Billy Martin
I studied rhythm with Billy in the mountains and woods of NY. August 2008. The man is intimidating. But he really isn't. He's in control at all points to hold it down musically in his band Medeski, Martin and Wood. He changes rhythm into melody. He sees music as 2 people beating on logs between large distances. Each person talks through a rhythm on the log as a language. I didn't really get that just listening to Billy. But I did get it talking to him.
Billy put out a few breakbeat albums as illyB for DJ's to play around with for a future album. He put out at least 30 badass funky beats to do what you wanted with. I submitted 6 remixes for 2 of the albums he put out as remix albums. Needless to say I wasn't accepted. But I did mix Billy in with Hendrix, Chicago, Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, and Japanese meditation music. Maybe that's why I didn't get in. He said not to sample copywritten music but I thought I disguised it tastefully. Maybe he didn't hear the samples. Maybe he did.
Billy said that for all improv you need a beginning and an end, and a determined amount of time in between. And it works. The drummer does subtle cues to change.
I asked Billy about what he thought about using samplers and electronics and groove music and he told me to listen to Wu-Tang. And I think that is deep, because I like Wu-Tang, and they do sample and quantize.
He also said that your limitations define yourself. As did many others.
Here's is a clip I can't embed but is a great clip of Billy soloing. He starts making a glass bowing noise using a metal rod on a home-made cowbell of sorts. I have seen it live and it is cool, but the mics don't pick it up well here. He also has a Zildjian cymbal cut out to be a long hanging ride cymbal closest to the camera during the song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KeyT1mxWvY
Here is Billy doing his percussion act live. He is the only drummer I have EVER seen live (only John Bonham on DVD has it beat) that can hold down the show on his own. I thought that every time I have seen him do "IT".
Billy brought up the term "Avante-God". A mistaken word but cool. Here is MMW trading licks.
Emulate the music that inspires you .... Billy Martin.