Based in Denmark, Taff gigs all around the world. Check out his website here Back from the Isle of Bute Jazz festival! It was a good festival, but my pictures were not much to talk about apart from one good one I had taken with a couple of my old mates who play with the Temperance Seven, do you remember them ? "Home In Pasadena"
	And this one as we played on a boat sailing around the island.

Jet setting again - Taffs' pictures from Helsinki - playing his replica Camco snare which is a BDB special shell. Built to Taff's scrupulous specification - it was back to the 1950's and George Way's Little black book.

Taff In New Orleans

Taff - Welcome back to Europe

Hi Bob, I arrived back home last Friday from a wonderful trip to New Orleans, the playing and recording went well.

Due to many reports of damage to musical instruments from the airport baggage gorrillas I dare not take my irreplacable John Grey/Bob Spearing snare which I had intended to take, instead I took my old faithful Premier which did not let me down. I arrived a day late due to the immigration people holding me for seven hours in Houston because I had an unexplainable Arabic stamp in my passport! Astamp put in my passport on my trip to the middle east earlier in the year, I was questioned for I don`t know how long then body searched and also all my bagage was searched with a fine toothcomb, twice over! Anyway instead of arriving on the Monday evening I arrived on Tuesday morning - knackered

Tuesday evening I played at a 60th Birthday party for one of the resident New Orleans drummers who I had arranged to borrow a bass drum from, check the photo, a Ludwig 28" by 16" similar to mine with a fine painting on the front, it went well playing with some of the finest musicians who play in the true New Orleans style. For the first week Wednesday to Tuesday I played every evening down the world famous Bourbon Street, playing with some fine musicians. The 2nd Tuesday we were recording all day, we recorded at the "Old Fireman`s Hall" in Westwego just outside New Orleans, this was one of the halls where all the famous musicians from New Orleans played for dances in the 1920s, '30s & '40s

Wednesday evening I played down Bourbon Street again, at a pub called Fritzel`s then the next day I recorded in church in front of school kids mostly coloured check the photo. Friday & Saturday I was down Bourbon Street again, my last Sunday I played for another church with a Gospel choir, it was an unforgettable experience, the rhythms and harmonys were out of this world, it was great to be part of it.

Talking To Taff

I caught up with Taff between continents - just back from Syria and heading for Helsinki, Finland - as he was putting the finishing touches to his new snare.

What’s the Jazz scene like in Europe ?

"Well ..Very busy! arriving home from Sweden my time was taken up obtaining visas for my trip to Syria and Lebanon.It was cold in Sweden ! but it was also sunny all the time!"

It sounds like Denmark is a great central base for European Jazz ?

"The Music Scene In Denmark for me is really good as there is a great following for the kind of jazz I play, not only do the mouldy figs come and listen our "Old Style Jazz" but there is also an interest with all ages, from the very young upwards."

Youngsters into Jazz - now that is cool !

"Sure one band I play in is a smaller band called "New Orleans Gumbo" we play mainly mid-week gigs at pubs in the Copenhagen area, but we also play at schools where we play for children aged from 11 years to 16 years, it is an entertaining lesson for them, first we talk about how, where and when the music started, then we play a couple of tunes followed with a talk about the instuments we play and how the tunes are constructed, then we play for around half an hour and finish off with "When The Saints Go Marching In "We get the average payment here for a three hour gig, we are always given free drinks and more often than not we are given a meal (not sandwiches).The cost of living is a little higher than in Britain, but the pay and the way musicians are looked after is way above what I experienced in the UK - my kind of music was never paid well in Britain and a free drink was usually out of the question !"

That's a nice return on your efforts and something I think many UK musicians never achieve is an appreciation of their style of music - whatever it may be. So you play in more than one band ?

"Oh sure. I play with two bands, the main one "Doc Houlind International New Orleans Style Jazz Band" is considered to be one of the best bands in Europe, this year we have visits to ...Helsinki, Damascus, Bangkok, Stockholm & Helingborg in Sweden, Haugersund in Norway, Davos & St. Gallen in Switzerland, Heibrin & Rostock in Germany and if we can fit it in, later this year we maybe have a short tour to the UK. You can visit the band's website on www.dochoulind.dk "

Why choose a BDB snare shell when you have so many cool instruments ?

"I was on the phone to my friend in New Orleans one night, he told me that when he changed from calfskin to plastic heads to get the tone all the New Orleans old style drummers search for, he also had to change to a deeper shell, he also commented that with a deeper shell I would also get some extra in volume, which would come in handy with the powerful Danish band I now play with. Looking at the Barn, and your woodworking skills It appeared that maybe you could rescue my old John Grey, this had gone way out of true - but I wasn’t sure if it was worth all the trouble, your shells I thought would be far superior in sound and would match the Ludwig bass drum in colour."

So what’s the finish on the Snare ?

"First I should tell you about the build - I drilled all the holes and assembled with the John Grey fittings and even before staining and varnish the drum looked good. I just gave it a quick tune with Remo heads and the tone and volume was awesome !! with a truly vintage sound, it was just what I have been looking for, I couldn’t believe how good it sounded, it was so good I didn’t want to strip it back down.

The finish was done by using a water based mahogany stain, I then used a clear lacquer varnish 4 times, using 800 wet & dry after each coat apart from the last coat when I used 1000 wet & dry very lightly, I didn’t finish it with a final lacquer coat, I used a wax polish to give it that vintage look."

And can we hope you are happy with it after all you efforts ?

"Ive not even considered using any of my other snares since completing yours. The snare drum played great in Helsinki and since then I have also played the snare with great success at the Riverboat Jazz Festival , Silkeborg here in Denmark. I have been tempted to fit calfskin heads but the tone and volume with these plastic heads are really something, I will certainly be taking the drum to New Orleans this October. Yes, I have been invited there again to record, I am not sure how many sessions yet, but I will be there from Oct. 4th to 21st. giving me plenty time to also play as a guest with other bands as well as recording."

So finally it’s built and that’s a cool set up !

"As you can see from the kit I play the old New Orleans style, where apart from the usual accents, cymbals are only used to ride-out on the last chorus, sometimes only on beats 2 & 4 - apart from the Chinese, the old thin vintage cymbals are the only ones which seem to give the right sound."

And now you’ve ordered a small tom, how will that fit in ?

"A tom with a six ply shell sounds fine to me ! the only parts I don’t have are the hoops, could you help ? If possible maybe some wood ones if you can, what do you think ? I have some old small bass drum claws which could take up to a hoop thickness of 1/4". When my new vintage kit is ready with your new tom I’ll add the John Grey bass drum I have just acquired."

Ha ! the last time we sent wooden hoops to Denmark the good old post office lost ‘em ! But we will certainly give it a go. Cheers - Bob

"Thanks Again, Cheers, Taff."

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