>> THIS VPT PRODUCTION IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FRANK TAPLAN FUND, PROMOTING LOCAL CULTURAL ARTS AND NATURE PROGRAMMING.

>> DRUMMING IS AN ANCIENT ENDEAVOR, THE HEARTBEAT OF MOST MUSIC.

TWO HIGHLY ACCLAIMED DRUM MASTERS AND COMPOSERS, JAZZ MAN MATT WILSON AND JUNK MAN DON KNAACK ARE MY GUESTS NEXT ON "PROFILE."

♪♪ >> DON KNAACK IS A CONSERVATORY TRAINED PERCUSSIONIST AND COMPOSER.

NOW PLAYING EXCLUSIVELY ON JUNK AND RECYCLED MATERIALS TO WORLD WIDE AUDIENCES AND MAJOR VENUES, LIKE THE KENNEDY AND LINCOLN CENTER.

MATT WILSON IS A JAZZ DRUMMER WHO ALSO COMPOSES AND LEADS TWO JAZZ QUARTETS.

THE "NEW YORK TIMES" DESCRIBED HIM AS ONE OF THE BEST DRUMMERS OF HIS GENERATION.

"DownBeat" MAGAZINE HAS VOTED HIM NUMBER ONE RISING STAR DRUMMER FOUR YEARS IN A ROW.

HE AS DELIGHTED AUDIENCES AROUND THE WORD, AS WELL AS NEW YORK, WHERE HE NOW LIVES WITH HIS WIFE AND FOUR CHILDREN.

>> SO, RISING STAR FOUR YEARS IN A ROW.

HAVEN'T YOU RISEN, MATT?

>> YEAH, I THINK IT IS INTERPLANETARY AT THIS POINT.

IT IS NICE.

IT'S ALWAYS -- I'M VERY GRATEFUL AND GRACIOUS TO HAVE THOSE HONORS HAPPEN AND TO HAVE FOLKS BE OUT THERE AND BE AWARE.

I AM THINKING NOW IT IS PROBABLY TIME -- MY WIFE SAYS EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, AREN'T YOU A LITTLE OLD TO BE GETTING THIS?

I AM HOPING NEXT YEAR WE CAN PASS THE TORCH.

IT IS AN HONOR AND I AM GRACIOUS TO HAVE THAT HAPPEN.

>> WE HAVE TO ASK BOTH OF YOU HOW YOU GOT STARTED.

WHEN DID YOU KNOW, DON, THAT DRUMMING WAS YOUR PASSION AND YOU WERE GOING TO GO AFTE THAT?

>> PROBABLY AROUND THE AGE OF THREE IN THE KITCHEN IN MY PARENTS HOUSE.

I LOVED THE POTS AND PANS, I PLAYED THEM.

MY FATHER WAS AN AUTO MECHANIC AND THERE WAS ALL OF THIS STUFF IN THE GARAGE, DRIVE SHAFTS, BRAKE DRUMS, STUFF LIKE THAT, I GRADUATED FROM THE KITCHEN TO THE GARAGE, AND FROM THERE I WENT TO MUSIC SCHOOL.

>> RIGHT.

VERY CONSERVATIVE SIDE -- >> RIGHT, EXACTLY.

>> YOU RETURNED TO JUNK.

>> EXACTLY.

>> WE WILL GET TO THAT IN A MINUTE.

>> MATT, WHAT ABOUT YOU, WHAT GOT YOU GOING?

>> WELL, I LOVED TO LISTEN TO RECORDS WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, AND BECAUSE I HAD -- I HAD A CAST ON MY LEG WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, MY MOM WOULD PUT THE STACK OF RECORDS ON THE L.P.

HOLDER AND THEY WOULD PLAY.

SHE WOULD PUT STUFF AROUND ME.

SHE THOUGHT THAT THE DRUM SET WAS SIMILAR TO THAT.

I COULDN'T MOVE AROUND THAT MUCH.

