Name: Kenny Wollesen
Occupation: Drummer, percussionist, composer, instrument builder
Nationality: American
Current release: Kenny Wollesen's LATRALA, featuring Tony Scherr (guitar), Christopher Thomas (acoustic bass), Michael Coleman (electric piano, synths), and Nasheet Waits (drums) is out via Otherly Love.
Pure Drumming Recommendations: Pieces of Time by Milford Graves, Andrew Cyrille, Kenny Clarke, and Famoudou Don Moye; Jerome Cooper: The Unpredictability of Predictability; Jack DeJohnette: Pictures; Wollesonic Records Vol. 5 - track 4, "Soquel Hi" has a duet with me and the great drummer Jeff Ballard. A full record of those duets will be coming out soon on Wollesonic Records.

If you enjoyed this Kenny Wollesen interview and would like to know more about his work, visit the official Wollesonic homepage.  For interviews with two of his collaborators, read our Trevor Dunn interview and our Jamie Saft interview.



What was your first drum set like?

My first drum set was bought for me by my dear mother when I was a kid. She bought it with the help of my first drum teacher - Scott Musick. That's right —— Scott Musick!!!! (Scott Musick is a great drummer whose claim to fame was with the new wave rock band called —— “the call”)

The drum set was a beautiful 1960s Blue Sparkle Ludwig. 20” bass drum 12” tom 14” floor tom and matching blue sparkle snare drum. I still have that kit! Amazing drum set!!



What are you using today?

(depending on my mood and the situation) I play either the 1960s black Sonor Kit that used to belong to the great drummer Connie Kay of the Modern Jazz Quartet

Or

The 80s white Tama kit that used to belong to the great drummer Elvin Jones.

What, to you personally, are factors in terms of build and design that you appreciate in drums and percussion instruments?

I love that all drums and percussion are built and designed in never ending ways and are personal and unique. Every one unique.  I love that.

Did you know I make my own instruments?

I call them “wollesonics.” Here are but a few …….



And some more ...



Late Rush-drummer Neil Peart said: “The equipment is not an influence. It doesn't affect the way I play. It's an expression of the way I play.” What's your take on that?

Well … My take on that is …. The instrument most definitely influences me!!! No doubt. 100%.

However, if one has a million doller Stradivarius and doesn’t know how to play ………. it's likely its gonna sound shitty. But if one  knows how to play …… one can make the best music on the shittiest instrument.

Drumming is an integral part of many cultures, and traditions. Which of these do you draw from in your playing?

I try to gobble up as much as I can from everywhere I can. Here are but a few ……

Black american music-bam
Brasilian
Korean
Eritrean
Moroccan
Turkish
Nigerian
Native american aboriginal
Malian
Indonesian
Ghanaian
Armenian
Lithuanian

Etc etc etc

Why? Because it sounds so off-the-grill-goddamn-good yo!!

What were some of the main challenges in your development as a drummer / percussionist?

Rent
Drugs & alcohol
Capitalism
Assholes

Which practices, exercises, or experiences were most helpful in reaching your goals?

Goals are for suckers. Goal without goal (as John Cage liked to say).

What do you think you're doing different than other drummers?

Probably not much. However, I am me. Nobody can be me.

So that makes me different.

How do you experience the concepts of "groove," "swing," and "rhythmic feel" in music?

By completely letting go of useless concepts of “groove” “swing” “rhythmic feel” “time signatures” “tempo” “harmony” “rhythm” “melody” so much so that it all disappears in the abyss never to be thought of again to the point where all thought itself vanishes.

Thinking doesn’t work at all!!!!

How do time signatures and tempo affect our perception of rhythm?

See answer to previous question.

What is the relationship between harmony, rhythm and melody?

See answer to previous question.

How do non-percussion instruments contribute to the overall rhythmic texture of a piece?

Are there non-percussion instruments? I would suggest that everything (I mean everything) contributes to the overall rhythmic texture of …..

