Yes, 18 years has not changed a thing in my world-view – just different musical partners in this dance we call Life. Aren’t we ALL blessed as drummers to be able to provide the music to anyone’s dance?

Most recently is Walter Bland (2008 – Atlanta, GA)… a guy I met only a few years ago and got to record with. Walter presents his palette with colors any drummer would schmooze with. Please lift him up in prayer because he’s got his hands into so many pots right now that he’s been out of touch. I pray that this is Good thing.

The latter part of this tune is Oliver Scott (Houston, TX)… a guy that I met back in the late 80s when Candi and I were traveling extensively. Together we (Oliver and I) co-produced his album that received major CHR (contemporary hit radio) airplay on my label within the gospel niche. Unfortunately, CHR does not sell records. Oliver, however (as one of the members of the GAP BAND), came to know his purpose in this scheme of things we call Life.

I segued these two pieces together because of the theme, meter and message. Walter’s piece is short because I suffered a computer crash last year and had to salvage saved files on a remote server. Too bad I can’t hear what we did together in entirety. In reviewing (and testing) my files, I stumbled upon this idea – to put these two tunes together via Nero’s Wave Editor.

I shift gears now…

Those who have received my gift via the postal service know what I speak about. There is no one “good” except the Father. As for the Doctor (?)… well go figure, unless we can heal ourselves.

This is All in Good News Guys. Take a listen and consider.

Peace…

Among the realities inspiring me is "community." I guess it can tell in my music. We share this among each other apart from the legal and often "refused" outcomes that each and everyone deserves on the face of this planet Earth.

All I have of value in this Mix of miasma is to be positive: ever learning about different cultures without losing myself. This is a 'principle' that does not change, while our emotions, time and circumstances often do.

Thank you for your well Wishes on this, My birthday - today. May WE ALL have many more. I'm no longer looking for what I've already found: My Angel Love.

http://www.johnsussewell.com/Kokomo7-AngelLove-wSuss75.mp3

http://www.johnsussewell.com/ToReconcile-BySussHands&Feet-2008-into2009.mp3



Agapeo with Appreciation!

Suss!

The Amazing thing is..... those are the drums he used on the Kokomo recording too !

Peace, TED

Wilma! Wilima! Where the heck did Pebbles run off with my hi-hats & toms!?

Am I understanding right? Is this your 60th birthday? That's not possible.
http://www.fileden.com/files/2009/4/18/2409195/4_13_03FLINTSTONES.mp3

Hi Billy & Guys!

Re: http://www.johnsussewell.com/Nu-Po-DonnyHathaway&SussLive1974.mp3 [10 MB]



It's been an incredible two weeks of stuff preparing for what seems on our way in the Southeastern U.S. with hurricane season. My respite is to ponder upon things positive and up-lifting.

When in such a mood recently (and somewhat self-centered), I downloaded a track that I played with Donny Hathaway, entitled Nu-Po. Colin had mentioned this track several years ago on the old site(s), but all I could listen to was a 30 second snippet. Now I have the whole recorded track.

I often wonder where my mind was to bring about the rhythmic weaving heard. As usual, the mood on stage was creative and free - since Donny would often venture off with melodic keyboards as readily as his vocal treatments.

The personnel is Donny (keys), Gil Silva (guitar), Basie Saunders (bass), Chuggy Carter (congas) and myself on this instrumental.

All I can say is that it was fun to play. Donny did not always include this tune in the line-up. I'm glad he did that night back in 1974. If he were here today, I'm certain one of his revisitations would be to have an updated version of this tune performed with the same players. What do you think?

Love,

Suss!

