Master drummer Michael Carvin beats his path to greatness

[Jagsu]

Drummer Michael Carvin says there is no real mystery about why so many great drummers have come from Pittsburgh.

He looks at a hard-working city, where success is never guaranteed, and says that simply creates an attitude that demands a high level of effort.

"It wasn't that the city produced great drummers," he says. "Rather, they were simply great people who played drums."

Carvin, who runs the Michael Carvin School of Drumming in New York City, will be here Saturday for a workshop, panel discussion and solo concert sponsored by the African American Jazz Preservation Society of Pittsburgh.

The event is a celebration of June's Black Music Month by the group that promotes jazz as well as fosters the memory of Local 471 of the American Federation of Musicians. That was known as the "black musicians union," which was merged with Local 60 in 1968.

Carvin, 64, a Houston native, has performed with Dizzy Gillespie, James Moody and Jackie McLean, but now says he does only about 10 dates a year, preferring to focus on his teaching.

With humility and some pride, he says he prefers the title "master drummer" because of his concentration on the skill of the playing. That is far different from being "the kind of great drummer who everybody knows because he leads a band."

The key to his work with students is building around what he believes should be everyone's mantra: "Each one, teach one." By passing on knowledge and skills, he says, talents can be honed and arts strengthened.

He also says he tries not to teach students to imitate his manner because he wants them to develop their own skills.

"None of my students sound like me and none of them sound the same," he adds. His school, which has been open since 1970, has produced drummers such as Pittsburgh native Poogie Bell, Nasheet Waits and Marcus Baylor from the Yellowjackets.

Carvin says that type of individuality is what has created the long legacy of Pittsburgh jazz drummers such as Kenny Clarke, Art Blakey, Joe Harris, Roger Humphries and Jeff "Tain" Watts.

He thinks their guidance and education developed in them the strength to be great at whatever they would have done. Part of that greatness includes the ability to see the proper direction, and that led them to the sticks.

But greatness can go other ways, too, Carvin adds. When he was with the 89th Infantry in Vietnam, he met George Suranovich (1944-90), the Pittsburgh drummer who performed with such stars as Eric Burdon and Mose Allison.

Suranovich let Carvin sit in at a session and led him to a position in an Army band, which removed him from combat.

"So he probably saved my life," Carvin says. "Can't get too much greater than that."

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Master drummer Michael Carvin beats his path to greatness
By Bob Karlovits, TRIBUNE-REVIEW

Black Music Month Celebration
When: Saturday

• 10 a.m.: Drum clinic at the African American Music Institute, 7131 Hamilton Ave., Homewood

• 3 p.m.: Panel discussion on Pittsburgh's great drummers at the New Hazlett Theater, Allegheny Square East, North Side

• 4 p.m.: Reception, film screening at the Hazlett

• 6 p.m.: Solo drum concert by Michael Carvin at the Hazlett

Admission: Concert is $10; all other events are free.

Details: 412-867-1721