Drummer Eric Garland is no stranger to SF Offside. In our first outing, last May, we featured Klaxon Mutant Allstars, a quintet that crystallized at Amnesia’s tenacious Wednesday night jazz jam, which Eric currently leads. While all five members of that ensemble compose, most of their material comes from Eric (and trumpeter Henry Hung). Known for his playful, grooving rhythms on the drums, Garland’s funky compositions have a thoughtful, timeless quality to them.
For SF Offside’s Spark Series, Garland is bringing his Hodge Podge Ensemble, a sextet for flute, clarinets, violin, accordion, bass, and drums. As he says, “This group is a chance for me to try out a part of my composing and playing as a drummer that requires a quieter touch, and that’s a great area to explore on the drums, especially in an intimate setting like Red Poppy.”
We talked with Eric to learn a little more what makes him tick, musically speaking.
Describe your music in ten words or less.
John Bonham and Duke Ellington form a duo to compete with the Black Keys. Continue reading
