Imagine being the drummer in one of the most successful bands of the 1990s. Your hits not only still play around the world 20-plus years later, yet they are synonymous with a particular era. Rather than sitting back and relying on these prior accomplishments, Spin Doctors drummer Aaron Comess continues to push forward with a number of projects.
Still based in New York, Aaron is a regular performer at Rockwood Music Hall. On July 27th, he will be playing there with his Air Conditioned Gypsies ensemble. With two drummers in tow, the Gypsies have a revolving cast of players and defy genres with their improv-heavy style. Aaron is also active with the Aaron Comess Quintet, which released its self-titled album earlier this year. He also still plays with the aforementioned Spin Doctors, who have been recording at his Brooklyn-based His House Studio. In turn, Aaron’s work ethic and musicianship are both praise-worthy.
Aaron took the time to do some Q&A for Downtown, with more details offered up about his July 27th gig on the Lower East Side.
What’s to be expected from your July 27th show at Rockwood Music Hall?
Aaron Comess: I’ve put together a really great group of creative improvisers for this one. JoJo Mayer will be playing drums with me. Jojo [Mayer] is one of the most innovative, creative drummers playing today and I’m really looking forward to seeing what we come up with together. Chris Morrissey is playing the bass. We have played together a little, but this is going to give us a chance to really stretch out. He plays with a lot of great people and is a great composer and leader himself. Leon Gruenbaum is back on this one and playing his instrument he invented called the Samchillion. You’ve got to see and hear this thing. He is a really creative musician and came up with something totally unique. Brandon Ross will be playing guitar. I played a gig with Brandon about five years ago and he really stuck in my mind as someone I wanted to play with again, and this is the perfect situation. I have a feeling this group of musicians is going to make for a really special night.
What is it about Rockwood Music Hall that keeps you going back for residencies?
A: I have been playing at Rockwood on a regular basis since they opened almost 10 years ago. NYC had been missing a venue like this that caters to all types of musicians and songwriters. When Rockwood opened, I feel the scene really changed for the better in NYC. I had not felt that kind of a creative supportive scene since the ’90s at places like Wetlands. It’s important to have venues that you can create a scene for musicians and lovers of music to all hang out and do their thing. Also, they have been very supportive of all my different projects. They really do it right. It sounds great there and it’s a fun place for the audience and the musicians to enjoy music together.
Your group The Air Conditioned Gypsies is improv-oriented. What does you think separates an “improv band” from a “jam band?”
A: I’m not one to put labels on music really, so I’m not exactly sure how to respond to that. What I will say is we try to think more compositional and keep things direct, as opposed to long jams that may go on a bit too long. But there are really no borders stylistically. We can go wherever we like and do.
Is your plan to continually rotate the second drummer in The Air Conditioned Gypsies? Or is the regularly changing lineup more rooted in everyone being working musicians with gigs that pop up and change often?
A: I like the idea of using different groups of people from show to show but having some of the same people return. For instance, Leon has done the last two shows and I’ve done two shows with drummer Mark Guiliana, and will definitely be asking both of them back. But yes, I would like to try different drummers. I’ve always really enjoyed the double-drummer concept, but it can be a train wreck when it’s not the right two guys. I really try to think of people that I feel I will gel with pocket-wise and creatively. So far it’s been great and I have a really good feeling about playing with Jojo.
Having been to the top of the metaphorical mountain with The Spin Doctors, what was it that kept you going in the years when it wasn’t as cool to like The Spin Doctors?
A: I never think about what is “cool” in music. Trends change and I always just stay true to what I do. My main goal is to keep growing, work on my craft, keep my ears open and make good creative music.
Besides the drums, you also played bass and keyboard in The Spin Doctors. Are you self-taught, or did you go through proper music schooling in order to pick different instruments?
A: I have always messed around with guitar, bass and keyboards and I did come up in a schooled musical background, although I’m pretty much self-taught on the guitar and bass. I write most of my music on guitar. Being a drummer, I understand what the role is for a bass player, so I just do what I think I would want to hear the best I can when I get the chance to play it. I think it’s important to be able to at least have an understanding of other instrument, as it will make you play your primary instrument better being able to look at the big picture and not just think like a “drummer,“ or whatever the instrument you are playing at the time. For instance, some of my favorite drummers don’t play drums as their main instrument. Stevie Wonder is a great example of that.
What do you think the biggest misconception is about The Spin Doctors?
A: I’m not really sure. I mean, I suppose there is a majority of people that know us for the big hit songs, but I think plenty of people also know that we have a lot more to us than that. Again, I don’t really think about that kind of stuff too much.
More importantly, having released If The River Was Whiskey two years back, what’s ahead for The Spin Doctors?
A: We just put out a live record and DVD called Songs From The Road on Ruff Records. We are doing a bunch of dates in late July and August. Also, we have about half of a new record in the can that we started last year in my Brooklyn recording studio [His House Studio]. Hopefully we will get back in and do some more recording sometime in 2016. Besides The Air Conditioned Gypsies, I also have my trio with Teddy Kumpel and Richard Hammond that had two records out of my original instrumental songs. We are playing a show at the Rockwood Music Hall on August 10 and it’s really turned into a great group. Also, I put out a straight-ahead acoustic jazz record called the Aaron Comess Quintet a few months back. I’ll be headed to germany for five weeks in late september to play with Marius Westernhagen, who is a German rock icon. This will be my fourth tour and second record with him, and it’s a great band of mostly NYC musicians. Also, I play a lot in the NYC area with lots of different groups. There are all kind of records in the can with different artists that I play on that will be released in the coming months, and my recording studio keeps me pretty busy when I’m in town.
Finally, Aaron, any last words for the kids?
A: Yeah, for sure. Get off the computer and bring it to the people. Practice and work hard on your craft. Keep an open mind and listen to everything. The best musicians are not negative on everything, they are listening and learning all the time from everyone even if it’s not their thing. That’s the great thing about doing this. It never ends. There is a never-ending supply of things to learn and come up with, the sky is the limit. I’m lucky ’cause I’m in the middle of my life, so i have all the great veterans that I have been studying all my life, and now I get to study and play with so many great younger musicians that inspire me greatly. It’s a great time .
-by Darren Paltrowitz
