Joe Morello: The Art of Brushes

Excerpted from "The Art of Playing Brushes" DVD.
The Art of Playing with Brushes is the most comprehensive, definitive and unprecedented volume on the topic ever produced.
Living legends Billy Hart, Eddie Locke, Joe Morello, Charli Persip and Ben Riley along with modern brush masters Adam Nussbaum and Steve Smith demonstrate and discuss their distinctive drumming styles then all perform the same set of medium to up-tempo swing, ballads and Latin tunes to compare and contrast their unique approaches and interpretations.
This deluxe addition to every drummers library offers a thorough and graphic exploration of the art from a variety of historical, technical and musical perspectives.
More information at HudsonMusic.com.

[@ocho611]

i get a soothing, calm peacefulness when Joe Morello plays. an absolute master

[@KarelStuiv]

Dear Joe, You are in heaven now, thank you for all your years playing the drums. Rest is Peace. Regards Karel from Holland

[@BeeJayEm1972]

You know.......before the internet and KZbin etc, to get a lesson like this, it would have been nigh impossible for someone like me. But here, in his full glory, we have free access to utter genius and inspirational playing. Bless technology!!

[@nikkiii6967]

amen

[@alancanham2956]

I concur

[@BeeJayEm1972]

@@alancanham2956 Glad to hear brother!!

[@boomerguy9935]

Yes! I've been playing jazz drums since the late 60's and was fortunate enough to get a few lessons from a master professional drummer (not a teacher), but not long enough to learn the proper way to play brushes. Since this was long before modern digital technology and KZbin, it took decades for me to finally master my own style and I am amazed to find that I am using Joe's pattern. No, I am not as good as he was and I never will be, but this makes me feel so good that I was doing something not only the right way, but "Joe's way"! Joe has always been my favorite drummer. I can thank Dave Brubeck's "Time Out" album for that. Joe was always positive in every way and a true gentleman. His interviews are heartwarming to watch and he never says anything negative about another drummer.

[@tmaddrummer]

For me, this DVD was one of the greatest ever made of some of our American Drumming Legends. I am saddened by the loss of Joe, Charli, and Ben, and I sincerely love watching these Great Drummers in this DVD. Thanks and Blessings!

[@salchaos]

A beautiful guy, a really great musician. He was one of the best. And he put a lot of work into being great. Read up on him. You'll learn about dedication to craft and how it pays in full. RIP Joe. I respect you to the heavens.

[@marc825]

I remember that a friend of mine was really inspired by his music and I thought that he was an amazing drummer just by watching one of his creative solos. R.I.P. Joe.

[@dreamopeth]

RIP Joe, you've been gone for a year but will be remembered for millions

[@MatthewMcClellan]

Mr. Morello is inspiring.

[@joemoma516]

I love his comment at the end, he's nailed it. We're not drum loops, we're musicians, and we all bring something different to the table.

[@kai326]

“Any good drummer doesn’t play ‘beats’ you participate in the musical experience” - Danny Carey

[@boomerguy9935]

I love how he says playing brushes is "an individual thing". He told one of his students that he did not want the student to be like him because "one of me is enough". He liked the students to be their personal best. How great and humble is that! Always the gentleman. He was my inspiration in the 60's and continues today, even though he is gone.

[@touravanhable]

R.I.P Joe just heard of you today, and watched many of you videos, you are truelly one of the greats

[@Rossbach2]

Joe Morello had a lot of class, both personally and professionally. May we all be so fortunate.

[@TheSkull698]

Such incredible touch and feel. Consumate professional drumming. RIP Mr. Morello.

[@MsTrash666]

The most impressive in drums music, it's not how loud and even fast you can beat, but how smooth you can get. Looking at this play, I think for myself: "holycrap it's mad skill!!!" and it chills me so deep, that no metal, rock and so on, can do

[@63Baggies]

You're maturing nicely MQ :-)

[@vikt1m1337]

Depens on what metal you listen to.

