Ferddie's World: Meinl Day: Drum Clinic 2010 with Benny Greb

Meinl Day @ Miriam College

Junior and I arrived late by an hour or so at the auditorium of Miriam College last July 10. We just came from McDonald’s Philcoa where we were supposed to have met a lot earlier but I think he got caught in traffic coming from his Saturday class in the University of Sto. Tomas. I was quite exhausted already from this morning’s heat and traveling to and from Concepcion, Tarlac where CFC brod Omin del Castillo and I attended a post birthday celebration of Sis. Lyn Meloto (wife of Gawad Kalinga founder and CFC Brother Tony Meloto) at a local GK site.

We arrived during the lively and very instructive open forum

I really didn’t expect much, thinking I would just be spending the time to rest. I didn’t know the guy Meinl brought in to lead the drum clinic. But Junior raved about this drummer’s remarkable talent and really looked forward in attending this clinic.

You know what? Junior was right. This guy is a heck of a drum player! Giving more time to a very lively open forum, he was wittingly very entertaining to an inquisitive crowd.

For those like me who knew more about comedian Benny Hill than Benny Greb, I did a little research on the guy on the internet. Like what he said during the open forum, he started playing the drums at a very early age, at age six then took lessons at the age of 12. Born on June 13, 1980 in Augsburg, Germany, he later took on a diverse variety of music playing rock, jazz, funk, new wave, reggae and even classical music with a number of other accomplished musicians.

Obviously a strong endorser of Meinl cymbals and percussion instruments, he has in fact developed a number of hi-hats and other types of cymbals for that German brand. Greb also promotes Sonor drums, Remo drum heads and Pro-Mark drum sticks (which Junior also likes!).

The participants spill out from the auditorium

Lyric, a local chain of music stores carry the Meinl brand

After the drum clinic, it was good that we were able to get a head start outside the auditorium to queue for Greb’s signature.

Junior gets to have Greb sign a number of Meinl product paraphernalia

Rare photos of two prolific drummers

Of course Junior was overjoyed about the whole event. Me? I’m happy to have learned more about drumming’s technical side – that it’s just not simply hitting the drums and cymbals with your sticks. It is both an art and a science.

One statement that Benny Greb said about drummers continues to ring in my head. He said something like, “We’re lucky bastards…we’re allowed to do this (play the drums)!”

I simply have to agree. Even music enthusiasts with a low threshold for the drums’ relative loudness (to some, bordering on noise) would well appreciate the creative beauty of Greb’s music.