My early years were without musical influence other than commercial radio. When I was in the fifth grade, I began to show an interest in the drums. I remember getting an old rubber practice pad and sticks. I practiced basic rudiments and learned rock cover tunes by ear. I started to play in the school band, but I favored commercial music and never went to more than a few school band rehearsals. The thing I liked most was pushing a rock band.

In the latter half of the sixties, I was flourishing as a cover-tune drummer. Back then, there were garage bands on every corner, and there was never a shortage of gigs. I remember old people giving me beer and cigarettes. One job, the band got chastised for having a ten-year-old drummer in a band that played the x-rated version of Gloria.

I was not a serious musician. Playing time to cover tunes came easy, and I didn't want to make work out of something that was so easy. I kept on playing time in club bands, but what came easily eventually offered little challenge. I grew bored.

By the time I was nineteen, I started studying drums from a local drum teacher, Byron Mutnick. It was at this time, I got interested in jazz and jazz drumming technique. I used method books like Stick Control and Jim Chapin's Independence for Jazz Drumming. Books like these helped me develop better technique. After several more years playing in club bands, I decided to study music at the local university. Playing on weekends and at night allowed me time to devote to music studies. During my years of schooling, I learned about composition, and I got to play for visiting artists like Dizzy Gillespie and Lou Fischer.

What I discovered through my education was the fact that I really enjoyed playing drums to my own compositions. This allowed me to be almost like a painter with a canvas. I had creative expression that I would have never achieved had I just studied drums. With my drumming experience and original compositions, I no longer lacked a challenge in drumming. I could make my music as easy or as difficult as I wanted. This has lead me here.

Both CDs, shown on this site, are composed for acoustic instruments, and are both developed from rhythmic motives. The CDs are a fusion of classical harmonic progression and jazz rhythms. The drum parts are melodic in nature but are still challenging.

My philosophy on playing the drums is: Just because the drums aren't a musical instrument doesn't mean they can't be played musically. This is my approach to composition and performance.

Rob Canfield