I have spent the last two hours gathering my thoughts on this great man. Of course, I knew this time was coming - and i was hoping it would happen painlessly
for Jim. Dear Jim. I will miss challenging him and his incredible photographic memory (and perfect pitch BTW) at dinners on the eves of the trade shows..
Those days seem so long ago to me now.
I have written a brief (600 word or so) piece about Chapin at the coaxing of my pal, John Good, who gave me the sad news. Here is the piece below - written with love and respect and admiration. Chapin was a GIANT.
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this is quick and perhaps sloppy - here ya go. BTW - This is the first piece I've written since Bill Miller died. -BW
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"There are two kinds of people, givers and takers." - Jazz great, George Russell.
Tonight, on July 4th, 2009, one hour before New York City launched its Macy's Independence Day Fireworks Display, Jim Chapin, who has glowed ever so brightly in the drumming community, passed away.
I first met Jim Chapin in 1964, when my teacher placed his deservedly famous book in front of me. I disliked Chapin then because he was asking me to do things in his book titled "Advanced Techniques For The Modern Drummer" that were too difficult to fall into my hands (and I didn't want to practice so much at the time). This book is clearly the drumming Bible, or at least, it's one of them.
"I never did as much as you, Billy." I still can't believe Chapin said this to me. It was at a private post-NAMM dinner about six years ago with John Good and his wife, Esther. Jim's humility floored me. He was of course, a great. A Hall Of Fame kind of great. He seemed to ignore my reply about all that he has done for thousands of drummers and went on with the dinner conversation, sharing stories from old days gone by. Gossip... stories, and with Jim, we are talking about many, many stories. I never approached the subject of Harry Chapin, his ever-so-talented son who died far too young. I couldn't bear to see what he would look like if I brought up that painful period of his life.
Jim Chapin was more talented than 99 percent of the people who ARE talented. He had perfect pitch. He had a photographic memory. It's odd for me to mention this tidbit, but I once asked Jim about his playing in New York City in the mid-fifties and he reminisced about playing in Times Square for strippers. Again, he was being humble. I asked if he saw the movie "Blaze" and "did you ever play for her?". His reply was a detailed account, much like the great Sherlock Holmes might do, about playing for this famous woman and his account included the singing of every verse of her favorite song. ("Yes, it was in the key of G. It went like this..") He sang all five verses that night. Dinner with Chapin was a dip in very deep waters.
I've been to NAMM and other music trade shows since the late eighties. I've seen Chapin (in his late seventies mind you) sit behind a drum set, ALL DAY with no breaks, trying his best to inspire and encourage and even HELP whatever drummer walked by - no matter age or experience. I am humbled by the giving that this man displayed… unadvertised… uncompensated for, except for DW Drums and Sabians' sponsorship of hotel and food because they "got it". Anyone could experience the knowledge of Jim Chapin for absolutely nothing at those events, whose purpose is doing business, yet there is Jim… doing his teaching thing and ignoring the commercialism that surrounds him. In later years at these trade shows, he couldn't walk without John Good's wife assisting him, yet, upon arrival, he would teach all day. How did he do this? I can't do that!
Chapin seemed to enjoy a good cigar, good food, sex, a good laugh, a good cry, (of course) music...but most of all, life. I feel as if he enjoyed every breath that he inhaled, and he took in a lot, cigar - or no cigar.
I think, similar to the quote at the top, there are two kinds of people, mammals and reptiles. Mammals nurture their young, are warm blooded, and they are creative. Jim was a mammal. He was humble and true blue.
He died today, on America's Independence Day. How synchronistic is that??
-Billy Ward
this pic was taken some years back in John good's backyard. Jim was unaware of the photo being taken. Look at his joy!!!!
Those days seem so long ago to me now.
I have written a brief (600 word or so) piece about Chapin at the coaxing of my pal, John Good, who gave me the sad news. Here is the piece below - written with love and respect and admiration. Chapin was a GIANT.
---------
this is quick and perhaps sloppy - here ya go. BTW - This is the first piece I've written since Bill Miller died. -BW
------
"There are two kinds of people, givers and takers." - Jazz great, George Russell.
Tonight, on July 4th, 2009, one hour before New York City launched its Macy's Independence Day Fireworks Display, Jim Chapin, who has glowed ever so brightly in the drumming community, passed away.
I first met Jim Chapin in 1964, when my teacher placed his deservedly famous book in front of me. I disliked Chapin then because he was asking me to do things in his book titled "Advanced Techniques For The Modern Drummer" that were too difficult to fall into my hands (and I didn't want to practice so much at the time). This book is clearly the drumming Bible, or at least, it's one of them.
"I never did as much as you, Billy." I still can't believe Chapin said this to me. It was at a private post-NAMM dinner about six years ago with John Good and his wife, Esther. Jim's humility floored me. He was of course, a great. A Hall Of Fame kind of great. He seemed to ignore my reply about all that he has done for thousands of drummers and went on with the dinner conversation, sharing stories from old days gone by. Gossip... stories, and with Jim, we are talking about many, many stories. I never approached the subject of Harry Chapin, his ever-so-talented son who died far too young. I couldn't bear to see what he would look like if I brought up that painful period of his life.
Jim Chapin was more talented than 99 percent of the people who ARE talented. He had perfect pitch. He had a photographic memory. It's odd for me to mention this tidbit, but I once asked Jim about his playing in New York City in the mid-fifties and he reminisced about playing in Times Square for strippers. Again, he was being humble. I asked if he saw the movie "Blaze" and "did you ever play for her?". His reply was a detailed account, much like the great Sherlock Holmes might do, about playing for this famous woman and his account included the singing of every verse of her favorite song. ("Yes, it was in the key of G. It went like this..") He sang all five verses that night. Dinner with Chapin was a dip in very deep waters.
I've been to NAMM and other music trade shows since the late eighties. I've seen Chapin (in his late seventies mind you) sit behind a drum set, ALL DAY with no breaks, trying his best to inspire and encourage and even HELP whatever drummer walked by - no matter age or experience. I am humbled by the giving that this man displayed… unadvertised… uncompensated for, except for DW Drums and Sabians' sponsorship of hotel and food because they "got it". Anyone could experience the knowledge of Jim Chapin for absolutely nothing at those events, whose purpose is doing business, yet there is Jim… doing his teaching thing and ignoring the commercialism that surrounds him. In later years at these trade shows, he couldn't walk without John Good's wife assisting him, yet, upon arrival, he would teach all day. How did he do this? I can't do that!
Chapin seemed to enjoy a good cigar, good food, sex, a good laugh, a good cry, (of course) music...but most of all, life. I feel as if he enjoyed every breath that he inhaled, and he took in a lot, cigar - or no cigar.
I think, similar to the quote at the top, there are two kinds of people, mammals and reptiles. Mammals nurture their young, are warm blooded, and they are creative. Jim was a mammal. He was humble and true blue.
He died today, on America's Independence Day. How synchronistic is that??
-Billy Ward
this pic was taken some years back in John good's backyard. Jim was unaware of the photo being taken. Look at his joy!!!!
