Review: Curt Bisquera Wheels You On A Chill Ride
(mtebaldi | Posted 2010-07-29)
Curt is one of those drummers that you think you’ve never heard about, but in reality you have. He is one of the hottest session drummers in California and his huge drumming portfolio is something not accomplished by many. This, in fact, was the first time I heard about Curt Bisquera (aka Kirkee B), and I’ve been playing drums for over 13 years. If his intention with the release of this DVD (The West Coast Adventures of Kirkee B.: Curt Bisquera on Wheels) is to spread the word about his work, I must tip my hat to him. And it does so in a cool, laid back way.
When I first read the press release for this DVD, I was very excited. It promised a “tour to the greatest recording studios in Los Angeles”, although in my opinion the word “tour” is being misused here. A “pass-by” would be a better fit. The movie starts in great style with a very cool session in the Studio A of Capitol Records. Laying down an amazing performance right off the bat, Curt started to make me anxious to see what was coming next. And that’s when the “tour” starts. Passing just in the front of a few studios while playing some sick beats and sharing some stories on top of one of those tour-through-a-city buses, Curt’s stats started to pop up in the screen, showing just how many sessions he’s done in each of the studios. This was a bit of a disappointment as it would have been great to have some footage of the interior of each studio.
Skateboarding from his house to JR Robinson’s and Luis Conte’s, Curt shows off a little of his unique lifestyle. He pays a visit to his old drum professor for a jam session and then, after passing in front a few other studios, Curt gets down to business. With two more sessions, Curt shows off his skills, and that is what I really enjoyed on this very chill DVD. Along with some extreme close-ups of our main character, the bonus content shows some technical tips on drum tuning and damping, but nothing that you wouldn’t have already heard about unless you are a drummer still wet behind the ears.
Conceptually, this DVD could have done a little better. Just imagine actually touring through all the greatest recording studios of LA, seeing the studio rooms and equipment, sharing stories with great audio engineers and producers! That could have taken the DVD to a whole new level. What really saved me from true boredom are the few, but awesome, performances by Curt and some of his top-notch friends. To say that this DVD will not provide you any inspiring or educational purpose would be short-changing it. I do give props to Curt for sharing his mantra in the very end of this movie: “There is only one Curt Bisquera, and that Curt Bisquera has something to offer that no one else has to offer.” Words of wisdom that every drummer can put to use towards their own music career. There is always something that only you can offer and no one else, and that is yourself.
