In an effort to expand and renew the minds of my fellow LGMers I would like to share a couple quotations from some of my readings. these came from the MD Drummer's Blog written by fusion drumming great Richie Morales. Get into your craft and open your eyes and ears to the world around you. God created it all for our benefit. Let's use it.
A parallel between martial arts and drumming that I enjoy is the importance of the fundamentals: posture, breathing, and technique—the basics. Both disciplines require years of study and practice just to get to the point of where you can begin to “scratch the surface.” A black belt means a student is ready to start learning, not that he’s reached the end. When I had the opportunity to work with the late, great Afro-Cuban percussionist Carlos “Patato” Valdes, he often would to say “…No masters! We’re all students here.”
-- Ricky Morales, fusion great
“…It would be of great assistance to a karateka to become involved in the rhythmic occurrences of everyday life such as music and dance, and so on. This will lead to a unification of mind and body, which will serve as the firm foundation for growth and excellence in any undertaking.”
—Mas Oyama