[@vikt1m1337]

***** You mean I can't enjoy jazz and metal at the same time?

[@vikt1m1337]

***** Nope, it isn't. Are you aware that a lot of metal is heavily influenced by jazz? You have to train your ears, look past the growling and the blast beats ( blast beats or skank beat is used in jazz as well) and you'll have a chance of enjoying it. It's not for everybody, just the same jazz isn't for everyone. I'm glad I can enjoy both.

[@jonahmartinez6374]

vikt1m1337 I play metal and jazz, and that is not really true. Metal is rock and roll and therefore mostly relies on the back beat and straight eighth notes, where as most jazz does not. Let's establish a lot of metal, particularly blasting, is based off of sixteenths where as jazz carries a triplet feel. Not to mention most metal drummers cannot swing a sack of shit for their lives, and I mean swing with actual feel, not swing because they have the technique to do it.

[@cunegunde1]

Joe Morello - a living legend! I like the feel he conveys with those brushes.

[@jamesrichards1999]

loved jms brushwork when he knits with the bass player listen to the drive he gets,spent an evening with this drum giant learnt a lot from him,we all miss him.a what a super guy to talk to. gordon clarke plymouth england

[@Rockinj8]

Joe Morello is the best I have met him personally an I took a couple of lessons from him learned more from him then i ever did any one else he is amazing i am blessed to have met him To me he has the fastest left hand in the world an if you get a chance try to find some of his earlier stuff he will amaze you to. He will be missed Love ya Joe ^5 buddy

[@mikeleza]

Watched a bunch of brushes videos but this one was the one that got me..... feel... groove... touch.... creativity..... really captivating playing. Go Joe!

[@TuttoHobby]

Very beautiful music!!!

[@tp10488]

How could anyone dislike this video? Even if you don't get it, have respect for one of the "true" masters.

[@Auldhelm]

I have watched this video two hundred times

[@Mrgregles]

we should all hale this late and great legend, thumbs up to joe morello!! The true master of the drum set !!!

[@DeenoMarteeno]

Love love love Joe Morello!

[@63Baggies]

+Deeno Marteeno I think we all do; RIP Joe :-)

[@spark_6710]

YES YES YES !👍

[@spark_6710]

@@63Baggies Yes ,don'tvwe all INDEED !!!🎵🎶🎵🎶🎵🎶🥁🥁🥁

[@relvis42]

God bless you Joe thanks for everthing you given us !

[@blujay2084]

A master. One of the greats, for sure. And so humble. A beautiful guy. .. @ 4:00 .. "It's an individual thing ........ Everyone has their little mark on the thing.......It's going to add your personality to it, your feeling"..

[@Pickinbuddy]

Thanks Joe! Too many of today's drummers don't know how to play with brushes--and these ones you are using here, sound so much better than those 'stick brushes' in wide use today.

[@Phrase]

Love this little Sonor Hilite kit!

[@oneminutetomidnight]

thanks to this guy, i use the all new super-fast carbon-fiber speed-metal beater/flappers for my double-bass drum pedal. they are so cray! you're going to love it!

[@sidpierce9219]

I was doing sound at a concert and I asked the drummer how he learned to play so well...he said, "Joe Morello was my drum teacher starting at age five." Dan was lucky to have been Dave Brubeck's kid and have Joe at his house all the time.

[@Drumdok89]

RIP Joe Morello. Such an amazing musician.

[@gianpaolopelizzaro1634]

I grew up listening to Mr Morello. RIP Joe

[@grollin5]

Thank God for Joe Morello! Hope we all get to play 'til we die...

[@fjbutch]

Saw a fella playing with brushes when I was around three or four, and loved them ever since ....

[@ericmiller7213]

Legendary, Gifted and Missed

[@riuota]

Rip Joe morello . simply the best of the best. you are a true god in the jazz world.

[@dhoosee]

What excellent HH work! Try and splash your hats with that kind of control, kids!

