by Zan Stewart

The crackle and thunder that Steve Johns creates at the drum kit tells you why he's been a favorite of so many jazz aces -- among them pianist Billy Taylor, trumpeter Randy Brecker, guitarist Bob DeVos, and saxophonists Stanley Turrentine and Sonny Fortune.

Boston-native Johns, 47, plays with Fortune Friday and Saturday at Sweet Rhythm in New York, and with DeVos May 30 at Lana's in Clark and June 14 at Cecil's in West Orange.

Johns, an Englewood resident, says the drums, which he has been playing since age 9, originally grabbed him because of their percussiveness, all the different sounds. Now, as a seasoned pro, it still has those virtues, plus the excitement of teaming with other players.

"I like to interact, shade and color what I hear around me," he says. "I think I know how my playing will affect the music. A band has to have a strong drummer who takes control of the beat. I feel good in control. It's not what motivates me, but it's my instrument."

Johns has been playing with saxophone dynamo Fortune for about 10 years, and is featured on the latter's 2007 CD, "You and the Night and the Music" (18th & Vine). "My playing has really opened up with Sonny," he says. "I have to turn up the heat. He likes me to remind him of Elvin Jones, and since I'm influenced by Elvin, I can go into that vibe, do it my own way."

Working with West Orange guitar monster DeVos also brings Johns immense pleasure. "Bob has impeccable time, and I love his warm, rich sound," says Johns, who has played on DeVos' "Shifting Sands" and "Playing for Keeps" Savant CDs. "My playing fits his style nicely."

Johns has been influenced by many greats, among them Alan Dawson -- his teacher in Boston who also taught the innovative Tony Williams -- the aforementioned Jones and Jack DeJohnette. Like the latter, Johns also plays piano.

"When I practice, I probably sit at the piano more than at the drums," says Johns, whose website is stevejohnsjazz.com. "I know a lot of tunes on piano, and that helps me to connect when I'm playing. It gives my drums more depth."

A musician who enjoys swinging hard and being open and loose as well, Johns -- who has played on more than 50 CDs, including "Rough Jazz" (Apria), in the cooperative band, Native Soul -- describes his style as "a mixture of the old and the new."

"One thing I love about jazz is having the freedom to express your own style," he says. "I knew from a young age you have to have your own voice."

In between performance hits, Johns, a co-leader of the band Native Soul, teaches at Montclair State University. "I try to share what I know," he says.

Zan Stewart is The Star-Ledger's jazz writer. He is also a musician who occasionally performs at local clubs. He may be reached at zstewart@starledger.com or at (973) 324-9930.

reprinted from nj.com

Could this possibly be true? Haven't R.E.M. been working tirelessly for a decade to preemptively debunk Pallett's theory? We'd always thought the real shortcut to rock-and-roll success was hiring a second drummer, which, counterintuitively, is almost always a good idea (see the Grateful Dead and Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs and Englishmen album). But would some bands actually be better off without their drummer? Bands besides the Eagles?

~ When learning a complicated drum beat, play it at a real slow tempo. Set your metronome at maybe 40 beats per mimute! After successfully playing a new complicated beat at that tempo, increase your beat speed. When you get frustrated, simply take a short break and then come back to it.

~ If you've never played double bass before, or if you're just getting started, don't expect perfection right away, even if you've been drumming awhile. You have to build up muscle memory in your legs.

~ Before screwing your tension rods back into your lugs, squirt a little WD40, or put a small bit of vaseline on them.

~ Always try to play with musicians who are better and more experienced than you. And, always teach those who are not as good and less experienced than you.

~ When you replace drumheads, remember that you'll need to tune them back up again in a few hours after they've had a chance to stretch.