SHE WOULD PUT ALL KINDS OF TOYS AROUND ME.

MY FRIEND, THE BAND, QUARTET CALLS IT THE PILE.

I THINK THAT COMES FROM PART OF IT.

HAVING ALL OF THE STUFF AROUND ME THAT I WOULD PLAY WITH AND THEN SOUND CAME AROUND TO THAT, TOO.

I WAS INTO THE POTS AND PANS AND I SAW BUDDY RICH ON THE 70s ERA LUCY SHOW, WHERE HE JUDGED A DRUM CONTEST.

YOUNG RICKEY LET A LESS FORTUNATE BUDDY OF HIS WIN.

HE DROPPED HIS STICK.

IT WAS A GOOD SHOW TO LEARN GOOD MORAL VALUES ALSO.

BUT I WATCHED DRUMMERS ON TELEVISION AND BECAME FASCINATED BY IT.

>> TECHNICALLY SHOULD I SAY DON, THAT YOU ARE A PERCUSSIONIST, AND DRUMMER.

IS THERE AN IMPORTANCE DIFFERENCE OR NOT WITH THOSE TERMS?

>> I GUESS IT DEPENDS UPON THE GENRE OF MUSIC AND SO FORTH.

DRUMMERS ARE AT LEAST IN OUR CULTURE, DRUMMERS PLAY THE DRUM SET AND PERCUSSIONISTS PLAY HAND-HELD STUFF.

FOR EXAMPLE, IN AFRICAN CULTURE, A DRUMMER IS A DRUMMER.

THEY'RE ALL DRUMMERS.

IT DEPENDS UPON THE CULTURE -- >> EVERYTHING IS SO INTERMIXED NOW.

WHEN I WORK, I PLAY.

I HAVE A DRUM SET THAT IS MADE OF BUCKETS AND PANS AND POTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

AND I HAVE ALL KINDS OF HAND HELD PERCUSSION.

IT IS, REALLY FOR ME THE LINE IS VERY BLURRED BECAUSE I DO BOTH.

>> AND PLAY STATIONS THAT YOU MAKE WITH PEOPLE, ARE THEY JUNK -- TRAP SET IN A SENSE?

>> TRAP SETS, LIKE PERCUSSION, BECAUSE YOU CAN STAND AND PLAY ON A LITTLE TAILLIGHT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET INVOLVED WITH THE WHOLE KIT EITHER.

YOU CAN PICK OUT ONE LITTLE THING.

>> MATT, JUST TO GROUND YOU, YOU ARE BOTH SO GOOD AT WHAT YOU DO, BUT YOU'RE VERY DIFFERENT AT WHAT YOU DO.

THE ROLE OF A JAZZ DRUMMER, A DRUMMER IN THE JAZZ GROUP, IS IT TO KEEP THE PULSE, SHIFT THINGS AROUND?

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY THE MAJOR ROLE IN A JAZZ COMBO IS?

>> BOTH OF WHAT YOU JUST MENTIONED, WE PROVIDE -- IT IS A RHYTHMIC BASED MUSIC, THE RHYTHM IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF IT.

THE DRUM SET WAS CREATED AS AN AMERICAN INSTRUMENT WAS CREATED FOR JAZZ MUSIC.

THE TRAP SET WAS ALSO USED FOR MOVIES, SILENT MOVIES, BUT THE DRUM SET IS AN AMERICAN INSTRUMENT.

A COMBINATION OF EUROPEAN, AFRICAN, SYMBOLS FROM THE EAST.

I SAY BASEBALL, APPLE PIE, THE DRUM SET, SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF.

AS AMERICANS, THE DRUM SET IS STILL -- IT IS A VERY PERSONAL INSTRUMENT.

UNLIKE THE PIANO, THE DRUM SET, YOU CHOOSE THE HEADS, THE SYMBOLS, AND IN JAZZ WE HAVE ROLES THAT WE SERVE, IT IS A HARMONIC INSTRUMENT.