[@JonP1961]

I'm not the drummer in the family theory and nuances of the technique are well over my head. I just discovered this man from a link someone posted on "The Amazing Era Of The L.A. Session Men" containing a solo where Joe starts out with just his hands then moves to sticks. The control he has is quite impressive no matter what he's doing or what he's doing it with. Love that thing he's got happening there 3:00-3:03; takes NO time at all to get me moving to that groove!!

[@realzoomy]

Thank you! I just bought a snare drum yesterday and your video has got me started. xx

[@寺田一真-l3h]

さすが！

[@Cosmic83Girl]

R.I.P Joe... You will be missed by many...

[@marcojazzdrum]

a legend without a doubt !

[@ronkopald]

Fucking smooth as butter. What a great drummer.

[@PaparoniFilms]

What a great drummer Joe was

[@mothragore]

Awesome! I am going to try and learn this.

[@shmeegy2112]

My favorite drummer!

[@MindFullCheeseburger]

such a cool cat I look forward to trying this once i get my new snare head!!

[@jazzbutterworth]

My current drum teacher was taught by this awesome guy.

[@passion_flora]

luv. his. setup.

[@johanisu]

@jeffkahl He's actually got the snares on; notice how snare snap sound when he's explaining the left hand accent. However a lot of drummers do play snares off. One advantage is that you get rid of snare buzz, which is much more noticeable on quiet tunes. It also gives a softer sound; it's not so 'attacky'. It's the same deal with mallets. As Morello says it's all completely a personal choice. Experimentation is the key.

[@paulwall1981]

I love playing with brushes, but never get the feel right like the pros do.Mr Morello is amazing at making all he dose look easy. I really wish I was half as good as him.

[@bach730]

If there’s anything better than a guitar, walking bass, and brushes, I have yet to find it.

[@luizsanchesbatera]

Grande Mestre, FERA!!!!!!

[@H3s3lt1n3]

Joe is as smooth as silk and firm as the earth. "Earth".

[@mrperryjthomas]

Krupa and Rich were teen faves when I started getting into jazz forty years ago. Then I discovered the Dave Brubeck Quartet. Joe Morello was THE force behind Brubeck,for whom none of his different time signature pieces would have been as fully realized as they were. The sublimity of drummers like Morello,Max Roach,Ed Thigpen,Elvin Jones,etc.,is lost because some people hear a drummer,but they're not LISTENING to the drummer! I give Buddy points for making the drums popular, but there is more.

[@ckboss56]

masterful!!!!

[@woodfreak814]

Good for you mate

[@splash1152]

i took drum lessons when i was thirteen...i hated it because i wanted to drum to rock but my drum teacher was a jazz drummer so he made me hold sticks differently and read music i hated every second of it until he took me to see his buddy play...after dave brubeck concert was over we went back stage and played on joes drums and the he showed us how it was done...moral of the story is sometimes your parents know what there talking about

[@MrTamaguy]

Smooth as silk...

[@spark_6710]

AMAZING ! 👍💜💜💜💜🥁🎵🎶🎤🐲🐉🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@n.s.5001]

OMG! It REALLY is a brush!! Wow I just learnt something new today!! Thank you for sharing this 😘💖

[@nogoogleplus]

simple but so smooooooth

[@TheGurner1]

Magic!

[@pabloAXMO]

the snare sound!!!!

[@alancanham2956]

Joe's the greatest

[@salchaos]

What is there to dislike about this guy? Tell me why 8 jerks gave him thumbs down? Obviously they're not musicians. They must be shit-headed music critics. Critics do what they do because they have no talent. So they criticize. And Joe's dead. So what does it get you? Give the guy his due. He went through a lot and still was a monster.

[@pabloAXMO]

that snare sounds amazing

[@mancuniancandidatem]

Sonor HiLite.

[@Hillroad]

Goosebumps, anyone?

[@reassert]

Omg, extreme smooth left hand.

[@TheDrumminMan08]

@calv0n That's Steve Smith, one of the best drummers ever (along with Joe) and I think this part is presented almost like an interview.

