Name: John Hollenbeck
Nationality: American
Occupation: Composer, drummer, improviser
Current release: John Hollenbeck's new album with the quartet George, Letters to George, is out now. It features Anna Webber (tenor saxophone, flute), Aurora Neal (voice, alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, keyboards), and Chiquita Magic (keyboards, voice, piano)
Pure Drum Music recommendations:
Ionisation by Varese
Any solo percussion recording by Steve Schick
Any recording of the solo or ensemble percussion music of Xenakis
Any solo Tabla recordings
Drumming Birds by Bob Moses/Billy Martin
Alone by Doug Hammond
Other Not Elsewhere by Pete Zeldman
Player piano music by Conlon Nancarrow

If you enjoyed this John Hollenbeck interview and would like to find out more about his music, visit his official homepage. He is also on Facebook, and twitter. For the thoughts of two of his collaborators, read our Theo Bleckmann interview, and our Scott Roller interview.



What was your first drum set like and what are you using today?

Santa Claus gave me a Blue Sparkle Round-badge Gretsch kit with calfskin heads when I was 10 years old!

I still use the snare drum, but my normal kits are “nesting” kits from Drummer’s World (a great drum store in NYC that is now unfortunately gone.) I love their sound but what is unique about them is that all the drums fit into each other, so it is ideal for traveling!

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

In my first 20 years of playing, I was carrying my own drums a lot, so I grew to appreciate lightweight drums and especially the new lightweight hardware more than any other factor!

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?

Unlike Neil, for the last 20 years, I rarely perform on my own drums, so the drums I play influence me greatly and on a good night inspire me!

In this situation, the challenge which great drummers can do, is to still maintain your sound on drums that you don’t know and never played on before.

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

I love Brazilian folk music, especially from the Northeast. African traditional from mostly central western Africa and Balinese music. The grooves are so deep that I come back to these traditions every day for inspiration.

My body reacts immediately to these types of music, which is the most important sign to look out for and the clearest indication that the music taps into the deepest levels of experience.

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

Compared to today, it was much more difficult just to get information. (I’m referring to pre-internet days).

For example, recently I found a simple chart on polyrhythms online and wondered how much better I would be if I had seen that chart 40 years ago!

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

Practicing slow quarter notes with all four limbs at a very slow tempo for long periods is by far the most important exercise for me. Within this simple exercise, I practice concentration/focus, rhythmic precision, posture and sound production!

I have taught this to many students and they all agree, it is a magical exercise!

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

I have always gravitated toward something personal, but I don’t have the “distance” to know what that sounds like to others.

But I can describe what I’m trying to do: I strive to be musical, to improvise compositionally and compose with an improvisational slant. I try to play with clarity and transparency so the details like overtones of the music can be heard from the other instruments.

I enjoy music that sounds like something I have not heard before, so I strive for that uniqueness.

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

In the body! That is where they must live!

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

Time signatures group a certain number of beats into a unit, which makes certain beats “strong” and others “weak”. I think these units affect the player more than the listener because the time signatures are often in their heads but not usually audible.  

As for tempo, the slower the tempo, the more space there is around the rhythms/beats. And at slower tempos, the listener can actually hear the music better, there is more time to hear the rhythms, beat and spaces.

What is the relationship between harmony, rhythm and melody?

I would agree with Ernest Toch, that in addition to form and counterpoint, these are the “Shaping Forces of Music.” They complement each other!

But as a drummer, I will always argue that rhythm is by far the most important!

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

All instruments play rhythm so everyone contributes equally! Everyone plays time!

For drummers, it would normally be there main job, but the other instrumentalists all are important in making the music groove!

Different drums have a distinct sound and drums and percussion are also timbral instruments. What drum sound are you aiming for and how are you making use of the timbral potentials and possibilities of your instruments?

In order to blend, be present but not overpower, I aim for clear, dry and either high or low sounds … staying away from ringy, mid-range sounds.

I first started using this type of sound when I was getting my first pieces played. I realized that with my sizzle cymbals and ringy drums I could not hear the overtones or details of the harmony.

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 have a good story about that! A few years ago, I had a dream that on my door, it read “SOUND AND FEEL,” so I printed those words out and put them on my door the next day. It is a daily reminder of the most important elements in drumming and that is what I listen for! They are both somewhat intangible, but it is important to keep them in front!!!  

Sound is the very first thing you hear, even before you hear time or a beat/groove. It can be so powerful that I sometimes get chills just from one note!

Feel is really about micro-listening … hearing exactly where everyone is playing the beat and hopefully picking the right place to make it feel good!

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

1000%! I have been trying to compose since even before I knew anything about music. Because of my composition practice, when I’m on the drums, I’m basically composing, but in real-time.

I think it has helped me play other musicians compositions because I understand what it is like from their standpoint. I have a lot of empathy for their pieces.

How has technology, such as drum machines and sequencers, impacted the way rhythm is created and perceived? Has it been a concrete influence on your own approach?

The concept of quantization has saturated recorded music but also naturally evolved to more recent concepts of de-quantization. (Thank you, J Dilla!)

But at this point, these machines have been around long enough to be integrated as “instruments.” I’m greatly influenced by the musicians who use those “instruments”!

Physical strain is a particularly serious issue for many drummers. How does it manifest itself, how do you deal with it and in how far does it affect your creativity?

I know a lot of drummers that had tendonitis, primarily from over-use.

When it happens to my students, we discuss how there are activities you can do that can help your playing more than practicing, like listening!

Since I don’t play loud or super repetitive music, my only major injuries have come from carrying drums/hardware!

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?

Mic-ing the bass drum from the beater side and just two stereo overheads. For me that is the best sound!

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

I’m not sure why but the healing power of rhythm is palpable, most likely linked to the beat we all have (our heartbeat).