What do you need to be a successful drummer in Australia? According to James Legg (OM 2011), it is a modicum of talent, sheer hard work and the willingness to have a wide repertoire.
At Melbourne Grammar to deliver a series of masterclasses this year, the former Captain of Jazz worked with Wadhurst and Senior School students on their drumming skills leading into the annual Jazz Concert. Of course, the ‘lessons’ didn’t stop there.
“I feel like I know what the students might be feeling when they are on stage, given I have been there myself,” says James. “Hopefully I can help guide them through any nerves.”
“I also tried to give the boys some life advice while I was here. That included telling them that, in Australia, you can’t just be a jazz drummer, there’s not enough work for you. If you’re going to be a drummer, it means playing Latin, it means playing funk, it might even mean playing marching music or disco – you have to be around all of it,” he adds.
Completing a Bachelor of Music (Honours) at Monash University this year, James works as a drummer with such luminaries as Paul Grabowski and Kate Ceberano.
“I think going to a tertiary institution was a good step for me. It gave me the time to practice hard, and also the opportunity to network and make connections,” says James. “It took a while to get my professional career off the ground but now I get a lot of work, mainly by word of mouth.”
“I was lucky to have had really good teachers throughout my time at Melbourne Grammar, including Cindy Taylor at Grimwade House and then Rob Glaesemann and Colin Doley at Wadhurst and Senior School. Cindy found a way to really motivate me in those early years.
Rob and Colin make an extra effort to create an interesting music programme. Being able to play in different band settings with different instrumentations was a great experience,” says James.
James also took to the stage during the Jazz Concert. “It wasn’t a planned thing,” explains Rob Glaesemann, Head of Woodwind and Conductor of the Jazz Band. “To be strong in jazz, it’s important that students develop the capacity to handle spontaneity and chaos fearlessly.”
“James is the real deal,” according to Mr Glaesemann. “He is a world class drummer who is solid in any situation. Apart from his musical ability, James has a great natural way of just being himself and finding a way to impart his passion to the students without being embarrassed or egotistical about it. When students see that fire, I hope it might ignite something similar in them.”
And what did the students think about James’ contribution to their skillset? “James took some simple concepts and showed us how they are applicable to even the most complicated arrangements that we could face in the jazz world,” says Year 11 student, James Fisher.
Angus McKean, Year 11, also appreciated the instruction. “James Legg is a master at his art form and for us to be able to learn from him is one the best experiences I’ve been given at Melbourne Grammar,” he says.
Oh, and if you want to attend one of James’s gigs, you’ll need to be on the lookout for his pseudonym, Miles Henry (his two middle names). “A lot has changed since I’ve been at Melbourne Grammar,” says James. “And my name is one of them!”
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