Bang the Cymbal Slowly

The bandleader is the drummer. And one of the most influential modern drummers on top of that. The Paul Motian Quartet just wrapped up six nights at the Village Vanguard, and I caught one of their shows. At age 75, Motian really knows how to tap and bang that cymbal just right, after all he's played with some of the best, such as Bill Evans and Bill Frisell. What was interesting was that each band member's instrument (sax, piano, and bass) sounded like the drum-playing: staccato bursts, free-form abstraction, and zen-like repetition. However, this wasn't just a noisy commotion of notes. The music was layered, rich and deep.