Tribute to Robert Thomas Jr

Gijs

So, how would you record with them; was it cut live or... ?

Robert Thomas Jr

Yeah we would do a lot of live recording.

Gijs

Also in the studio?

Robert Thomas Jr

That was not my favorite, because of, you know, take one, take two (yeah). But normally we did live recordings and that was always the best. You don't go back and rethink anything (no), you know?

Gijs

So how is it now with Monty, the playing; is that different from the Zawinul/ Weather Report experience?

Robert Thomas Jr

Yeah, it is different, because with Monty we have a friendship now for over thirty years. So he knows me a lot deeper than Zawinul. Zawinul didn't realize that I was a bebop handdrummer until I left his band (oh?), he didn't realize it.

Gijs

How come?

Robert Thomas Jr

Because, because, there's certain things in an acoustical setting that can be heard. But with Zawinul you can not hear anything (!); come on, you've been to his concerts, you can't hear anything, you can't be subtle. You know, like I do brush work with my hands, sweeping and all sort of technical things that I worked out, delicate things, you can't do with him, so I had to play really aggressive, uh , still be very smart, almost like a chess player, when you play with someone like Zawinul.

Gijs

Find your moments.

Robert Thomas Jr

You got to pick your spot; the music is gone by so fast, you know. You're talking about a piano player that plays like he has two right hands. So much information coming up, you have to know how to get in and get out and I developed a thing called skating. I call it skating.

Gijs

Yeah, I wanted to talk about that - skating - what is that?

Robert Thomas Jr

Skating is sort of like scat singing. You know, Louis Armstrong started that when he forgot some lyrics to something to cover his butt and that is sort of the same thing; if a congaplayer develops the same technique it's like sparring; this really is like sparring. So that way you can fit in to any kind of music without even rehearsing. If you this kind of boxing mentality, you know and that's why, when I do work with people and they ask me how do you do what you do, the first thing I say is "Do you know how to box, have you ever been to a fight?" Because that's make the difference, it's sound bizarre, but that's why I play the way I play, because I was a fighter for a long time, you know. And trust me man, the hand speed that you get from boxing, from that training makes you really, really super quick, because it is survival and when you find yourself in a jazz setting that is also like survival, because you have to skate around.