The Lee Charlton Interview

In the great lexicon of drummers some are often equipped with a lot to say. They know their primary job is to accompany and swing the band but it hard when they have their own thing to say.

Mose Allison once said that producers and A&R guys wanted drummers to play backbeat in order to make a hit song or record. While there is nothing wrong with backbeat it has in some ways has stilted what drummers think they can say with their trap set.

Of coarse drummers can overplay and get in the way of free form improvisation but like the late great George Muribus said a about my guest he is never stepping on his toes.

Born in Alabama my guest today has the New Orleans stomp and strut mentality. Instruments can be made from many objects and the transformative sounds they make fuel spiritual swinging melodic percussive sound. Just look @ the kinds of people he has played with. Ellis Marsalis, Tom Donlinger, George Marsh, Mike Nock, Mel Graves, Len Lasher, Richard Waters, the aforementioned Allison and Muribus and the celebrated Aussie Bryce Rhode.

He continues to gig in the Bay Area. Playing to people of all ages and all parts of the world. In many ways the music he contributed to some 40 years ago holds up well if not better in today's overly produced, machine reliant music landscape.

Always with something to say Lee Charlton welcome to the JFS