The "Downfall of Paris" reverberated through the beautiful Dominion- Chalmers church in downtown Ottawa Monday evening May 1st as the 10 member Heritage Hands Ottawa Drum Club were joined by jazz & "fusion" great Billy Cobham in a performance of this rudimental classic. While the club played the traditional snare and bass drum arrangement Billy "kicked it up a notch" on his kit.
The club was honoured to open for Billy on the Ottawa leg of his cross Canada tour sponsored by Yamaha Canada and hosted by Long & McQuade, Ottawa. The club performed an exciting and energetic set that included a new piece called "Matrix" and updated another old classic "Empty Pockets" by adding a blindfolded drum-to-drum section before a crowd of 125 to 150 percussion enthusiasts. Billy then followed with an inspirational display of kit mastery and spoke fondly of his drum corps days and the fact that he had most likely competed against many in our group. I hope it was as much fun for Billy as it was for us.... what a thrill! |
