I had the good fortune of seeing the guys at Trio's (South Bend) for the CD release party last night. This was a great show; really high-energy. The place was packed. We got to hear a lot of material from the new record, which was very nicely done. I've been listening to the CD all morning.
Randy had plastic tubing connected to the vent holes on a couple of his toms. He'd blow in them to bend the pitch during parts of his solos. Some guys go overboard with this, but Randy kept it tasteful and musical. It's always good to hear melodies, and not just rudiments, coming from the drums. Now I'm inspired to go practice all day today.
I like how there's no overplaying in this trio. Everyone stays in balance and listens to what the others are doing. They swing hard, keep it greazy, and put on a great show. I hope to see them again soon.