Sean Dobbins & the Modern Jazz

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by--familiarized himself with the new crop.

He instinctively realized that the young drummer was the one true talent in the group. To get Dobbins to focus, he suddenly started singing the opening bars of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony--and asked the student to play what he was singing on the drums! Dobbins was understandably incredulous, but Doc patiently explained that it was all jazz--call and response, theme and development, and plenty of soul. He told him to go home and learn much of the first movement on the drum set. It was an amazing demonstration of pedagogical insight; some may find it eccentric, but it was a perfect example of Doc's marvelous way with kids and music. And it worked, because Dobbins stayed with the drums, grew up, and developed into one of the leaders of our jazz community.