Revisting an old friend, Karen Carpenter

I teach a 13 year-old girl on the Upper East Side. Full of life and spunk, I look forward every Tuesday and Friday to teaching "Stick Tricks," as she dubs herself. Lessons are not ordinary, we work on style, technique, interpretation, but we also study Herstory of drumming. That's right. We explore the feminine perspective of American pop music.

Since, I was a little girl, my Dad thought it important to feature female drummers as sources of inspiration and courage. He knew that after a while, it might seem odd or even discouraging not to find many female percussionists/drummers. So every so often he would pull out Modern Drummer or a vinyl record and play me recordings of fantastic female drummers. Those listening hangs had such a profound effect on my musical perspective and how I valued my artistry beside male colleagues. Needless to say, I believe it is essential for male and female students to hear examples of all styles and artists, women and men. Especially for beginners, having a role model helps guide, encourage, and inspire students on their musical journeys.

Today I brought in Karen Carpenter. Born March 2, 1950 and died February 4, 1983, Karen began playing glockenspiel in high school band, but soon picked up the drums. Playing in college with her brother Richard, they signed their first recording contract in 1969. Originally playing drums and singing, Karen was eventually pressured to stand at the microphone because it was deemed more feminine. As she became more famous, she played less and less drums. Eventually, most of her fans were sadly unaware that she was first and foremost a drummer who happened to sing.

There are a few things that strike me about Karen's playing. First, her technique is impeccable. Clean, fast, and powerful, she had a feather touch and yet her sound was resonant and full. Another things I loved was her smile and energy. She wore the same grin that Gene Krupa did, that kind of presence is infectious and uplifting. But what really gets me is that Karen could sing and play easily.

"Stick Tricks" was not impressed with Karen, she said that she didn't find her particularly inspiring, but I simply replied, "Is it easy to count aloud and play?" "Well imagine singing beautifully and playing all that craziness!" Even though "Stick Tricks" couldn't identify with Karen's music, she still understood the important contribution Karen made and why we were taking a moment to study her.

Who knows how far-reaching these glimpses into Herstory can be. My hope is that if students are confronted with challenges they can look to those who have come before them for guidance and courage. Plus, at the very least Karen and I finally got "Stick Tricks" to count aloud while practicing her 5-stroke roll. :)



For more information about Herstory, female drummers, or lessons, please email me.

The Novelty of a Woman

Tonight I was scoping out Twitter, looking for more like-minded artists. Randomly, I searched "female drummers." I was amused at what I found. A few too many bi-curious girls exclaiming how "haute" chick drummers are and even more men expounding on the subject. Listen folks...people, men and women, have been playing drums since well, forever! There is nothing new here.

I asked myself, "If I searched for male drummers, what would come up?" Take a guess. Well, there were only 4 tweets, compared to the hundreds that pop up with "female drummers."

What does this mean? First, drummers are often assumed to be male. Second, male drummers are not hyper-sexualized, nor is their sexuality more important than their art. Lastly, male drummers do not deal with being compared to female drummers to determine whether or not they are worthy and/or credible musicians.

Don't get me wrong, there's nothing bad about finding female drummers attractive. Nor is there anything wrong with being a female drummer. Heck! I am a female drummer. I just find it degrading to focus on female drummers for their attractiveness and sexuality, rather than their music.

Here's what I suggest, the next time you or someone you know encounters a female drummer, take stock of their playing and artistry first. If you have to, close your eyes. Try to listen with fresh ears and reserve judgments. Resist the urge to comment on their gender, attractiveness, or sexuality. Instead, focus on their energy and how their music affects you.

And please do not tweet about your puppy love for female drummers. That's the equivalent of asking Robert Pattinson for a lock of hair at a Twilight convention. Yuck!

Susie Ibarra: Electronic Kulintang

With so few vacation days, teachers try their best to separate themselves from all things work-related. So what did I do with my Spring break? I taught. Practiced. Organized. Visited family. And of course, attended a concert. I had the fortune of seeing Susie Ibarra and Roberto Rodriguez aka Electronic Kulintang at the Lincoln Center Atrium.

I say fortune because being in the Atrium is an experience in itself. A long corridor with two walls of creeping, hanging vines and fronds jutting out horizontally. The air is so fresh and the high ceilings and smooth tiles make for deep and reverberating acoustics. On this evening, Susie had one set of pitched gongs, one set of tuned metal plates, one xylophone of sorts, and a drum set, which she shared with Roberto who also played amplified cajon and laptop.

I must say I was impressed. Initially, the trance n' dance electronica loops did not do much for me, but Susie artfully infused filipino rhythms and motifs into the tracks. As each track passed, the beats were more involved, more provoking. Until finally my interest peaked when she assumed her throne at the drum set, her mastery of sound and precision transparent, weaving a seamless groove from brushes merely rapping drum shells in typical minimalist style.

To give you a little background, I grew up hearing about Susie Ibarra. My dad, a local jazz drummer, encouraged me to practice by citing amazing female drummers as inspirations. Among Karen Carpenter, Cindy Blackman, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Sheila E. there was Susie Ibarra. In addition to being a female drummer/percussionist, she is also Filipina. There are not that many of us out there.

I am thankful that these women have paved a path for other female instrumentalists. Inspiring us to take steps towards the music we love and 'going for it.' Especially to Susie, for all her research in indigenous Filipino music and bringing it to our attention. Actually, I hope this December to take a trip to the Philippines to visit family and learn more about the music of my people.