"Music of the Spheres" — Cleveland/Akron Jazz Report, 1981

Images of the Cleveland/Akron Jazz Report, July 13, 1981, Issue 32, featuring Art Blakey and Skip Hadden.

Greg Hurd was a keyboard player Skip crossed paths with in Cleveland — the two played together in the fusion band Nuclear Toot in the mid-1970s, when Skip was already an established player on the scene. In July 1981, Greg interviewed Skip for the Cleveland/Akron Jazz Report, a local alternative music magazine, for a piece called "Music of the Spheres." It's an early, unfiltered look at the ideas Skip was already working through decades before they became the foundation of his teaching.

Full Interview (transcribed for readability)

SKIP HADDEN — MUSIC OF THE SPHERES

By Greg Hurd

What is it?

I suppose it's all about colors, really. What I try to do is create a window on the world.

Several years ago, I saw a Max Ernst retrospective at the Guggenheim in New York City. I was aware of his work thru books and articles, but I thought his works were large pieces like Salvador Dali's (8x12 ft.), but face to face, the biggest were 30x40 inches or so — hardly bigger! They were like window frames or doorways that you could walk into. Another world lay just past that frame. Some very busy, others not.

He created windows on the world, and I've been trying to do that with my music… my playing… to let others step thru that frame and see and feel another place... another time.

The cymbals were wash (background), and by building a wall of sound you can then, with the drums and accents, lay in the forms and colors, solidify the landscape or characters, or whatever the vision you're trying to... (create).

All of this came about by getting involved with thinking of two questions: 'Why are you playing?' and 'What are you trying to communicate through your music?' So, in trying to be a positive force (the 'why'), the visions and colors, (the 'what') have flowed into it.

This 'window on the world' is not always possible, but I try to be a positive force and it can manifest itself thru colors and/or by fulfilling what's required in the music you're playing.

With certain players or styles, the drummer is required to perform specific functions. When the function is, for instance, holding the time together, then you channel your energies into that as strongly and positively as you can.

Skip Hadden started playing drums in grade school at age eight while living in Port Chester, New York. Studying drums on and off for several years in New York with Ralph Pace, he then moved on to Cleveland in the early sixties where Rock 'n' Roll was happening and Skip was eager to be a part of it. "When I first arrived here, Bob Preising was a great help in getting me started." Meeting Don Kent proved a fruitful friendship for him, as Don introduced him to jazz. By quitting high school, he was able to work full time at a maintenance job, which enabled him to acquire the money needed for a good set of drums and move in with Don to start practicing. (Skip later returned to school, graduating and moving on to higher education.)

Although during 1963 through '65 he was constantly listening and practicing, Hadden found another avenue in which to learn through. By renting his drums out every Saturday to a T.V. studio for the Big 5 show, he was able to observe some pros playing on his own kit. Of all the ones he saw, Skip remembers being really knocked out by Steve Ellington with Roland Kirk's band.

Organ duos and trios were the big thing in the early sixties. Leo's Casino on 75th and Euclid, and the many store front clubs around Euclid and 105th, provided good live listening experiences. Among the most memorable for him were Joe Dukes with organist Jack McDuff, drummer Jimmie Smith with Guildo Mahones and Cannonball Adderley's drummers, Louis Hayes and Roy McCurdy. Saxophonist Joe Alexander and trumpeter Kenny Davis ("who played great even then") helped Skip and others as they struggled along. Other help came from new found friends like drummers Val Kent, Joe Hunt, Eddie Bobick ("who got my hands together"), Alan Swartzburg and Al Mouzon. Mouzon stayed in Cleveland for several months, gigging with Roy Ayers. Fortunately for Skip, Al was approachable at that time and was helpful. Hadden cites Bob McKee as being of enormous benefit then, and an inspiration to this day.

Some gigs in the mid-sixties included stints with Jimmy Dorsey's Big Band and with Charles Sanford conducting the Gold Diggers from the Dean Martin T.V. show. Working in a show band in Miami with sax player Ernie Krivda, Skip ended up staying there and working with Ira Sullivan. Being in a very soul searching period in his life, Ira helped Skip better understand himself and what his role was in music.

