Pete Sweeney – Interview by OP Callaghan

I’ve been hearing about Pete Sweeney for years.

I used to see him play with Nick Brignola and love the way he seems to take control of the band; both pushing them when necessary and pulling them back to keep it tight.  Pete is a master of his craft, and has shared the stage with Pat Metheny, Ronnie Earl, Dan Toler, Robben Ford, Larry Coryell Andy Summers, and Duke Robillard.  He’s been performing and teaching around the are for years and has written a bunch of drum and percussion books for Alfred Publishing.  I have been listening to his snare drum solos album “Snare Drum Solos and Etudes” and I am blown away by how tight and clean he plays.  He can also be heard on the Michael Benedict “Jazz Vibes” album, which pays tribute to the legacy of Gary McFarland who is an underappreciated composer and vibraphone player.  I cannot say enough about Pete, so maybe I should let him take it from here.  Ladies and gentlemen, Mr Pete Sweeney!

RRX:  How did you get started as a drummer?

PS: I got started in 1970 on the drums. I was given a drum set by my Aunt Joan that was an insanely cool red. It was later destroyed beyond recognition by my cousins. A few years later my brother and I got a junk drum set. My father thought it was a great idea for us to play outside, so we left it out there for the summer one year and it got tortured by the rain and the heat. The funny thing is… it actually sounded better but looked terrible. In the late 70’s we got some Gretsch drums that I still have and are amazing. A 24” bass drum that I named the “The Punisher”.

RRX:  Who were some of your early influences?

PS: My earliest influences were Steve Gadd and Buddy Rich. My parents knew Vinnie Birbiglia who owned part of JB Scott’s and they took me to hear him (Buddy Rich) on Central Ave when I was underage. I’m still in shock. Vinnie introduced me to Buddy and I heard him anytime he was playing nearby. I had some great conversations with him. He told me about the Count Basie tune “Queer Street” with Shadow Wilson drums. He said that was the greatest drum break ever.

RRX:  Amazing!  Do you come from a musical family?

PS: My family is not musical. My brother always played drums. He’s a beast. He’s way into Vinnie Colaiuta. They are very supportive of music. They took me to hear all kinds of music live. I got to see the real Count Basie at JB Scott’s, Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Elvin Jones, Chick Corea with Roy Haynes, Zappa, James Brown, and many others.

RRX:  Did you take lessons?

PS:  I studied a lot in my teens with Dave Calarco. He’s a great musician and teacher. I was very fortunate to hear him perform on a regular basis with Nick Brignola who became one of my best friends. I also studied with Joe Morello for years in New Jersey. Joe had some of the best technique ever and a real gift for teaching. He could make you play better in five minutes by getting you to relax and make a few small adjustments. I learned how to teach from Joe.

RRX:  I love the story of your first kit.

PS:  My first drum set was amazing. I have no idea what brand it was. Too bad it did not survive the continuous lashing it received.

RRX:  Tell me about your current set-up.

PS: I’m playing mostly Gretsch drums. They are bulletproof. I can do almost nothing to them and they always sound great. It’s those shells with the grey paint inside and the die cast rims. I do have a collection of drums. I’ve got a bunch of Gretsch sets and Radio King snares. I have a Zildjian cymbal endorsement and some great ride cymbals. I also have some strange things like a few Billotti Trinomes that play three tempos at once and a theramin.

RRX: Tell me about your first gig.

PS:  My first gig was with a band at the Elbo Room. We were horrible. The PA we rented from Drome Sound had AM radio coming through the speakers that we couldn’t get rid of. It’s a miracle we weren’t beaten up by the regulars at the bar. It was a ton of fun and they actually had us back, strangely enough.

Currently I perform with the Art D’Echo trio, Michael Benedict’s Jazz Vibes. Tim Olsen’s  Big Band, the Matt Smith band, the Latin band Cubaquinto, Out of the Box, Ray Alexander’s trio, and an organ trio with Jon LeRoy and Joe Finn.

RRX:  Do you play any other instruments?

PS:  I play piano everyday. It’s great to play the melody of tunes and learn chord changes. I really enjoy the challenge. My recent favorite is “Lennie’s Pennies” by Lennie Tristano. Very difficult melody to play accurately and up to speed.

RRX:  If you weren’t a musician, what would you be doing?

PS: If I didn’t play drums or any other musical instruments, I would have been a great attorney. I would have loved knowing the law and how to effectively argue.

RRX: Who influences you now?

PS:  Right now I’m influenced a lot by my drumming friends like Bill Stewart and Kenny Washington, both of whom I’ve known for years.  I am a big fan of Dave Weckl, Gary Husband with Allan Holdsworth, Vinnie Colaiuta, Cliff Almond, and Steve Gadd.

RRX:  Any gig horror stories?

PS: Too numerous to mention. I’m not afraid of dying because I’ve died on stage many times. I think real death will be a lot easier.

RRX:  Hahahaha!  Alright, how about good gig stories?

PS:  One of the best gigs I’ve ever had was the first time I did a concert with Pat Metheny. He was at the Guitar Workshop in Big Fork Montana and I was assigned to play with him in his class all week. We played a bunch of the tunes from his album “Bright Size Life’ with a bassist that’s a Jaco freak. I still have his handwritten charts. Pat listens and reacts to music in a way that is very direct and immediate. He’s easy to play with and a great guy to hang out with. He gave me some solos in unexpected places. You definitely have to pay attention. John Abercrombie and Mick Goodrick were the same way. They play with you, not at you.

RRX: Awesome.  Any advice for the up-and-coming drummers out there?

PS:  My advice to someone starting to play the drums would be to clearly define what you want to be able play and to decide if your goal is to be a professional musician or is this mostly for enjoyment? If your goal is to work professionally, you need to practice a ton to be able to provide a lot of different things for all kinds of personalities. You need to know a lot of songs, tempos, styles, and arrangements. Being able to take directions from a band leader and quickly adjust your playing means you have to have a lot of different skills, like chart reading and control over your dynamics. Having the willingness to learn and lock into who you are playing with is crucial. That requires a very attentive state of mind and a lot of energy. Get a lot of experience playing with other people.

Pete Sweeney is not only a tremendous talent, but a terrific guy.  Do yourself a favor and check him out on either of the aforementioned releases, or on The Piranha Brothers CD, which also features local Time Keepers Michael Benedict and Brian Melick.

Until next time, keep counting!

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