Anyone who came up listening to drum youtube in the 20-teens is familiar with Dana Hawkins. His collabs with Evan Marien started appearing in 2010. Every few months, there would be a new one, and it was pure drum-fusion crack.
I actually met Dana in person before I discovered those videos, however. He was playing with two of my friends on a live gig on the Lower East Side.
In any event, I had zero idea how this conversation would go, because I’ve never before spoke to Dana at length. I’m happy to say it went to territory I never anticipated. Dana’s takes on things like the word “jazz”, the music industry, and “kids these days” are deep, surprising, funny, and at-time firey.
I’m going to have Dana’s thoughts and this conversation on the brain for some time to come, and I hope you do too.