My friend Mark Powers (see:
http://www.drummercafe.com/reviews/cd/ritimista-world-percussion-play-along.html) & I were messing around w/a pair of these up at Walfredo Reyes Sr.'s home when we were up there immediately following NAMM consulting on his new edu project.
Walfredo said someone @ NAMM gave them to him. When you're an artist of his stature, people just
give you stuff left & right I suppose...
Anyway, I thought they were really interesting and cool. I didn't even know they were the brainchild of Billy Ward until I got home and read it here @ the Drummer Cafe!
We enjoyed placing them near the tips of the sticks for a mallet-like application (very cool on the drums or your leg, but not so happenin' on cymbals w/their hard-plastic casing). They also felt different but kind of "tribal cool" on the back of the stick w/our hands wrapped around them for a muted sound - actually I think I just flipped them around so I could play w/the butt end of the stick. They were also very easy to use as tradtional shakers w/no stick at all as well!
Of course, they were great just upward from the fulcrum for the classic "Jim Keltner approach." I know Jim tapes egg shakers and the like to his stick and Billy's design offers a quick set or release application for that which is very convenient.
It's apples and oranges on that level. It kind of reminds me of when not long after people noticed Steve Gadd using a muffling ring on his snare drum, Remo started manufacturing them. Gadd cut his out of old heads and I remember one famous drummer saying, "Why would you want to do
that when they make them now?" and another saying "Why would you spend the money on the pre-made ones when you can make them
yourself?"
For years, I've used these nice "kid's percussion conga shakers" that Remo used to make. The have a body in the shape of a conga drum and a handle and are very ergonomic to hold w/a stick, either above or below it, w/no tape needed. Remo doesn't make them anymore, I don't believe - or at least not the same way, so for me something like this is a nice option. Kudos Billy!
