make an imprint that would last a lifetime.
In the summers of '78 and '79, I had the fortune of playing small group jazz in Philadelphia with my friend/keyboardist Jim Beard. He introduced me to that world, and I've been forever grateful. After two years of study at Towson State University, I moved to Los Angeles and was lucky enough to study with some of the teachers mentioned above.
In the early 80s, I returned to my home town of Austin, Texas, where I recorded with The Crazy World of Arthur Brown (Requiem, Republic Records). I returned to California several years later and began a career as a writer for Easyriders and DRUM! . This kept me busy and fed through the 90's, with pieces featured in Keyboard and DownBeat as well.
I've spent the last few years working as an airplane flight instructor, and now, it's time to get back into the music mix full blast. The rhythm section tracks on this site were created using a modest MIDI home studio, playing a Roland TD-6 kit, a Korg DSS-1 synth, and a set of Squire Strat/P-Bass guitars.
My acoustic kit is my pride and joy, a vintage 70s Fibes drum set, smokey grey acrylic with a booming 24" kick. I play Axis pedals, Remo heads and Zildjian cymbals, and Vic Firth SD11 Slammer sticks
Who I'd Like To Meet
People who have their musical wits in a Mason jar and remember where they put it.
Any alumni from Towson State University who studied under Hank Levy.
Fans of Fibes drums and Axis pedals . Tommy Robertson and Darryl Johnston are true friends who still give a rat's ass about quality and doin' it right.
But mostly, I'm looking for people who explore odd meter music in just about genre. Hank Levy, my musical mentor, was a colege professor in Towson, Maryland. He believed rhythmic explorations of odd meter was a large part of the future of jazz. I think so too.
