I usually don’t post videos unless they illustrate something I couldn’t explain in words, but I’ll always make an exception for Dutch drummer Han Bennink. Earlier today I found this short video, where he appears to be on some kind of talk show. Uncharacteristically, he’s wearing a necktie and has his bristly haircut slicked back, but once he starts playing—not at a drum kit, but at the desk used by the show’s hosts—he quickly becomes himself. Few modern jazz musicians as unapologetically progressive as Bennink can also make audiences smile and laugh the way he does. He’s a natural ham, but his humor and energy never compromise the seriousness of his musicianship.
You’ll find the clip after the jump.