Did you know I got into magic by accident? I was looking for a book on drumming in the library, and right next to them…aha–the magic books! I took one off the shelf, and it changed my life. It was the sound of drums that led me to magic.
Jeez! Kids Today!
Unlike today’s kids, I didn’t learn my magic or music skills from YouTube. I wasn’t watching videos, playing computer games, or scrolling through social media to absorb information. How did I learn my magic and music? I read books and took private lessons from masters. I marched to the beat of a different drummer…and his name was Bey Perry.
WHAT! You’ve never heard of Bey Perry? It’s ok, there’s very little written about this great jazz drummer on the internet, so this might be one of the longest pieces out there on him. There’s only one photo of him that exists, and here it is.
Bang the Drum
The year was 1970, and I wanted to be a rock ‘n’ roll drummer. The radio had influenced me but I couldn’t learn drums just by listening, so my parents took me to drum lessons at a local music academy. They handed me drumsticks, some sheet music, and a practice pad – this little thing that barely made any noise. I thought it was stupid. I wanted to make noise. But I needed training, and my parents knew that. Dear God, if I was going to make noise, I needed proper training.
They asked around the Catskill Mountains, which was a hotbed of entertainment back then. That’s when they found a restaurant called Château across from the Monticello Raceway. It featured The Bey Perry Trio, Plus One. I guess that was the cool-cat way of saying quartet.
Bey was the band leader. He was an African American jazz drummer, and wow, he was super slick–a very cool cat. My parents took me to see him, and he was indeed a master drummer. Not a loud, thrashing, rock ‘n’ roll drummer, but cool, calculated, and incredibly talented rhythmically.
I wanted to be Ginger Baker, Ringo Starr, or Keith Moon, but Bey Perry introduced me to modern jazz drum masters, and we listened to Gene Krupa, Max Roach and Buddy Rich. That rocked my world – no, in fact it “jazzed” my world.
My parents drove me to his home in Monticello, New York. He had something I’d never seen before – a finished basement that looked like a nightclub, complete with a bar, a piano, and an amazing drum setup. I never got to play his kit, but I spent many hours by his side, learning my rudiments.
No, I didn’t learn from the radio or television. I learned from a master, and that is something I treasure. Bey taught me the history of rhythm. He knew I just wanted to be a rockstar and humored me, but rudiments are rudiments, and I had to learn them, all the terminology, and all the motions. I look back on those days fondly.
As a Black jazz musician in the Catskills during the late 1960s, Bey blended cool, calculated jazz drumming with an infectious passion for teaching. In his basement-turned-nightclub in Monticello, New York, he shared not only the technical rudiments of drumming but also a deep sense of musical history and rhythm’s soul. Though his name may not be widely known, his legacy lives on in the hearts of his students–a testament to the power of one-on-one mentorship, in an era before YouTube and online tutorials.
Two Seats Open
Due to last-minute cancellations, two seats have become available in the Master Class for Mentalism, Session 2, taking place live in Las Vegas at the House of Mystery October 21-24. At this Special Master Class, all of the performances, talks, and breakout sessions are focused on the performing art of MENTALISM. Taught by Jeff McBride and Dr. Larry Hass, our special guest for the class will be ROSS JOHNSON, perhaps the most successful corporate mentalist in the United States. These seats will be quickly filled, so reserve your spot today! https://shop.magicalwisdom.com/events
Lucky Me = Lucky You!
I think back on those days and how lucky I was and how special it was to take “live in-person” classes with a master. Now, it’s your turn! I’ll meet you online or here in Vegas – your choice! Let me know, then set a time for a Zoom class with Abigail at 702-450-0021 or email her abigail@mcbridemagic.com.
Take a look and click the video below. This is your invitation to join us at the Magic & Mystery School.
It will not be an accident if we bump into each other online on Monday nights or in Las Vegas. Instead, let’s call it…synchronicity!
Keep inspired,
Jeff and Abigail
