2008 featured the dawn of a new series of instructional videos from Hudson Music – Master Series. The first three releases in this series featured no less than Antonio Sanchez, John Blackwell and the incomparable Steve Gadd – each a master in their own right!

These DVDs feature Drumming Greats presenting masterclass sessions with a live audience. Question and Answer sessions with the audience provide an unscripted, insightful look into the creative minds of these master drummers!

Check out some Preview cuts from the Master Series releases!

The relaxed setting of these DVDs allows these artists to explore their concepts in a natural, organic way with the live audience – some performing with a band, others with pre-recorded tracks, and some still simply performing unaccompanied.

Read on to learn more about the Master Series and to view free video from each!

Antonio Sanchez Master Series

The first title in the Master Series collection features three-time Grammy award winner Antonio Sanchez. Playing selections from the Pat Metheny Group, along with compositions by Chick Corea and Antonio himself, Antonio covers technical, musical, and philosophical points that apply to drummers of all styles.

Topics include practicing, hand technique, motivic development, left-foot clavé, playing stylistically, developing independence, finding your own voice, soloing ideas, odd-meter clavé, recording with Pat Metheny, professionalism, and the importance of having the right attitude. Antonio takes these advanced concepts and clearly explains his personal approach to each.

Steve Gadd Master Series

The next release as part of the Master Series featured the legendary Steve Gadd. On this DVD, Steve is featured in an intimate master class setting at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City, May 2006.

Longtime fans of Steve— as well as younger drummers just discovering him— will treasure Steve’s wisdom and insights on a wide variety of topics: funk patterns, rudiments applied to the kit, playing with a click, tips for the studio, brush patterns, odd phrases, Mozambique/Latin ideas: it’s all here!

The extensive question-and-answer segments allow Steve to discuss several of his legendary performances, including “Aja,” “Nite Sprite,” “Late in the Evening” and “50 Ways to Your Lover.” Steve also performs solo pieces that contain the essential tools and techniques that comprise his incredibly influential style and approach.

John Blackwell Master Series

The third 2008 release in the Master Series collection features RnB drumming master John Blackwell, best known for his work with artists such as Prince, Patti LaBelle and Justin Timberlake.

John performs original compositions and touches on topics including grooving, playing in the pocket, foot technique and showmanship, along with extensive commentary and demonstrations of the grooves and concepts that have influenced him. Not only does the master drummer discuss the way the song and groove evolved along with the specific techniques that are involved in the performance, he demonstrates the patterns at normal and slow speeds to provide students with a deeper, fuller understanding of the parts and their musical context.

John also covers topics such as playing musically, grooving and embellishing the groove without over-playing, fills and solos, showmanship and independence as well as Blackwell’s Jazz, R&B and Hip-Hop roots.