Q&A with Darrell Nutt
Fort Myers musician shares his thoughts on music, the SWFL scene and whether drummers have groupies
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Darrell Nutt is a Fort Myers-based drummer and producer who has toured around the world and worked with numerous acts from The Temptations to AC/DC. As a producer he has shown an ability to write and work in a variety of styles including jazz, pop, rock, jam band, experimental, spoken-word, house, chill/lounge, breakbeat, garage, brazilian, nujazz, trance, downtempo, and latin.
Nutt has been featured on the popular Club Med and Miami Deeper series of compilations. He shared the Devorin Music Award for “Best International Collaboration” for the CD release: SAN - Emir & Frozen Camels in 2002.
Nutt recently took time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions for coastalbeat.com on his work, experiences, and the music scene in Southwest Florida.
coastalbeat.com: It says in your bio you started drumming at age 4, did you pick up the sticks or did someone hand them to you?
Darrell Nutt: Actually, it was wooden spoons! I started playing pots and pans on the kitchen floor. Everyone in my family is musical, so there were always drums, guitars, microphones, around.
CB: As a drummer/producer why live in Fort Myers instead of Miami, New York or Los Angeles?
DN: I love New York, but with the advent of high speed internet, home studios, and computer technology, It really doesn’t matter where I live at all. Most of the projects I’ve recorded have been from all over the country and Europe.
CB: Where’s your favorite place to play in Southwest Florida? Why?
DN: I like Dwyers Pub. It’s a good venue to see live music. Knuckleheads is also great.
CB: What current projects are you working on?
DN: I’m cutting drum tracks for Mike Rogers new CD. A country tune for a Nashville producer. Writing electro hip-hop for a TV show on the Speed Network. Putting the finishing touches on the debut CD from JazSyndicate (a latin influenced chill/lounge group). And producing the debut release of a new Christian based artist.
CB: You worked on the Brasil After Hours album and cut a track for the album. How did you get into Brazilian music?
DN: I’ve always loved the clavé rhythms and after I played a year with Steve Uscher, a fantastic latin jazz guitarist in Naples, I really started to get into the bossa nova, the Afro-Cuban grooves, etc.
CB: You recently toured Bosnia and Croatia, how was the experience?
DN: Simply amazing. Everyone in the cities we performed in was so nice and excited to see and hear us. They have some pretty talented people there and the food was incredible. Dubrovnik, Croatia is so beautiful. Bosnia is building back from the war and the people are very strong and determined to move on.
CB: You’ve performed or recorded with numerous artists, including George Clinton, Bo Diddley, AC/DC and Steely Dan. So do drummers get groupies or just the frontmen?
DN: I wish I could say that they do, it’s not that way in my case. Although, if any ladies out there want to change that, I’ll let you backstage!
CB: What are you listening to right now?
DN: Morph the Cat – Donald Fagen’s newest CD, and Jamie Lidell.
CB: How do you see the music scene in Southwest Florida? Is it growing, fading, about to blow up? What local bands/DJs do you follow?
DN: I’d have to say that the scene here is really geared towards cover bands and that really takes the creativity out of the business. Luckily, I’ve been fortunate enough to perform with Heather Brooks and actually work playing original music. I like Adrenalinn (David Johnson’s band), Vintage Vinyl is great. Both Hands is also good. Ah, there are so many good musicians in this area.
CB: What is the best live act performing today, in your opinion?
DN: Hands down... Steely Dan. We saw them in Tampa a couple of months ago. Best show I’ve ever seen or heard.
CB: What’s your stand on illegal downloading of music? Good to get the music out there, or bad for the industry and artists?
DN: I think the artists should get compensation for their hard work. I buy from iTunes all of the time. I don’t have a problem with downloading a teaser track if it makes you want to buy the entire release.
CB: You say on your web site that “a groove is the space between two notes,” and “it’s what you don’t play that makes a groove to me.” Explain what you mean.
DN: Sometimes, young drummers think they need fast chops, lots of technical riffs, to be a good drummer. I tend to think “less is more” especially in a groove situation. It’s like white space on a page, it feels better to the eye than something all cluttered and messy.
CB: If you could play or work with anyone, who you haven’t played with yet, who would it be?
DN: I’d really like to work with Joe Sample, Sting, John Mayer, or India Arie. Oh, this is a hard question.
Nutt is playing Friday night with singer/songwriter Heather Brooks at Knuckleheads in Estero, and also performs regularly at Dwyer’s. For more on Nutt and his performances check out his web site www.darrellnutt.com
Comments » 4
KiddBlitz writes:
dude....
magsax writes:
Darrell Nutt is bottom feeder !! Go check him out wherever he is playing , you won't be dissapointed. Oh , and he forgot to mention in his Article that he has opened for Chris Botti & Boney James too ,.... back in 2002 , With VMP - Vee/Magsax Project: www.myspace.com/veemagsaxproject
peace ,
Johnny
deaton writes:
D. Nutty is one of my most favorite people and is one of the most talented people I have ever met!
Much Love,
Sally Pants ;)
katepple writes:
Darrell Nutt is a very talented, versatile drummer. Check him out live or on CD!
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