“I’m like the grandaddy of the bunch,” jokes drummer Brett Crook. Crook joined the Frank Jones Band almost one year ago and will play at their holiday show at local restaurant Hurricane Grill & Wings on Dec. 26. 

2020 has been a tough year for the music scene. Crook notes how scarce live venues have become in the recent months given COVID-19 shutdowns, and how many bands have chosen to stream online as a result. He’s felt lucky to be part of the Frank Jones Band as they continue to safely bring live music to venues down the coast near St. George Island, Apalachicola and Panama City. 

Crook lives for the atmosphere of a live show. He’s opened for major award-winning acts like James Brown and BB King at the Orlando House of Blues. He toured with Hootie and the Blowfish at sold out theaters, and most recently, was on tour with Cedric Burnside, a Grammy-nominated blues artist from Mississippi. While quarantine may have slowed some of his opportunities to play, Crook remains committed to his craft. 

“Several times a week I sit behind a kit and play whether it’s along to a metronome or it’s a new Frank Jones song,” says Crooke. “Between Frank Jones gigs and freelancing with numerous other artists locally, I stay behind the kit pretty often.” 

For Crook, the role of the drummer is to be a timekeeper and keep a song moving in the right direction. He enjoys setting the groove for a show and considers himself to be a “songwriter’s drummer.” 

He doesn’t try to cram a hundred notes in a single measure. Instead, he listens with what he calls “big ears” and tries to find what will make the song work better. It’s a collaborative approach that he’s used while playing with numerous bands and recording for albums. 

Read the rest of the story by visiting the Tallahassee Democrat

or read more by downloading the article here.