From '65 to '69, a small clique developed with sax players Ron Kozak and Ernie Krivda, Val Kent and organist Ed Mcketa. For three years they would sit around every night talking music and listening to records. This turned out to be fun and very informative — if not an expansion of consciousness.

In September of 1972, there started a long and fruitful relationship as part of the house band at the Smiling Dog Saloon. The various bands included a trio with Ernie Krivda and guitarist Bill DeArango which left a few people scratching their heads, but many more remember it as being nothing short of incredible — pianist Hal Galper was one of them. Galper asked the trio to record with him at Bobby Columby's studio in New York City. Also on hand for the session were drummer Billy Hart and bassist Gene Perla. Unfortunately, the recordings were never released. "Without Bill DeArango, there would be no ME."

Another startling trio at the Dog consisted of Ernie, Skip and bassist Abraham Laboriel. (Skip recognizes Abe as also being a great inspiration for him). The trio (and sometimes quartet with pianist Ken Werner), produced some fiery and high energy music that were mostly Krivda originals. Some tapes were made but, unfortunately, once again, nothing further was done.

ABOUT TIME?

When it's happening, it's like you open a door on a room loaded with time. It's in there cooking right along and you just open the door and use all you want. It's all there... all tempos... everything, and you just tap into it.

The Smiling Dog was a real joy for Hadden, not only from the standpoint of actually playing in the house band, but opening and playing with the many national acts that came through there. "We opened for Herbie Hancock, Weather Report, Pharoah Sanders, Cannonball Adderley, Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea... the list just goes on and on... it was incredible every night." Through Roy McCurdy, Skip got the call to fly to Los Angeles to record with Weather Report. Hadden played on what has turned out to be one of Weather Report's finest albums — "Mysterious Traveler." After the Weather Report gig, Skip worked around with people like organist Jimmy Smith, Sonny Stitt, Lou Donaldson, Mose Allison and Miroslav Vitous.

Hadden recently recorded with singer Tom Lellis on his album for Inner City. He played percussion on the album while Jack DeJohnette played drums. DeJohnette played a lot of solos, although "the solos were cut from the release, but they were great! It's too bad everyone won't be able to enjoy them."

In the early seventies, other gigs included playing at the Chicago Jazz Festival and backing many singers like Bobby Bryan, Mickey Lynn and Johnny Hartman. In the middle seventies he gigged around locally with singer-guitarist Mary Martin and was also in a band called "Tobey's Arc." This band featured bassist Fred Tobey and Skip's wife Betsy Marshall Hadden, who is an accomplished singer, guitarist, pianist and songwriter in her own right. Skip later was in a reincarnation of a fusion band called "Nuclear Toot," which featured guitarist Bart Koster, pianist Greg Hurd and bassist Kevin Reed. Hadden says the band was "a very worthwhile experience with great players and great friends."

What has Skip been doing lately? "I've been in New York working with guitarist Michael Bocian, which has been the most satisfying of things, because of the amount I'm able to contribute and of course because of the level of musicianship. Michael has an album to be released in the fall on Gunther Schuller's label Gem. Along with Michael, I've also been playing with pianist Ken Werner and Ratso Harris on bass. It's amazing how we're able to play together. Ken is beyond words. Both Ken and Michael must be heard!"

Hadden has also been studying classical Carnatic music of southern India with the Mridangam Master Ramnad Raghavan of Madras, India. You might recognize Raghavan's name, as he played and recorded in "Shakti" with John McLaughlin and toured with violinists L. Shankar and L. Subramaniam.

Along with Skip's musical interests, he is an avid aviator. He has recently obtained his license, fulfilling a life long dream, and is presently working on rolling up hours towards his commercial-instrument tickets.

THE IDEA!

The idea is to get to the place where you're playing music. You're beyond the drums — you're playing music. You center yourself, become a medium through which the sound (music) passes, letting it flow out. I'm not talking about not practicing or working on what you're doing, but when it's time to play, remove yourself and let it happen. Get out of the way. Use the instrument to express yourself, like an extension or reflection of (your) Self. It's a means to an end. Playing the drums, to play the music, is just to express who YOU are.

"Music of the Spheres" by Greg Hurd, originally published in the Cleveland/Akron Jazz Report, July 13, 1981 (Issue 32). Reprinted with permission.