Well …..

… Everything.

Different drums have a distinct sound and drums and percussion are also timbral instruments. What drum sound are you aiming for?

I'm not “aiming for.”

How are you making use of the timbral potentials and possibilities of your instruments?

Making use of timbral potentials and possibilities depends on so many factors and often happens in a split second ….

Here are but a few factors …

1. the musicians/instruments you are playing with
2. the space you are playing in
3. your touch
4. the audience (if there is one)
5. curiosity
6. not thinking
7. making mistakes and then immediately recognizing that there are no “mistakes”
8. knowledge of how drums and percussion are made
9. volume
10.one’s ability to live in the moment

In relation to drumming, Stewart Copeland said: “Listening is where the cool stuff comes from. And that listening thing, magically, turns all of your chops into gold.” What do you listen for?

I don’t “listen for" anything. However, when I play music, I try to listen to everything. (By that I mean …….. Every Thing) I try to take it all in (by that I mean ……. All)

Listening is what it’s all about!! Hafez (the great 12 century sufi poet) said: “You don’t listen with your ears, you don’t see with your eyes, you see and listen with your heart.”

Do you feel that honing your compositional / songwriting skills has an effect on your drumming skills?

Most defintely. Learning about structure and placement is essential to being a drummer.

How has technology, such as drum machines and sequencers, impacted the way rhythm is created and perceived?

That’s a big question …. Technology most certainly has changed the way music is created and perceived. On the creation side, in the right hands, it has opened up so many new exciting worlds to be explored and mastered

As far as how it is perceived I imagine it's more personal and subliminal. My sense is that people are more used to hearing sounds created by a computer and come to expect those sounds in live performances. Which at times can be kind of …………. awkward ……..  for the both creator and listener.

Has it been a concrete influence on your own approach?

Yes it has. I enjoy playing my Nord drum machine and my spdx. There is a roulette table feel to my Nord where I can spin the dials randomly and see where it takes me …. It’s really fun to see what you get and then find ways to work it in the music. I love it!

Basically I think of most drum technology as super cowbells!

Physical strain is a particularly serious issue for many drummers. How does it manifest itself?

I've been lucky (knock on wood) that I haven’t experienced much serious physical strain.

How do you deal with the pain you did experience?

One of my drum teachers (the great drummer Jerome Cooper) told me that if you start to feel pain, you should stop immediately and let it heal …. in other words, don’t push it.

I also follow the lead of the great drummer Donald “duck” Bailey …. Donald told me to try to always switch up the way I set up my drums — like sitting at different heights / having the cymbals in different locations - high, then low etc. That way one doesn’t get stuck in a physical rut which can often lead to pain.

He also told me to purposely park far away from your gig so that you are guaranteed a healthy long walk before and after your gig.

In how far does it affect your creativity?

Pain and creativity are complete different and separate things. However, pain, I suppose, can be a fantastic spark for creativity.

Many recording engineers have remarked that the drums can be particularly hard to capture. What, from your perspective, makes drums sound great on record and in a live setting?

The obvious answer is …. The drummer makes the drums sound good on a recording and in a live setting.

For me, recording and playing live are two completely different experiences. I love them both!!

Maybe the reason many recording engineers find the drums particularly hard to capture is that some view the drum set as a collection of many instruments (hi hat, bass drum, snare drum, ride cymbal etc). To me, that's a weird way to view it. To me, the drum set is one instrument. I play it as one instrument.

Drums and percussion are remarkably often used for physical therapy / healing. What, from your point of view, makes them particularly suitable tools for this?

Well … What kind of drums and percussion are you talking about? Are you talking about gongs? Singing bowls? Tibetan bells? What about thunder sheets? Slap sticks? Ratchets? Drum machines?

I would say that drums and percussion are not necessarily, particularly suited for healing.

However, I firmly believe that …. In the right hands ….

Music Is

The

Healing

Force

Of

The

Universe

(and that includes all drums & percussion)