Each year, the national Guitar Center chain sponsors a nationwide drum-off, searching for presumably the best drummer in the country. The winner wins cash, a lot of new drum equipment, and a considerable amount of fame and probably endorsements as well. With its legacy of soul, funk and gospel music, the city of Memphis has consistently produced some of the best drummers in the country. On Tuesday, September 20, 2016, several young Memphis drummers competed in the preliminary rounds of the local competition, seeking the right to represent Memphis at the Southeast regionals. I was particularly impressed with both Jonathan Chaffen and Desmond Harris this year, and enjoyed the competition even more since the rules were changed to ban octapads, triggers and loops, which had become intrusive in recent years. This year, drummers had to show their skill on the traditional acoustic drum set alone, and Memphis drummers definitely rose to the occasion.
Guitar Center
Memphis Drum-Off Finals at @GuitarCenter
The preliminary rounds of the Guitar Center drum-off in Memphis were held on successive Tuesday nights, September 9th, 16th and 23rd. Two drummers from each …
Third Round of the Memphis Drum-Off at @GuitarCenter
As I posted last week, the Memphis metropolitan area has an amazing level of talent when it comes to drummers, and that was obvious again …
Second Round of the Memphis Drum-Off at @GuitarCenter
For some reason, the city of Memphis is full of amazing drummers, and has been for as long as I can remember. At least some …