Featuring amazing performances and illuminating interviews from eleven of today’s greatest drum artists, Hudson Music’s new, four-disc, twelve-hour DVD of the 2008 Modern Drummer Festival™ is much more than merely the highlights of the most prestigious, longest-running, largest live drumming event in the world. The deluxe Modern Drummer Festival 2008 DVD package is also an incredible educational resource that provides in-depth insights and exclusive instruction (including a printable, 28-page eBook) from one of the most musical and musically diverse groups of drummers in the Festival’s 20-year history.

Two full Interview DVDs are an integral part of the complete MD08 package that allow the artists to augment their on-stage performances with back-stage explanations and demonstrations of their concepts, backgrounds, influences, techniques, interpretations and compositions. Included are inspiring conversations with each drummer as well as unprecedented drummer-to-drummer interviews, such as Simon Phillips-Gavin Harrison, Ndugu Chancler-Will Calhoun and Todd Sucherman-Derek Roddy, plus on-screen graphics that link the lessons to specific PDF files with notated patterns and exercises in the eBook. Whether viewed before or after the performance discs, the interviews bring new levels of education and value to the entertainment and excitement of the program.

Of course, MD08 also contains extensive, multi-camera coverage of the spectacular drumming that has made the Modern Drummer Festival a must-see event for drummers around the world. While some players offer solo performances, others play with pre-recorded tracks or live bands during their Festival segments, including:

Saturday
Thomas Pridgen (The Mars Volta) & Friends — powerful, muscular, free-form fusion.
Billy Ward (Joan Osborne/Robbie Robertson/Bill Champlin) & Trio - musicality, finesse and the ability to create a variety of drum sounds with sticks, mallets, brushes and hands.
Will Calhoun (Living Colour) - integration of African tribal influences with contemporary styles, electronic sounds and loops and esoteric percussion instruments.
Ndugu Chancler (Michael Jackson/Santana/Weather Report) - the concepts of groove, sound and feel plus the secrets of making hit records.
Simon Phillips (Toto/The Who/Jeff Beck) & Protocol — a tight yet adventurous set that combines musicality, power, finesse, groove and monstrous soloing.

Sunday
Carmine Appice & SLAMM — rock ‘n’ roll drumming meets street percussion.
Derek Roddy (Serpents Rise/Traumedy) — advanced metal drumming based on a combination of speed, endurance and precision.
Dafnis Prieto (Michel Camilo) & The Dafnis Prieto Sextet — an incredibly authentic, although remarkably fresh, approach to Latin/jazz.
Todd Sucherman (Styx/Brian Wilson) — the power of arena rock drumming mixed with well-developed chops and musicianship.
Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree/King Crimson) — progressive rock with a comfortable in groove any time signature.
Bill Stewart (John Scofield/Pat Metheny) & Special Guests — impeccable taste and a smooth, fluid, swinging jazz style.

The Modern Drummer Festival has been recognized for its diversity and ability to bring together drummers of all styles, ages and skill levels for over two decades. As in past years, the Modern Drummer Festival DVD provides the opportunity for an extended audience to experience this gathering of the world’s top drummers as well as the chance to see and hear them showcase drums, cymbals, heads and accessories from the world’s leading drum and percussion companies.

The Modern Drummer Festival 2008 DVD has a suggested retail price of $59.95 and is available at leading drumshops and music stores everywhere.

You can order this piece of history at Amazon.com.