>> YOU CAN BE INTERACTING -- RIGHT HERE WE'RE LISTENING TO YOUR ARTS AND CRAFTS GROUP.

YOU CAN BE JAMMING WITH THAT ON YOUR DRUM.

>> EXACTLY.

I FEEL THAT I -- I SORT OF SOMETIMES MINING THE STORE RHYTHMICLY.

BUT THE ROLES OF THE OTHER GENTLEMEN IN THE BAND ARE EQUAL.

SOMETIMES I AM AN MELODIC INSTRUMENT, OR SAXOPHONE.

>> BAND LEADER, COMPOSER, IT IS NOT THAT COMMON FOR THE DRUMMER TO BE THE HEAD OF THE BAND?

>> I THINK THE DRUMMER IS ALWAYS THE HEAD OF THE BAND -- DO YOU KNOW WHY THEY CALL IT A DRUMMER THRONE, BECAUSE DRUMMERS ARE KING.

EVERY FAMOUS BAND LEADER WILL SAY THE DRUMMER IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF IT.

I FEEL THAT THAT IS -- THROUGH JAZZ HISTORY, THERE HAVE BEEN GREAT JAZZ BANDS LED BY DRUMMERS.

ELVIN JONES -- I THINK WE SOMETIMES KNOW PERHAPS HOW TO PRESENT MUSIC IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

>> DON, LET'S GROUND YOU IN KIND OF THE DIRECTION THAT YOU TAKE.

JUNK MUSIC, THIS IS ACTUALLY A REGISTERED TRADEMARK.

AT ONE POINT YOU CHOSE TO LEAVE ORCHESTRAL MUSIC AND DO THIS OTHER THING.

TELL US ABOUT IT.

>> AS I SAID, YOU KNOW, I WAS PLAYING WITH RECYCLED MATERIALS WHEN I WAS EIGHT OR NINE YEARS OLD, JUST PLAYING AROUND WITH THEM, SO I ALWAYS HAD THAT SOUND IN MY HEAD.

I WANTED TO LEARN PERCUSSION AND I WANTED TO LEARN CLASSICAL PERCUSSION AND ALL THROUGH THAT TIME I WAS PLAYING DRUM SETS MYSELF AND SO I WENT TO SCHOOL AND GOT THE EDUCATION AND WENT INTO PLAYING WITH SOME SYMPHONY ORCHESTRAS, AND THEN AFTER A WHILE MOVED TO CALIFORNIA AND WORKED IN THE STUDIOS OUT THERE FOR A LONG TIME DOING SOUND TRACKS AND RECORDS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

ALL ON TRADITIONAL PERCUSSION.

IN THE MEANTIME I WAS COLLECTING ALL OF THIS JUNK BECAUSE I JUST LOVED THE SOUNDS.

AND IT JUST GOT TO THE POINT WHERE AT ONE POINT IN TIME -- I WAS ALSO WRITING MUSIC FOR DANCE COMPANIES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

AND I -- IT JUST GOT TO THE POINT ONE TIME, I REMEMBER I WAS WRITING THIS ONE COMMISSION FOR A DANCE COMPANY AND I WAS ABOUT SEVEN MINUTES INTO THE PIECE AND IT DAWNED ON ME I HADN'T WRITTEN FOR A TRADITIONAL PERCUSSIONIST, IT WAS ALL JUNK.

WOW, THIS IS INTERESTING, MAYBE I CAN DO THE WHOLE PIECE.

IT BECAME MY GOAL TO DO THE WHOLE PIECE ON NOTHING BUT JUNK, WHICH I DID, AND IT WORKED, AND I GUESS FROM THAT POINT I NEVER REALLY TURNED BACK.

>> HOW DO YOU DOCUMENT THAT?

>> WELL, IT IS LIKE TRADITIONAL PERCUSSION MUSIC IN A WAY.

