I had the pleasure of attending a clinic with Jeff Hamilton, one of if not THE most sought after jazz drummer around today.

I started off the afternoon meeting up with my friends Jeff and Mark before heading off in Jeff’s diesel Jetta (with a crazy 50mpg) to Nashville. First stop was Fork’s, our drum shop extraordinaire. Jeff had ordered a really compact drum kit that literally fits in the trunk of his car!

Hmmm… that almost sounds like a good idea.

Anyway - Mark had never been there and was amazed by how much stuff they had in the shop. They really have a very complete inventory of everything you could possibly need as a drummer or percussionist. It’s great that they’re only a 90 minute drive away. After all that, we headed for the studio where the clinic was to be held. While waiting, I met a guy from Knoxville, TN - my old hometown. We got to talking and I was completely floored to learn that he plays gigs with a guy named Rusty Holloway - MY OLD GUITAR TEACHER FROM 24 YEARS AGO. What a small world. Had a great time talking about music stuff from the past and also about Knoxville. Got a front-row seat once the doors opened and was treated to a great display of jazz on the drums. WOW. Jazz is definitely something I want to get more exposure too. It looks like so much fun to play. Jeff graciously signed autographs and had some kind words for the attendees there. Really a class act. He’s currently on tour with Diana Krall.

Had dinner afterwards at Big River Brewery before the long ride home. Broadway was hoppin’ on a Friday night and there was no shortage of interesting characters going by as we sat outdoors and dined by the river. All in all, it was a nice way to wrap up the week.