NickD

A bunch of my buddies sent me this link. I usually skip over the "prodigious kid stuff," as a bit of a skeptic, but this is the real deal. It is worth the almost 8 minutes to see and hear this little kid play one of the most kicin' drum solos I've ever heard!

Amazing!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...78801028416342

Peace, all!

Nick

tpter1

Hah! Chuck just posted the same video last night! He is AMAZING! Most of us work really hard all our lives and never get that good at what we do. A true prodigy. Must have great parental support. (He's 20 now, according to Pat).

NickD

Well, I'm sorry for the redundant post. In any case, I have to wonder how he was taught. Are his parents musicians? Did he had a "kids life" or was he "attached to the drums," never going out to play? At 20, is he pursuing a career in music?

I have known prodigies who burned out and hung up thier spurs in frustration. The love or passion for the art wasn't there. However, this kid plays with a feel and style that would imply considerable experience in additon to chops, and I can't imagine how that was achieved by 12!!!

I hope he loves it and continues to love it and keep sharing that witrh the rest of us. I'd pay to go hear him play!

Peace.

Nick

trickg

Yeah, I would say he's probably pursuing a career in music:

http://www.tonyroysterjr.com/bio.htm

He's definitely got chops, but the thing is, so do thousands of other drummers out there, and it's not necessarily blazing chops that get you the gig as a drummer. One of the "best" drummers I have ever had the pleasure to play with has almost a spartan style, but his time is virtually metronomic and he plays with a feel and a pocket that I have yet to have matched by any other drummer.

There's an old cartoon that has two panes. In the first pane, there are two guys standing there, serious expressions on their faces watching a guy behind the kit, just working it - playing so fast his arms are just a blur. They two guys say "Wow, you're good"

In the next pane, same two guys, but behind the kit is a little kid and you can see "Boom-tap, boom boom tap" coming from the kit. The two serious guys say "Wow, you're hired."

Sometimes less is more with the kit and it really boils down to preference and taste - they only way I would want to play in a band with Tony Royster Jr. as the drummer is if he could keep himself from throwing all kinds of stuff in everywhere, simply because he could.

mrfabulous963

hes OKAY, I guess.


Just kidding, Amazing!!!

trickg

No, I think you had it right the first time.

Don't get me wrong, he's good, but he's not on par with guys like Dennis Chambers, Dave Weckl or Virgil Donati.

NickD

He's 12! Or he was. Someone told me he is now 20. I wonder how he is doing now.

Solar Bell

Nick wrote:
.

Nick, ask Patrick, he is familiar with him.

-cw-

trickg

Born in October of 1984, which makes him 21 now. Yeah, he was certainly a phenom at age 12, but at this point, time has a way of leveling the playing field.

NickD

I like level playing fields!

As one quickly approaching "geezerdom" making sure the playing field doesn't get sloped the wrong way is important to me!

What I find particularly intersting is putting things in perspective for me. When I was one of the young "whipper snappers," I must admit that I was unjustifiably cocky. I am NOT proud of this fact. I remember going to big band gigs and getting sore if some "older guy" set up over me. I quickly learned to respect these guys. I would like say that this bad attitude on part was short lived. They flat out knew more music than I did, no matter how strong my chops were.

Well the shoe's on the other foot, these days. I am now one of the older players with "whipper snappers" nipping at my heels. Now, that I am "more seasoned" I can very consciously strive to respect the talent of younger players, inexperience notwithstanding. I can't always tell when the respect is mutual or not, though.

When I first saw the posts about this kid, I was skeptical. Sure, more seasoned players could cut him, but he does seem to play with a mature feel depsite his sparce chronological presence.

I guess, I want to see age eliminated as a "judging point." That certainly runs counter to my original post, here. Nevertheless, I don't want folks writing me off as a contemporary musician simply becuase there's some "snow on the roof." Similarly, I'll make sure I never doubt another musician simply because they might be younger than I am.

Peace, all.

Nick