TRADITIONAL PERCUSSION MUSIC USES A STAFF, ON THE THIRD SPACE YOU SAY THAT IS A SNARE DRUM.

YOU DO THE LEGEND, A PREFACE, YOU HAVE A LEGENDS, AND YOU PUT THE THIRD SPACE THE SNARE DRUM, AND THE SPACE BELOW LINE IS GOING TO BE THE BASE DRUM.

INSTEAD OF DOING THAT MAYBE THE SPACE BELOW THE LINE IS NOW THE FENDER, YOU KNOW.

[LAUGHTER] >> AND THE FAR EDGE OF THE FENDER.

>> RIGHT, EXACTLY.

I CAN GET ESOTERIC WITH IT.

>> OKAY.

WESTERNERS CAN TAP THEIR TOES TO TWO, THREE, FOUR, BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, SOME FOLKS GROOVE TO FIVE AND SEVEN.

ARE THERE SIGNATURES THAT CHALLENGE YOU THAT YOU FIND YOURSELF GETTING DRAWN TO, MATT IN PARTICULAR?

>> YEAH, I BELIEVE SO.

I'M SORT OF LIKE A -- I'M STILL MYSTIFIED BY FOUR-FOUR.

WE CAN DO THIS AND JAMES BROWN CAN DO THAT OR DID THAT AND WHATEVER, HOW MANY PEOPLE HE MOVED BY JUST CREATING A PULSE AND THE SPACE BETWEEN IT.

THAT IS AN INTANGIBLE.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS.

I AM INTRIGUED BY ALL, YOU KNOW, RHYTHMIC STRUCTURES THAT I HEAR, BUT LATELY I HAVE BEEN REALLY WORKING ON THIS, YOU KNOW, GETTING THIS TO FEEL EVEN BETTER AND COMPLETE, OR A GROUND PULSE UNDERNEATH EVERYTHING.

I AM MYSTIFIED BY THAT, ALL THOSE FOUR BEATS, HAVE SUCH A SOUND TO THAT GROOVE.

IT IS INCREDIBLE TO ME.

>> WHAT IS THE SPACE IN BETWEEN.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON SIGNATURES?

>> I AGREE WITH MATT.

I THINK IT IS INTRINSIC TO WHERE WE ARE AS HUMANS.

WE HAVE A HEART BEAT.

AND THE HEART BEAT IS I THINK WHY EVERYBODY IN THE WORLD LIKES TO LISTEN TO MUSIC.

MUSIC IS THE ONLY THING THE ENTIRE WORLD AGREES THEY LIKE, YOU KNOW.

[LAUGHTER] >> AND I THINK THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE A HEART BEAT AND WE ALL RELATE, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY THE HEART IS PROBABLY COMING CLOSE TO A FOUR PATTERN.

IT IS CERTAINLY NOT DOING, UNLESS WE HAVE PROBLEMS, IT IS NOT DOING ANYTHING -- I THINK WE'RE ALL GROUNDED IN THAT.

>> BUT IMPROVISERS, YOU ALSO WILL LEAVE THAT.

YOU'LL GO OUT OF TIME.

>> UH-HMM.

>> HOW DO YOU STRUCTURE GOING OUT OF TIME AND THEN COMING BACK IN?

.

[LAUGHTER] >> I FEEL -- >> I'M FASCINATED -- >> I FEEL, TOO, THE MORE THAT -- SOMETIMES IT IS BIG PICTURE FEELING, PERHAPS, BIG PICTURE PULSE.

IT IS LIKE DANCING, SOMETIMES DANCING THAT IS RHYTHMIC AND DANCING IS MOVEMENT.

THAT IS WHAT RHYTHM CAN BE LIKE, TOO, SUGGESTED MOVEMENT WHERE IT IS NOT STATED.

I LOVE MUSIC THAT DOESN'T HAVE TIME.

