Gregg Bissonette has drummed for dozens of artists over his 40 year career. He has been the drummer for Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band since 2008. Bissonette shared tips and tricks during a workshop in Harrisonburg Wednesday night. WMRA's Calvin Pynn was there.
Gregg Bissonette kicked off the workshop drumming to a medley of songs across several genres, from jazz…
(Sound of Bissonette drumming to jazz track)
To Afro-Cuban…
(sound of drumming to Afro-Cuban jazz track)
To rock…
(sound of drumming to Foo Fighters track)
To dubstep…
(sound of drumming to dubstep track)
That was just a taste of the many different styles Bissonette has played in his more than 40-year career as both a session and touring drummer. Prior to his most recent ongoing gig drumming for Ringo Starr, Bissonette sat behind the kit for Maynard Ferguson, David Lee Roth, Joe Satriani and Toto, among many others.
He said the key to transitioning between different styles of music as a drummer comes down to taste.
GREGG BISSONETTE: To play different styles, you have to like different styles – if you’re not a fan of the style, and you don’t listen to it, you’re not gonna play it that well.
Bissonette shared that wisdom with dozens of people at Arts Incarnate in downtown Harrisonburg Wednesday night. Hometown Music organized the free workshop to raise funds for the music school and community space Rocktown House of Music through a raffle. The prizes were different types of drums, including the kit Bissonette played through the evening.
(sound of Bissonette drumming)
As he invited both new and seasoned drummers on stage to demonstrate different percussion techniques, Bissonette stressed the importance of communicating with fellow musicians. He said an easy-going nature counts as much for that skill as an ability to keep time.
BISSONETTE: Half of the pie is how you play, the other half is: “are you a good person? Do you compliment people and lift them up?”
There are still two playing styles Bisonette has yet to master -- even after decades as a professional drummer, he considers himself a student.
BISSONETTE: One of them is that super drunk drumming like: [mouths rhythm.] The other is, like, super-fast metal, with the feet that are just like [mouths double bass drumming.] My feet don’t go: [mouths double bass drumming,] they go: [mouths steady groove.] But you never know, I’m practicing and maybe gonna get there one day.
(sound of Bissonette finishing drum solo)
For WMRA News, I'm Calvin Pynn.
