Fun with minimal kits

My last post, Dream Bliss Series Cymbals, triggered a memory of a practice session in Glen St Mary, FL back in February 2012. For acoustic trio work I usually bring only a bass drum, snare drum, ride and hi-hat cymbals. And almost always the cymbals are my Dream Bliss models as shown in this photo:

The pianist is my friend and fellow jazz musician Maggie Shook. The bassist, not in the photo, is multi-instrumentalist and bassist par excellence Ron Spencer.

Unfortunately we did not record or make a video of the session, but I did want to underscore an axiom: you cannot improve a groove adding drums and cymbals. Indeed, sometimes you can wreck it. While there is no video for our session I have a clip to share from one of my favorite movies, Round Midnight, that shows what you can do with an even smaller kit - a snare drum and hi-hats (which I have accompanied Maggie with when she was on her acoustic upright piano jamming in her apartment):

Enjoy ...