When Drummers Get Together

This morning I was thinking about how I forgot to tell you about my dad and the Butcher sitting in the van, listening intently to Dave Brubeck, like dedicated archaeologists or fine wine connoisseurs.  They would listen to a song, both of them, with their eyes shut (waiting, in the parking lot for my mom to return with ice cream), and then, they would both start bobbing their heads and the Butcher would ask “How do you do that?” and my dad would explain something about time signatures and brushes and the importance of a well-spun cymbal.  And then my dad would say “Can we hear that again?  How do you do that?” and my brother would explain about how to work the CD player.

And then they’d sink back into happy silence.

I was thinking about that this morning, how delighted I was to see them delighted in the same things.

But I couldn’t remember who they were listening to.

So, I called my dad.

“Who was that guy in the van?”

And because we’ve known each other my whole life and most of his, he said “You mean with your brother?” and I said, “Yeah,” and he said, “Dave Brubeck.  Put that blog thing to good use and tell the folks on it about Dave Brubeck.”

“Okay, Dad.”

So, in honor of my two drummers, I bring you “Far More Drums” by the Dave Brubeck Quartet from Time Further Out.