Drummers - Watch this and weep

[kimba]

The kid is 6 years old in this clip....

He's gonna kick your ass in less than 5....

I filmed this myself.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhqcHKCDnNU

[kimba]

Here's him two years later doing a Coltrane tune at the recent Takatsuki Jazz Festival.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rtt-lXWXVP0

[ladylex]

Noice. Some one has to take over the reins from Simon Baker, Todd Byrnes, Sam Bates, Ken Edie, Joe Marchisella [insert current aussie mother f*cker drummers' names here] & co

[mim]

Well, the kid is in Japan, so not sure about him taking over the reins of Aussie drummers. (Not that they really need taking over any time soon...)

And I'm not being pedantic (Me? Never!), but spell the "aussie mother f*cker drummers'" names right, wouldja? (Unless you are infact talking about that guy from E-Street.)

Oh, and as an aside, Kimba, nice post! I have a weird fascination with prodigies.

[johnnymastropaulos]

is that why you like me so much mim?

[mim]

You know it, scrote. I think of you as a drinking, smoking, swearing 12 year old.

[glean]

that poor kid child prodigies grow up to be miserable or just plain nutcases. if anyone can name one' that grew up to have a happy content adult life i'd like to hear about it

[mim]

One of the reasons I'm fascinated by prodigies. I'm aching to see one fulfill their potential as an adult. I look forward to checking in on Francesco Cafiso in about 12 years.

[isaacs]

glen said:

that poor kid child prodigies grow up to be miserable or just plain nutcases. if anyone can name one' that grew up to have a happy content adult life i'd like to hear about it

Very extreme generalisation and demonstrably not true universally as you suggest, so you're going to hear about it. Obviously no-one gets 100% happiness and contentment. But if you mean child prodigies who despite having problems in life like everyone else realised their talents and didn't end up basket cases there's Keith Jarrett for one. Also Australian classical pianist Simon Tedeschi. Joe Chindamo. Oh and Yehudi Menuhin, Daniel Barenboim, Mozart. And, well, modesty should forbid mentioning it, but for the record yours truly was considered a child prodigy. There's heaps more too. Let's put another stereotype to rest.

[aj]

Keith DIDN'T end up a basket case ??

[isaacs]

aj said:

Keith DIDN'T end up a basket case ??

He's had some serious health problems, and he's considered prickly and pretentious by many. You don't need to have been a child prodigy to fall into any or all of those categories. But he is 61 and doing quite well last time I looked. If he counts as a basket case I think you'd have quite a few people lining up to be basket cases!

[alimcg]

I don't mind if they're basket cases (I know plenty of less than stellar musos who are nutters too), but there is the point that only a small percentage of child prodigies (and I mean serious prodigies, not a kid whose mum thinks he's wonderful) actually make it as practicing professionals later in life.

[isaacs]

alimcg said:

the point that only a small percentage of child prodigies (and I mean serious prodigies, not a kid whose mum thinks he's wonderful) actually make it as practicing professionals later in life.

I still think that's an exaggeration. A very few child prodigies burn out completely. Many don't achieve what was hoped for them. But MOST go on to be "practicing professionals", perhaps including professional teaching as well. And many go on to be prodigious adults as I mentioned above. I haven't done a formal survey on all this but that's my observation.

[jamie]

Francesco Cafiso? Come on Mim, are you serious?

[captain]

There's nothing wrong with Francesco except that he's too young! He'll figure out how to be musical eventually, and if he doesn't, he'll just slide in to obscurity when the next 15 year old freak comres along.