Larry Kart Posted September 23, 2018 Report Share Posted September 23, 2018 Was listening to it in the basement yesterday, and when I came upstairs my wife -- who is a talented classical pianist and very good interpreter/spontaneous re-harmonizer of show tunes, though far from steeped in jazz -- said, "Who IS that drummer?" Pretty hip of her to pick up on Vernell Fournier, and from the basement yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted September 23, 2018 Report Share Posted September 23, 2018 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quasimado Posted September 23, 2018 Report Share Posted September 23, 2018 How about the pianist - or was she damning with faint praise? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted September 23, 2018 Report Share Posted September 23, 2018 I like that group a lot actually, especially once I figured out what they were doing in terms of a group concept. Once again - you can't go wrong with a good New Orleans drummer. Period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted September 23, 2018 Report Share Posted September 23, 2018 (edited) Vernel Fournier was much more than a New Orleans drummer, aside from the fact that his family moved elsewhere when he was still at a very early age - cannot recall exact details right now. How many drummer were out there playing more than 90% of the time with brushes? He had more ideas about that than all the other drummers together. And then there was Israel Crosby - a veteran bassist of the Blanton-Pettiford generation with a unique melodic concept, not just playing the changes. That gave Jamal the freedom to lie back and not having to display his technical prowess all the time, although he had plenty of that. One of the most unique group concepts in jazz piano trio history. Edited September 23, 2018 by mikeweil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted September 23, 2018 Report Share Posted September 23, 2018 Ok, what am I missing? https://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/10/arts/vernel-fournier-72-jazz-drummer-revered-for-precision-and-understatement.html?pagewanted=2 Born in New Orleans, Mr. Fournier started on the drums at the age of 10, played in street concerts and parades, and in the fifth grade he was part of a group called the New Orleans Young Swingsters. He studied technique with the prominent early jazz drummer Sidney Montague. Mr. Fournier played with the student orchestra while attending Alabama State College before touring with the rhythm and blues band led by King Kolax. In the 1940's he also became part of the New Orleans bebop subculture, playing with Dookie Chase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Kart Posted September 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2018 Oops, I misspelled "Vernel." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave James Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 (edited) I'm sure most of you have seen the video of the Jamal Trio playing "Darn That Dream." (If not, see below) I really enjoy Fournier's laid back, I can't be bothered mien. He was the essence of cool. Edited September 25, 2018 by Dave James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 15 hours ago, JSngry said: Ok, what am I missing? https://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/10/arts/vernel-fournier-72-jazz-drummer-revered-for-precision-and-understatement.html?pagewanted=2 Born in New Orleans, Mr. Fournier started on the drums at the age of 10, played in street concerts and parades, and in the fifth grade he was part of a group called the New Orleans Young Swingsters. He studied technique with the prominent early jazz drummer Sidney Montague. Mr. Fournier played with the student orchestra while attending Alabama State College before touring with the rhythm and blues band led by King Kolax. In the 1940's he also became part of the New Orleans bebop subculture, playing with Dookie Chase. My memory could fool me - I'll dig up Fournier's drum teaching method in the basement to check his biography. And I must have an interview somewhere about his New Orleans influences. 11 hours ago, Larry Kart said: Oops, I misspelled "Vernel." That happens to a lot of people, even some who post a pic of his drum book in the next paragraph. https://de.scribd.com/document/339823978/Vernell-Fournier-Drum-Techniques That guy, btw, seems to have an early manuscript version of the book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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