I WRITE A LOT OF MUSIC, BALLADS AND STUFF LIKE THAT THAT ARE PULSE-FREE FOR THE MOST PART.

I DON'T WRITE RHYTHMIC MUSIC, WHICH IS ODD.

I WRITE SOME, BUT I DON'T WRITE SIGNATURES A LOT, MUSIC THAT IS MELODIC.

SING THE RHYTHMS TO YOU WITH THE PITCHES AND EVERYTHING, THEY GO BOO, BA BA, BUM, BUM -- THEY SING THE MELODIES.

DRUM INSTRUMENT A MELODY INSTRUMENT, PLAYING THE TIME, THE IGH HAT, MELODY OF THAT, IS BEAUTIFUL.

I TELL MY STUDENTS AND MYSELF, IF WE REALLY LOVE THE MELODY OF THAT TIME FEEL, WE'RE ALLOWING THE MUSICIANS TO USE THAT, TOO.

PRESENTING IT TO THEM.

I THINK THAT IS A NICE FEELING, THE MELODIES OF THE RHYTHMS.

>> COME IN AND GO BACK OUT.

I THINK IT IS FASCINATING ALSO THAT BOTH OF YOU HAVE DONE THESE LYRICAL PIECES.

DON, YOU HAVE DONE A WHOLE OPERA.

IT IS CALLED "ODEN."

.

HOW DID LYRIC INFLUENCE YOUR MUSIC OR WAS IT THE OTHER WAY AROUND?

>> IT WAS -- WHEN I AM WORKING WITH THE JUNK, THE JUNK HAS SUCH ENORMOUS DIFFERENT POSSIBILITIES, AND THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I USE THE JUNK, I HAVE THIS INCREDIBLE PALLET OF DIFFERENT SOUNDS THAT I WOULDN'T HAVE WITH TRADITIONAL INSTRUMENTS, AND IT REALLY KIND OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT INTRIGUED ME WAS THE WHOLE IDEA, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY EVERYTHING IS STILL VERY RHYTHMIC, THE JUNK IS VERY, VERY RHYTHMIC AND THE IDEA OF HAVING THIS LYRIC ABOVE IT WAS SOMETHING I HAD NEVER DONE.

I WAS INTRIGUED BY HAVING THIS WHOLE OTHER LAYER TO MY MUSIC THAT I HAD NEVER EXPERIMENTED WITH BEFORE.

AND SO I STARTED LOOKING, YOU KNOW, KIND OF LOOKING FOR WHAT I WAS GOING TO -- WHAT THE SUBJECT WAS GOING TO BE OR WHATEVER WHEN I LATCHED ON TO THE IDEA OF ODIN, IT WAS AN INTRIGUING STORY, IT IS AN INTRIGING STORY.

INTEREST ARE TWO SIDES TO THIS CHARACTER, THE GOD OF KNOWLEDGE AND ALSO THE GOD OF WAR.

SO, THERE ARE THESE TWO DIAMETRICLY OPPOSED CHARACTERS.

THE RAMBUNCTIOUS SIDE AND THE MORE INTUITIVE SIDE.

IT GAVE ME THE ABILITY TO USE JUST ABOUT ANY KIND OF SOUND.

>> AND THEY PLAYED OFF OF EACH OTHER.

>> EXACTLY.

>> YOUR CARL SANDBERG PROJECT, DESCRIBE THA >> I WROTE THIS PROJECT BASED ON THE PORTRAIT OF CARL SANDBERG, FOR ME, I LIKED USING THE WORDS I'M VISUAL AND IMAGERY COMES IN THE POETRY.

I WOULD COPY A LOT OF THE POEMS AND TAKE THEM WITH ME ON TRIPS AND READ THEM THROUGH.

I THINK THIS PIECE WOULD WORK WITH THIS KIND OF FRAMEWORK.

I DID ONE BASED ON THE RHYTHM OF WORDS AND I WROTE LYRICS EVERY TIME THOSE WORDS REAPPEARED, IT IS CALL ANYWHERE, EVERYWHERE PEOPLE.

