MR

Got a killer trip happening this weekend. My dad is flying in and we are driving with my sons down to Indianapolis to the PASIC convention and expo where Smith is playing with the Airmen of Note big band in tribute to Buddy Rich. Check out the Airmen of Note if you haven't. They're Air Force band and they are quite amazing. Not to mention it will be Veterans Day. My dad was Air Force and a huge Buddy Rich fan and Steve Smith fan. He's 84 (my dad, not Smith). Of course I'm a Smith fan. He's also doing a clinic on Friday and another show(?) on Sunday that I hope we get to.

omg.. Smitty is a HUGE Buddy Rich fan.. thats gonna be an awesome show..


Steve Smith & The Buddy Rich Big Band: Straight No Chaser - 1991
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-DKcUfcDXg

I really have no words for how good this show and weekend were. Got to meet and talk to Steve twice. Between the clinic and main show got to see about 5 or 6 solos, each better than the next. Seeing him with a 13 piece horn section was nothing short of incredible. I say without hesitation that he is absolutely one of the best musicians of any instrument in the world. Absolute master. I'm not romanticizing that. He's so far beyond good it's ridiculous.

It's interesting to see this person that I've admired most of my life in a setting where he's seen with such respect and admiration. And entire convention of folks that know this is the guy. The guy from the band I got teased for in high school for being a fan of. Trippy, to say the least.

Memorex wrote:I really have no words for how good this show and weekend were. Got to meet and talk to Steve twice. Between the clinic and main show got to see about 5 or 6 solos, each better than the next. Seeing him with a 13 piece horn section was nothing short of incredible. I say without hesitation that he is absolutely one of the best musicians of any instrument in the world. Absolute master. I'm not romanticizing that. He's so far beyond good it's ridiculous.

It's interesting to see this person that I've admired most of my life in a setting where he's seen with such respect and admiration. And entire convention of folks that know this is the guy. The guy from the band I got teased for in high school for being a fan of. Trippy, to say the least.

That's fantastic! Glad to hear that you had such an amazing experience.

I got to see Steve with Vital Information about 10 years ago at Zanzibar Blue in Philly, which was a small, intimate jazz club. We greased the host's palm with a $20 bill and got to sit at the table right in front of the stage. I was sitting no more than 10 feet in front of his drum kit. So I get what you mean about it being a trippy experience!

Again, thanks for sharing!

Memorex wrote:I really have no words for how good this show and weekend were. Got to meet and talk to Steve twice. Between the clinic and main show got to see about 5 or 6 solos, each better than the next. Seeing him with a 13 piece horn section was nothing short of incredible. I say without hesitation that he is absolutely one of the best musicians of any instrument in the world. Absolute master. I'm not romanticizing that. He's so far beyond good it's ridiculous.

It's interesting to see this person that I've admired most of my life in a setting where he's seen with such respect and admiration. And entire convention of folks that know this is the guy. The guy from the band I got teased for in high school for being a fan of. Trippy, to say the least.

I'm glad that you had such a great time! You're definitely right about Smith being one of the absolute greatest on any instrument in the world. IMO he is the greatest all-around drummer in history.

I was able to meet Smith at one of his Vital Information shows in Cleveland back in the early 1990's. He spotted that I was wearing a Journey shirt and he came over to say hello and thank me for seeing the show. I had the second best table in front of the stage at the show.