Zigaboo Masterclass

BIMM Bristol held a masterclass with none other than Joseph ‘Zigaboo’ Modeliste who is known as one of the founding fathers of funk drumming.

BIMM Bristol student Dan Johnson who studies Drums and is a member of the BIMM house band gave the following review of the masterclass:

“This was one of the most enjoyable and beneficial masterclasses I’ve attended at BIMM. Zigaboo started from the beginning and discussed his influences from the New Orleans community and popular music, along with how he combined them with his own ideas to form his individual drumming style.  He also shared some great insights regarding growth and development as a musician.  He encouraged advanced listening, talked about how to use space effectively when composing, highlighted the importance of practice and told students to have the courage to go for it and to strive to learn as much as possible. This was such an inspiring masterclass. I went home and practiced all night!”

Dan was also given the opportunity to Drum Tech for Zigaboo at the Bristol Jazz & Blues Festival.  Here’s what he had to say about this remarkable experience:

“We arrived at Colston Hall at 3.30 pm and proceeded to the stage to set up gear. Zigaboo arrived for sound check and necessary adjustments were made to his kit.  During the show we had to make sure none of the stands or drums were moving out of position. Thankfully there were no major issues during the performance. Zigaboo’s playing was great and the audience were cheering for more.  We packed down the gear and after a quick chat with Zigaboo and his manager we left to enjoy the rest of the festival. It has been a privilege to work with such a legendary musician and I have gained some invaluable experience from this placement that I will be able to apply in my future.”