I RECITE THE POEM, AND WHEN THOSE WORDS COME UP I HAVE A MELODY FRAGMENT THAT GOES WITH THEM.

I TRIED ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT THINGS.

I TRIED TO WRITE LYRICS AND IT ALWAYS ENDS UP SOUNDING LIKE A PARODY.

USING SOMEBODY ELSE'S LYRIC IS EASIER FOR ME.

I CAN SENSE SOMEBODY ELSE'S IMAGERIES, AND HE WAS SO AMAZING, SCOPE OF WORK WAS AMAZING TO WORK WITH WITH THAT.

I AM STILL COMPOSING SOME OF THOSE ACTUALLY.

IT IS AN ONGOING PROJECT.

>> IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT IS WHAT YOU BOTH DO, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE GLAD YOU DID IT.

>> WITHOUT QUESTION.

>> SO YOU ARE CONTINUING, MAYBE YOU WILL DO IT AGAIN, MAYBE NOT?

>> I THINK SO.

I AM ACTUALLY ALREADY DOING IT AGAIN.

>> OKAY.

THERE YOU GO.

>> I LOVE TO DO MORE STUFF FROM VISUAL SOURCES AND MORE STUFF FROM -- I LOVE INVOLVING, BRINGING IN DIFFERENT SOURCES OF INSPIRATION LIKE THAT.

THE POETRY HAS BEEN GREAT.

FUN TO WORK WITH THAT.

>> BOTH OF YOU WERE QUITE SCHOOLED IN YOUR CRAFTS.

MANY PERCUSSIONISTS HAVE NO SCHOOLING.

WHAT KIND OF FORMAL EDUCATION DO FOR SOMEBODY INTERESTED IN PERCUSSION?

>> THAT'S A TOUGH QUESTION.

>> YES.

>> BECAUSE PERCUSSION IS REALLY, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY COMES FROM THE HEART, AND IT COMES FROM THE SOUL, I THINK, AND I THINK -- >> YEAH.

>> AND I THINK YOU CAN HAVE ALL OF THE SCHOOLING IN THE WORLD, AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT DOWN HERE, YOU DON'T HAVE IT.

AND SO IT'S TOUGH TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, YOU KNOW.

>> BUT YOU'RE BOTH EDUCATORS.

YOU'RE BOTH ALSO TEACHING AND TRYING TO GIVE THIS GIFT TO OTHER PEOPLE.

>> I FOUND THE THING PERHAPS DIFFERENT ABOUT PERCUSSION IS THAT IF YOU ARE A TRUMPET MAJOR AT A UNIVERSITY, YOU PLAY TRUMPET, C TRUMPET, WHATEVER, BUT IF YOU ARE PERCUSSION MANAGER, YOUR PLATE IS FULL.

I WAS PERCUSSION MANAGER ALSO, I HAD TO PLAY SNARE DRUM, TRIANGLE, COVERING A LOT OF BASES.

I WAS INTERESTED IN THE DRUM SET.

WHAT I FOUND WAS THAT ALL OF THAT REALLY HELPED ME BECAUSE I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I BRING DIFFERENT TO THE TABLE WHEN I PLAY THE DRUM SET I WAS A PERCUSSIONIST ALSO.

HEAR THINGS IN THAT WAY.

I COLLECT A LOT OF JUNK ALSO, AND I LOVE DOING PIECES THAT ARE ALTERNATIVE.

WE DID ALL KINDS OF CRAZY PIECES.

PERCUSSION FOR PROFESSIONAL WRESTLERS.

A PIECE FOR PIN BALL MACHINES, TOOK THE GLASS OFF THE PIN BALL MACHINES AND PLAYED THEM.

RECYCLING PIECE, PIECE FOR CLOGGERS.