Re: http://www.johnsussewell.com/MyBirthdayDrummingJam&CelebrationAtAudioHipsterWithDoyen071809.mp3
Actually, my B'day was 7/17. Doyen and I had already planned to meet the day after it. It'd been awhile since out at the studio where I recorded so many times before - this time I would bring a Lady friend that I wanted them to meet as well. Perhaps my "MySpace" endorsement describes it best, when musing on that Saturday among true friends in the flesh. My motivation in sharing with you Guys is that you will clearly hear when I falter in the chops. But hopefully, you will hear where my heart is when it comes to morphing patterns into something unexpected. I've not been able to play like I'd like to over the past few months. I'm at the point where priorities take precedent over personal pursuits or passions. Yet even still, I'm so glad to be able to muster the means when called upon. Doyen simply said to me that he wanted to track some patterns to test out new microphones. The mindset of a 'producer' came out of when he then said "I want you to simply play so that I can get your sound in this room. Play to what/who is most dear to you." Well, the most dear to me is who I deem the answer to prayer. I played to a Rose, vicariously. The next thing I knew, Doyen was tracking both of us when morphing and jamming. We're absolutely LUNATIC when together in a state of the Art production studio. And forgive me if what you hear is not what you expect. It's long and musically lyrical - with suggestive lead-ins by mostly me with Doyen just giving up, slating to hard disk (because the analog tape ran out), and leaving the board when joining in. What I try to impart to younger drummers here in Atlanta (and I mean VERY young) is that a drummer's responsibility is more than just keeping TIME. A drummer/percussionit's responsibility is to BREATHE with the music so that MUSIC can flow and ebb, flow and ebb; flow and ebb. May Melodies ever punctuate what drummers project. This is my style Guys and a preferred mode of communication behind my kit, and I'm STICKIN' to it!

Quote:

Re: My accolades to a Great Family and Friends: The Keatons at AudioHipster, Inc.! It’s rare when technology combines with personal attention to camaraderie and detail. With correct balance, and societal/cultural motivations, the results are not just hoped for: they become a reality. Such has been my experience over the years with AudioHipster, Inc., and with Doyen and Carla Keaton in particular [Loganville, GA]. The man has Ears likened to the eyes of an Eagle. His/their hearts are bigger than Life! It was a day after my birthday when my standing invitation to show up arrived. I already knew what to expect. Upon arrival, I was met with appetizers and the promise for what would be a splendid grilled meal later in the day. Carla is a “wiz” in the kitchen; as well as quite the business-woman. So there I was: aside the pool improving upon my natural-born tan (LOL!), and imbibing some of the best beverage found anywhere on the Planet. Now mind you… imbibing is not meant to suggest that I, or anyone else, lost control. I was just enjoying myself after a hard week’s work. Please understand my sharing… only those with ears/heart to hear/receive will benefit! My principle in Life has been to increase capacity, rather than be shut off and xenophobic. Such requires more than one color to fill a palette, let alone the textures to render to canvass. Likewise, it takes more than one box to define the Universe. Below I offer the full link to a slate that I put down to hard drive [the analog tape drive ran out before I finished]. Doyen’s encouragement was to think of something very dear to me. In my view was the freedom and liberty anyone anywhere seeks. My brush was the drum kit with the colors of the full visible and audio spectrum in mind. There is just too much out there for anyone to disregard the relationships we have among proven friends and professionals. I highly recommend AudioHipster, Inc. [Loganville, GA/USA] for the expertise that personal attention is given to detail and recording criteria. In other words, Doyen is the engineer that has slated the absolute BEST drum sound in my over 36 years of appearing on mainstream and commercial releases in the music industry. I do not make this statement lightly. Hear for yourself [oh, BTW: that’s Doyen jamming on the guitar with me after the iron-oxide [Fe2O3] ran out. http://www.johnsussewell.com/AudioHipsterDrums_John_Doyen_071809.mp3 [44.2 MB] I just love the combination of tom tones with cymbal emphases as I approached a variety of grooves in my typically regarded lyrical fashion. The microphone array, coupled with a plate reverb on a well-tuned kit brought out every nuance. Needless to say, I had FUN that day… and still having it TODAY. My prayer with purpose is that others reading this take it to heart… just don’t have a great day – MAKE IT A ONE UNIQUE for YOURSELF and those within your reach. I thank you both: Doyen & Carla Keaton! With Much Love & Appreciation! John M. Sussewell a/k/a “Suss!”

