Cris Cohen: You and Chris Fryar (drummer) mesh so well. How would you say your playing with him has evolved over time? Besides getting better. How would you describe that kind of cool, symbiotic relationship you guys have on stage?
Daniel de los Reyes of the Zac Brown Band: Chris has been like this from the very get-go. From the very beginning he's been so easy to play with. So, I didn't really have to do too much adjusting, other than just listening to him and wanting to support him and compliment him. I have taken liberties during certain moments, but my priority is always this relationship with this man that I hold dear to me as a friend, as a brother, as a fellow musician, and as a fellow musician in this particular band.
So, I feel that we have a great, situation going. I feel so at ease and so comfortable, whether it's a new piece of music, new ideas that Zac or one of the boys will bring in, or definitely live with the Zac Brown Band. Chris makes it so easy, or we make it easy for each other.
Cris Cohen: I'm wondering if you could elaborate on that, how he makes it easy to play with him. You don't have to name names, but what is an example of someone who is not easy to play with? What does that feel like in contrast to playing with Chris?
Daniel de los Reyes: I was always taught that percussion is drums included. So, my first few years out the gate, was always drum set (work). And I still play a lot of drums, but not professionally.
I always approach percussion with a drum set mentality in most of the situations that I play these days and have for last few decades. I really try to put myself in the drummer's shoes. Chris has impeccable time and I trust his time and I trust his ideas completely. So my job is to basically sometimes reinforce those ideas or compliment those ideas.
Not necessarily to add on and in between, although I do that too sometimes. But even though I have a percussion setup that I use with Zac, sometimes I play percussion as if I was playing a double drum set. But a double drum set that is going to be comfortable to this incredible drummer that's next to me. Not some drummer that's just there adding stuff, just taking his ideas and manipulating them and ransacking them like some double drummers or drummer / percussion situations that happen.
For the most part, it's just to reinforce energies going on without just popping out and being this ball of self-centered energy <laugh>, you know?
Anyone can publish a post. I can tell your story.