I JUST DID A SOLO CONCERT FOR A TELEVISION SHOW IN CANADA, I PLAYED THE DRUMS WITH CARROTS AND RAN THE CARROTS THROUGH THE JUICER, AND AT THE END OF THE PIECE, I DRANK THE JUICE AS THE FINALE.

THAT IS WHY I AM SO INTRIGUED BY DON'S WORK.

I LOVE THE WHOLE McGYVER ASPECT OF PERCUSSION.

PLAY THIS.

I'M SURE WE COULD BRING ANYTHING TO HIM AND HE COULD HAVE IT BE MUSIC.

THAT'S WHAT'S GREAT.

I LOVE THAT ASPECT OF IT.

>> INFLUENCES, JOHN CAGE.

>> MY BIGGEST INFLUENCE WAS CAGE.

I WORKED WITH HIM.

HE WAS A MENTOR, AND HE PRETTY MUCH CHANGED MY HEAD AROUND, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF LIKE AESTHETIC PHILOSOPHIES.

WHAT WAS INTERESTING ABOUT HIM, HE WAS WRITING PERCUSSION MUSIC LIKE IN THE LATE 30s AND USING JUNK.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU PLAYED ANY -- >> YES.

>> AND THE CONSTRUCTIONS FOR PERCUSSION, HE WROTE THREE OF THEM.

THE FIRST WRITTEN IN 1939.

IT WAS A COMBINATION OF TRADITIONAL PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS, JUNK, AND ETHNIC INSTRUMENTS LIKE AMERICAN INDIAN DRUMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

HE WAS A HUGE INFLUENCE ON ME.

>> MATT, A MAJOR INFLUENCE FOR YOU.

>> ANY -- TO ME, A BIG TURN AROUND WAS WHEN I WAS INTO BUDDY RICH AS A KID.

I HAD A FRIEND -- WE WOULD LISTEN TO JAZZ RECORDS TOGETHER.

BUT WE WOULD GO SEE CONCERTS.

ONE WEEK WE DROVE 50 MILES TO SEE CLARK TERRY.

50 MILES IN THE OTHER DIRECTION TO SEE GILL ESPY, WE WOULD SIT AROUND AND LISTEN TO RECORDS.

HE HAD A RECORD CALLED RICH VERSUS -- I WROTE A STATEMENT ABOUT THIS FOR A MAGAZINE SAYING THAT'S WHEN MY CONCEPT WAS CREATED RIGHT THERE ABOUT HOW I HEARD THIS INSTRUMENT.

BECAUSE HE SEEMED TO SING TO ME.

BUDDY WAS AMAZING, NO DOUBT, BUT I REALLY HEARD THE MELODY COME FROM THE DRUM SET WHEY I HEARD MAX PLAY.

THIS IS HOW I HEAR IT.

STILL THIS DAY THAT RECORD COMES TO MY THOUGHTS.

MY TEACHER IN COLLEGE WAS A BIG INFLUENCE, TOO, DR.

J.C.

COMBS, AS A PERSON OF CREATIVE AND GETTING SOUNDS AND BEING AWARE OF SOUNDS AND NOT BEING AFRAID TO USE THEM IN CONVENTIONAL SETTINGS.

THAT'S WHY I STILL, WITH THE DRUM SOUND, I CALL IT DRESS IT UP A LITTLE BIT.

BRING DIFFERENT THINGS TO IT, GREAT SOUNDS, SEE WHAT HAPPENS, NOT JUST USE CONVENTIONAL SOUNDS ALL OF THE TIME.

>> AND THAT IS A MESSAGE THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO GIVE TO YOUR STUDENTS.

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE THAT YOU WANT TO HAVE YOUR STUDENTS GO AWAY WITH?

>> WELL, FOR ME, I DO A LOT OF WORK IN SCHOOLS, AND EVERYTHING FROM ELEMENTARY UP TO COLLEGES.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR ME IS TO -- IS FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND FIRST OF ALL EVERYBODY HAS MUSIC IN THEM WITH A HEART BEAT.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT.

