Big town Ogawa

Last week I was privileged to have a chance to go to Japan to visit a good friend who runs a drum school in Tokyo. I'd been then before in 2008 and had found the whole experience extremely inspiring, opening up my British mind to other foreign styles of learning, practicing and playing drums. I felt like a whole new world of rhythm opened up to me.

Having the chance to go back again was great, I was able to refresh myself on many things I've learnt but never mastered and take another fresh look at how I was approaching playing the drums. One highlight was that my good friend Ryu gave me what would usually be his own lesson with Japanese teacher 'Semba-san'. He's one of the top teachers in Japan (and therefore in the world) so to have the chance to be analysed and taught by someone of that calibre was fantastic (he cheerfully showed me the picture of when he was teaching Radiohead's drummer).

Currently being back in England now it's interesting to reflect on the differences there are in the places I go to and the people I meet (as well as of course the drumming styles)!

I'm looking forward to applying some of what I've learnt into new Transition material :).