Gerald Heyward video interview!!!!

[JFunky]

...ooooooookaaaaaaaaayy

...that sounds like something "Div" would say.  Hmmmm.

[cdrums116]

Whats up Calvin hope all is well, ok now to start: Tony Williams changed the face of fusion and jazz...You talk to Gadd and he himself will tell you that! Chick Corea told Gadd back in the day to go and start listening to Tony Williams...That's what changed Gadd into what he is today...History lesson over..

Anyway Yo we both agree on the role that Gerald has played on Gospel drumming but the argument is, is Gerald Heyward the Steve Gadd of Gospel Drumming and I still say no! A huge influence yes but so are Marvin, Jeremy, Coon, Jeff Davis, secular: Stokley! How small is your Gospel world to give such a huge credit to only one man! Gadd is a modern day Buddy Rich and you want to put Gerald on that level, now that's cracked!!

Each drummer I mentioned has had a huge impact on my playing just as much as Gerald....Gadd Had and Has it all, everything, finess, power, speed, musicality, innovation, can play everything (music wise) like he was born playing it....Can we say that for Gerald...NO! Marvin, Jeremy, Coon, Jeff Davis, Stokley musically speaking can play way better then Gerald but when it comes to raw none of them can touch Gerald!

All of them have helped make gospel drumming what it is today, NOT ONE MAN!

Line of progression, you just dont understand it...lets drop that

You just proved my point BBD!!!!! Thank you sir...LOL! You said Gadd credited Tony Williams with changing his approach to drums. BUT....Steve Gadd doesn't sound like Tony Williams. His approach to drums, and the way he revolutionized it was definitely reminiscent of Tony tho. Tony inspired Steve Gadd, a great deal. And so he went and started working on his approach towards the drums, based on what Tony had opened him up to. But somewhere in there, he came up with his own thing. We know it as Steve Gadd! And that's the point I'm trying to make with Gerald! Yes, other drummers were playing great stuff! And yes, some of them HELPED revolutionize gospel/RnB drumming. But Gerald changed a whole generation! It's cool to agree, to disagree. I can talk drums all day man! The wonderful thing about these conversations....NO ONE IS RIGHT OR WRONG. This is a matter of opinion and preference. Holla back!

[bigblackdrummer]

You just proved my point BBD!!!!! Thank you sir...LOL! You said Gadd credited Tony Williams with changing his approach to drums. BUT....Steve Gadd doesn't sound like Tony Williams. His approach to drums, and the way he revolutionized it was definitely reminiscent of Tony tho. Tony inspired Steve Gadd, a great deal. And so he went and started working on his approach towards the drums, based on what Tony had opened him up to. But somewhere in there, he came up with his own thing. We know it as Steve Gadd! And that's the point I'm trying to make with Gerald! Yes, other drummers were playing great stuff! And yes, some of them HELPED revolutionize gospel/RnB drumming. But Gerald changed a whole generation! It's cool to agree, to disagree. I can talk drums all day man! The wonderful thing about these conversations....NO ONE IS RIGHT OR WRONG. This is a matter of opinion and preference. Holla back!

True man all I have is love for you and your talent man! Your playing only gets better as you get older. I was talking to G.Mayes (I love his drumming too) the other day and we were both saying we really like where your playing is going and the place you are entering into. No one is right or wrong it is all personal and everyone was effected by Gerald in different ways. I remember one year (91-92) I was playing with my high school jazz choir and I played Gerald licks the whole show! Hehehe

I changed when I started to do studio and producing artists. I find that Marvin McQuitty, Terry Baker, and real musical drummers mean more to me then raw blazin. I like way you mix the best of all worlds and I try to do the same when I play. Yo lets hook it up some time, my email is curtisbernardgigs@hotmail.com send me your number and Ill holla at you......I have to go change the baby...peace!

[bobby1361]

Just had to set the recordstraight.  Im from NYC and many people dont realize that Gerald did tell the truth that he 1st payed the congas.  I have a TriBoro Mass choir album from either 1980 or 1981 and there is Gerald at the congas playing at about 10 or 11 years old! Iwas stunned when I found out his age!  about 2 years later I went the the Instutional Church and saw him playing the drums for the world famous Radio Choir and was told that he was the church drummer and choir drummer!  he was about 13 years old!  He was doing the foot thing in NYC before anybody!  I mean anybody!  His uncle Professor Butch Heyward was the organinst (and my organ teacher) and when theyplayed together it was magic!  Geralds is pctured on the inside album cover next to another great NYC musican and choir director Elder Jeffery White  who used to have the Soul Stirring Crusade Choir out of Brroklyn NY from which Hezakiah Walker got his 1st chance to record and then he left to start his own choir!
Gerald is no Johnny come lately eventhough he is young!  Dude has years in this drumming game!  I dont personally know him but what I saw of him back in the earlier 1980's up to now he is a humble indivdual!
I really respect dude and his lifestyle of keeping God in the picture!