Be Well Sussed & Safe!

_________________
Agape,
Suss!

"We have now Acended to a depth at which
the restatement of the obvious is the first
duty of intelligent men." (Geo. Orwell)
http://www.johnsussewell.com
http://www.myspace.com/johnsussewell
http://thejazznetwork.ning.com/profile/JohnSussewell
http://www.facebook.com/johnsussewell
http://breathtaking.ning.com/profile/JohnSussewell

Wow ! You go Cuz ! Great to hear that ! Interesting to hear you kickin it with some double bass action in there !

Sounded like a fun day jammin in the studio. Wishing you many more !

Peace, TED

Some great drum sounds for sure, moreover, a joyous veritable stampede of the soul for Sussewell . . . empowering self and others . . . may such technology allow you another 60 years on the planet . . .

Thanks Ted & Woofus! I'm hooking up with Steve Freeman and Doyen Keaton this weekend at a BBQ. Both stem from my Atlanta days with the Guild of Sound. In the meantime...

Re:
1. http://www.johnsussewell.com/ItAintYourSignItsYourMind-RoyAyers&Suss1978.mp3
2. http://www.johnsussewell.com/YouSendMe.mp3

Hey Guys… forgive me for my silence on the WTJ side of the forum. I really miss schmoozing with you folks on more serious issues as they come up. No excuse from me; just fact: I’ve been working hard daily and enjoying it. That is rare at this stage of anyone’s life, I think.

So, I just wanted to share what I’m enjoying this day off from work. The Roy Ayers experience for me, however fleeting, was monumental. I mean, I already knew the man personally from eight years before – yet never got to work with him until Sigma Sound Recording Studios (NYC). He phoned me when his drummer (Ricky Lawson) was called out of town for the scheduled sessions. I got to play on a number of them, but the above two (2) made the commercial album.

Hope you enjoy.



Love,

Suss!

It is not readily apparent what or who is most evident among our lives and thos living with skin. I offer this from my experience most intimately with only one caveat: Command your peace, or take your leave. Unless you have the authority to exercise the same [exousia], then kindly bow out in the wings with a teachable/student attitude. If you don’t know, then you just don’t know. Seek the relationship that I have with the Sovereign – then you’ll know. And hell to those who reject this offering when I’m paying forward to those with “skin” as others have done for me. This is free..



I’m so glad to have spoken with Pete today… we all need someone to speak to with a spiritual Outlook and still listening to each other. So now I speak from what I have lived by for decades. This is perhaps the way I perform on the drums the way anyone should. I, by the Grace of the Father Jehovah, and His Son (my Savior), I perform on ALL of the tracks hereinafter [percussion/drums], and many more. In the Word of God by His Spirit through the Apostle Paul, I express the same sentiment and motivation…



“For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.” [… 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 …]



“I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” [… Philippians 4:12, 13…]



By the way… the oil/ointment is available to anyone who submits to the discipline. When you have that balm, you will never be the same. Religion has taken the results/effect of the Word of God out of context. There is no forum for God, but there is a Lifestyle with a reality and Eternity in view. I see it. I pray for it. I love it. Will You?



May we Align ourselves right side up - just as gravity keeps out feet on the ground:



http://www.johnsussewell.com/TheAnointing-CandiStatonWithSuss-1985.mp3



http://www.johnsussewell.com/ItsNotEasy-CandiStatonWithSuss-1986.mp3



http://www.johnsussewell.com/GloryToHisName-CandiStatonWithSuss-1990OrThereabouts.mp3



http://www.johnsussewell.com/DifferentIsNotBetter-JustDifferent_GarrettMorrisSNL&Suss-1978.mp3



http://www.johnsussewell.com/Covagarde-EddiePalmieriWSuss-2003.mp3



For those who know, I am so thankful for knowing you – even remotely.

http://www.johnsussewell.com/WildHorses-MichaelTomlisonWithSussDrums&AudioHipsterDoyen-2004ConcertRoom.mp3