LARRY: Time!! Everybody talks about it but, very few people really passionately persue it. It takes dedication and a humble attitude to really do the things you need to do to have great time.

Q: What are some of those things:

LARRY: Well, one big one is remembering that the music is more important than your instrument. If you truly play for the music, inevidably you will come to the conclusion that if someting isn't played in time, it has no impact, so how you think is going to be the most important factor towards having great time. You won't play a groove unless you want to play a groove.

Q: What’s the difference between great “time” and a great “feel”?

 LARRY: Time ( to me ) is training your body through muscle memory to execute and hear rhythms accurately and with an even flow. A great feel is when your time is solid and flowing, you play with appropriate inter-dynamics. and commit yourself to the music and play something that works well for the tune. If this is all happening, that’s a great feel.

Q: I’ve heard you say that a great feel is a rare thing. Why do you think that is?

 LARRY: Well, the most obvious thing to me is that many people consider “feeling” the music and having good technique and time are somehow two different things. You know, like the nerd in school who gets all A’s versus the cool popular kid with street smarts. One is kindof theoretical and the other more real life. If you work hard to gain command of your instrument just for that reason only, then you will sound like you have only “class room” smarts when you play. Your playing will sound cold and academic. But, if you are all about the music, then those technical skills will allow you to say what you want to make the music sound good, it’s the means to an ends. I’ve also known many people who really play for the music but, don’t have good command of the instrument. They will play something that sounds good but, they often can’t execute what they really want to play because they don’t have the technique. Technique is the “means”, music is the “ends” if you really want to play from the heart you need to be into both.

Q:—Who are some of the drummers that you’ve listened to who are good examples of this?

 LARRY—There are many…the ones I really gravitated to I came to know through the music. In other words, I’d hear a great tune and would look at the credits. I started seeing some of the same names coming up, Jeff Pocaro, Steve Gadd, Bernard Purdie, Steve Jordan, Ed Green etc. When I first listened to Jazz the same thing happened…”Philly” Joe Jones, Jimmy Cobb etc. There are many others but, these guys played for the music, and their sound and vocabulary were indicative of someone who had serious control of the drums.