IT MAKES EVERYBODY A MUSICIAN.

A LOT OF ANCIENT CULTURES, EVERYBODY IS A MUSICIAN IN THE CULTURE.

THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE IN ALL OF THAT.

FOR ME, IT'S LIKE TO MAKE EVERYBODY REALLY AWARE THAT, YOU KNOW, HEY, YOU CAN DO THIS AND YOU CAN HAVE FUN DOING THIS AND YOU CAN DECIDE WHAT LEVEL YOU WANT TO DO IT ON, BUT THE IDEA IS IS TO GET INTO MUSIC AND EXPERIENCE COMMUNITY IF YOU HAVE A GROUP OF PEOPLE.

IT IS TO EXCITE PEOPLE ABOUT MUSIC AND ABOUT PLAYING MUSIC THAT THEY CAN DO THIS, THEY CAN BE A PART OF IT.

>> DO YOU HAVE A PIECE THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO GET ACROSS FOR YOUR STUDENTS?

>> I WOULD SAY I HAVE TO AGREE A LOT WITH WHAT DON SAID.

IT IS MORE OF, IN THIS DAY IN AGE, TOO, OF HAVING PEOPLE TO SHARE THE MOMENT AS A PERFORMER OR AS AN AUDIENCE.

SHARING THE MOMENT IS SHOW GREAT.

PERCUSSIONISTS, PERCUSSION FOR FOLKS IS NEXT TO THE VOICE, AS WE SAY, IS THE SECOND INSTRUMENT.

THERE IS A SERIOUS CONNECTION TO IT, AND I FEEL EVERYBODY IS INTRIGUED.

EVERYBODY ALWAYS WANTS TO TOUCH A DRUM OR CYMBLE, THEY'RE ALLS INTRIGUED.

ANOTHER REACTION WHEN YOU SAY PERCUSSION IS THIS, AND THAT DOESN'T -- IT IS NOT ALWAYS THAT.

SO I ALWAYS SAY TO MY STUDENTS, IF YOU CAN HAVE A SOLO PIANISTN IN A LOBBY, SOLO DRUMS, I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I TRY TO HAVE MY STUDENTS BELIEVE.

IT IS A MUSICAL INTRU MEANT.

>> DON, YOU WILL BE UP IN BURLINGTON, YOU HAVE AN ENVIRONMENTAL MESSAGE, BUT DOING WORKSHOPS, A LOT OF PEOPLE TRAVEL UP HERE TO SEE WHAT IS GOING ON.

>> I AM WORKING AT THREE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS IN VERMONT, AND WE ARE BUILDING WHAT I CALL JUNK MUSIC PLAY STATIONS AT EACH SCHOOL.

SOUND SCULPTURES MADE FROM RECYCLED MATERIALS AND I TEACH THE KIDS TO PLAY THEM.

ALL OF THE STUDENTS WILL COME TO BURLINGTON FOR FIRST NIGHT AND JOIN ME.

I DO A DUET WITH A RECORD PRODUCER, HE DOES BRITNEY SPEARS, JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, WE WORK TOGETHER, DO A DUET, AND THESE KIDS AND JACK AND I ARE GOING TO PLAY TOGETHER.

WE WILL DO IT OUTSIDE AND JACK AND I WILL PLAY A CONCERT.

>> I CAN'T BELIEVE WE'RE OUT OF TIME.

MATT WILSON WILL PERFORM WITH HIS ARTS AND CRAFTS QUARTET, TUESDAY, TOMORROW FOR SOME, AT THE HOPKINS CENTER SPALDING AUDITORIUM.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING WITH US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> LET'S JAM A LITTLE.

THEY CAN GO TO YOUR WEB SITES, AT MATT WILSON.COM OR JUNK MUSIC.ORG.

>> I'M FRAN STODDARD, THANKS FOR JOINING US.

♪♪ ♪♪