Morgan Doctor Interview

by Dee on March 11th, 2010

Morgan Doctor is an accomplished percussionist originally from California, currently based in Toronto, Canada. For those who are old enough to remember the 80s firsthand, Doctor drummed for M.C. Hammer. Try to touch THAT! I recently had the chance to ask the Doc a few questions.

If I’m not mistaken, you once drummed for M.C. Hammer? Was this as a session player or live?

MD: Yes I did! It was for an earthquake relief benefit. He is a preacher now in the Bay area in California. The benefit was at his church. Clinton was there and Deepak Chopra. It was the first and only time I have done a gig with the backstage full of secret service. It was wild.

Fast-forwarding several years, with oodles of experience under her belt, Doctor has recently been recruited as the drummer for the legendary Andy Kim — the Montreal native who penned classics such as ‘Baby I Love You’, ‘Sugar Sugar’, and ‘Rock Me Gently’.

How did you get the opportunity to work with Andy Kim?

MD: I was recommended by Terence Gowan, [Lawrence] Gowan’s brother.

Is this project something that could reach outside the Toronto region? Are there any tour plans?

MD: Yes, he has a great young band and we are ready to get on the road. We start in May with some dates in Ontario and the US and then all of June we will be on the road across Canada, and then later we will hit the States more thoroughly. He just got inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame in LA so I’m sure we will be doing some shows on the West Coast when that comes around.

Between Andy Kim gigs in Toronto, Doctor finds time to do solo shows featuring her own downtempo material. Her compositions are based around percussion but are certainly not show-off rock ‘n’ roll drumkit fare. Subtle effects mingle with electronic loops, field recordings, and a smattering of guest vocals among an otherwise instrumental soundscape. Doctor’s debut CD Is This Home is peppered with percussion instruments from round the globe. A Tabla wiz, Doctor has also mastered the Swiss Hang — the former being an Indian 2-drum instrument and the latter, an otherworldly steelpan-style instrument. Doctor builds ambience by also incorporating odd items such as trash cans or whatever she finds that strikes her fancy.

Apart from what we might call “traditional” percussion instruments (toms, cymbals, tambourines, etc.) what are some of the everyday objects you use to create beats? What about any out of the ordinary, weird items?

MD: Well, in my solo stuff I really like to take traditional percussion and make it sound “untraditional” or even electronic. I have played plastic bags as shakers in the studio as well as buckets and paint cans (on Melissa Laveaux’s cover of [Elliott Smith's] ‘Needle In The Hay‘).

If you could narrow it down, what would your top 2 favorite percussion instruments be?

MD: That is a good question. By far the first is the drum kit — plain and simple 4-piece drum kit, nothing fancy is my favorite. The next would be the tablas because they offer so much variety in tone and are such a challenge to play.

Doctor’s talents stretch beyond just percussion. She also plays Rhodes, flute, guitar, and just about anything, really. There doesn’t seem to be any restriction on which instrument she might pick up next. The limitless artist also spends a lot of time on the Internet. Though she uses typical music marketing on Myspace, Facebook, and Twitter, she has also found innovative means of using online technology. While some musicians offer one-on-one lessons, not many have taken advantage of video conferencing tools to reach potential students. Not only is Doctor a talented musician, but evidently also a smart business person. Her drum lessons are available “long distance” via Skype. Perfect for people with busy lives, who work from home, or who have mobility issues.

How much do you think Internet technology helps you network and put yourself out there? The Skype courses are a terrific idea!

MD: I think the Internet is an incredible vehicle for people to gain knowledge about anything from anywhere. The Skype drum lessons came out of having some drummer friends who offer internet drum tracks. So you can send them tracks and they will record drums for you and send them back. If you can be a session player without ever being in the same studio let alone the same country, why not teach and make it available to those who live in other countries? I think the Internet is amazing for education. I can go on YouTube and learn anything, how to beatbox to how to potty train a puppy.

Can you tell us a bit about Cymbal, the question-answering dog?

MD: Well, he is a mini dachshund…but keeps growing so might not be mini for much longer. He is quite the charmer and seems to have a bodhisattvic effect on people. It is an amazing thing to walk down the street and watch everyone’s face light up with joy by just seeing a beautiful little creature. When I first got him, I felt like I was dating Madonna because I couldn’t leave my house without people taking pictures and stopping constantly.

How is your “talking mascot” a vehicle for self-promotion? Or is a website like formspring.me just a mindless way to unwind?

MD: Cymbal is far from a talking mascot. He is quite the character and he has so many fans, it’s pretty unreal. People always ask about him and I thought it would be fun and interesting to let people talk to him directly. It’s a nice way to connect to fans and friends. It’s liberating to be able to ask anonymous questions and it is liberating to see the world through the eyes of someone or something other than myself. He teaches me a lot.

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And speaking of little furry creatures, Doctor once played in a band called Chinchilla. Both Chinchilla and more recently, The Cliks, rock out but Doctor’s solo material is refreshingly different. Moody and atmospheric, both her debut CD and 2009’s Other Life can be enjoyed on different occasions. Some of the compositions have a repetitious quality that soothes. A chant like ‘Drolma-La‘ is perfect for quiet meditations, while the more upbeat, jazzy ‘How I Love You‘ is guaranteed to perk up a lousy mood. Paradoxically, the music works both as pacifier — great to soothe migraines or stress — as well as energizer. Though they use a similar dynamic, ‘Helms In The Morning‘ evokes a sense of awakening to a calm warm day while ‘The Passing‘ feels more like a sad procession. Both include violin (by the excellent Karen Graves) and atmospheric guitar effects. Each piece is void of vocals, yet no words are necessary to convey a story or set a mood.

Though both releases have melancholic overtones, there are enough uplifting passages to strike a balance, and ultimately invite the listener on a sonic adventure. Each listen brings new discoveries. This is really music deserving a quality set of headphones. To catch all the subtleties upon a first listen would be too ambitious. Doctor’s music is often like mulled wine — sweeter and more complex the longer it mulls. Similarly, fine tea has a different “personality” with each infusion. A first brew might taste astringent, a second brew might bring out floral aroma, and a third might be mild and sweet. Morgan Doctor’s compositions have that same quality. Different aspects are uncovered with each taste. Music to be savored any time of day — brew time variable!

Interview conducted by Dee Gamliel

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