[@MattSudeta]

Drum guru!!!

[@TheHellpoy]

That hihat though! (Besides the great playing)

[@JonP1961]

@TheDusterB Gold!

[@Drummingwizkid]

I wish I had 1/10th of this mans skill with brushes.

[@panhead55]

Paul Salmen you and me both!

[@drumsdwaud]

Joe is a tasty player, love his touch

[@maxcohen13]

Opening music for this video is from Dream Theater - As I Am.

[@Nemodave2000]

Great!!!! :-))

[@drumod100]

Great playing from a legend in jazzdrumming! Respect! Check out Jeff Hamilton and Steve Smith also if you're into brushes!

[@Slivarito]

Why is it that every time I go to watch jazz drummer videos, every single one has comments about Barker?

[@boanerges144]

This dude has been around a long time

[@turnitback]

As I get better as a drummer, it thrills me to find I’m getting there not only with jazz material such as expounded by masters such as Joe Morello, but also with some tricky rock and pop material. There are great drummers to be found in all genres of music. Bearing that in mind, what a shame that a thread about the great Joe Morello should descend into a slanging match and worse about Travis Barker. Surely, there is room for those who like JM and TB - as well as some who might like both.

[@howlingsandy]

I took from Joe when I was 13. Later I did two sets with the actual father of Rock & Roll Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup (just us) in a small club and the sound was better blended with one guitar and his voice to use brushes on some songs... Suddenly during one he looked at me and nodded for a solo.. Well, I was pretty good with the brushes and rhythm, but wasn't expecting a 5 minute solo then, the first time I played with Arthur. But it was fine, and still am sad the recorder I brought malfunctioned.

[@zerekx]

Is he playing with the snare off? Looks like the throw is off to me... great video, thanks much! :)

[@fuzzylogiceire]

I think it is indeed that song.

[@Velociamator]

When some chick comes up to the mic to sing "Summertime", I am so glad I brought my brushes.

[@DETROITBULLET]

So glad they got this before he passed away , he seems a bit frustrated with brush lessons , but hey NBD he was a legend in drumming , RIP J.M.

[@handidrummed]

Even given the fact that Joe Morello is dead, I still agree.

[@humanity6fl9]

a true chef, all the burners going and never forgetting to stir the pot.

[@Hankdeluxe]

Can't believe there are haters on Joe Morello. Go back to school kids !

[@MobiusRoom]

smooooooooooooth.....

[@TheFerdrumxbox]

waoa this is fucking amazing master of masters

[@TheTheSamG]

Genio'

[@Joemantoo]

Brushes are sort of a lost art these days. This is awesome.

[@VHflyboy]

Maybe I'm crazy, but the first few seconds sound a lot like the intro to As I Am by Dream Theater

[@timpani25]

i can't believe what i am seeing-- he is playing with his snares running side to side, no perpendiculer to his body!!!! holy toledo, batman. no puedo creer lo que estoy viendo-- su entorchada esta colocado izq. a der, y no perpendicular a su cuerpo. rayos-x!!!!!

[@CopeiiNike]

@terrypercussion24 hahahahah.. I was eating and the first comment i looked at was yours.. and right when i looked at the vid at like the 23 second range i bursted out laughing and choking on my food

[@jeffkahl]

does anyone happen to know why a lot of jazz drummers play brushes with the snares off? Morello's not the first I've seen to do this.

[@Ggaaiill2]

Brushes have a distinct sound and feel...

[@A_Flash1992]

does anyone know what kind of batter head he was using on that snare in this video? I want one!

[@krstudioworks]

Was that the intro to Dream Theater's 'As I Am' in the beginning?

[@TheFinalView]

@terrypercussion24 probably the glasses. RIP Joe.

[@hendersonskater]

Ringo For president? hahaha im jk, i just love the beatles. This is amazing Brush work!

[@bops4me]

Maybe a silly question but what are the make of brushes, so many seem to be plastic and not able to play a roll with them? Regards