For some of us, drumming is an outlet from daily life. For others it’s a full-time job. But for Dan Caro, drumming is much more than a source of recreation and income: It’s a means for strength, inspiration, and independence. As he states and truly believes, “I owe a lot to drumming.”
Back in 1982, Dan’s life was changed forever when he wandered into a garage of his Louisiana home. In a flash, a build-up of gasoline fumes ignited, scorching nearly every inch of his two-year-old body. Dan lost almost 70% of his skin, as well as the fingers on both hands. More than ten years of reconstructive surgeries and physical therapy were required to repair the damage.
Despite the years of pain and struggle to rebuild himself physically, Dan’s inner spark remained unscathed. He quickly learned that while even the simplest tasks were challenging, they weren’t impossible. Fueled with determination, Dan set out to participate in a variety of activities, including drumming.
Coming from a musical family, Dan had a natural inclination to pick up the sticks. “My father and my older brother played trumpet, and my next oldest brother played trombone. So I guess I wanted to follow in the family trade,” he explains. “But more importantly, I wanted to prove to myself and everyone else that I could do whatever was necessary.”
Because he lost his fingers in the accident, the young drummer initially had to figure out a way to hold the drumsticks. “I have a reconstructed thumb on my left hand,” says Dan. “So I can grip with that. But I don’t have anything to grip with on the right side. For the right hand, I use a wristband with a rubber band around it, which simulates the fulcrum between the thumb and index finger of matched grip.” When asked about the effectiveness of this method, Dan confirms, “It works really well. It has some limitations, but so does the human hand.”
Surprisingly, Dan encountered less trouble with his right hand than one might expect. “By the time I developed genuine interest beyond the ‘I have to prove something’ attitude,” he says, “I was already using the wristband and rubber bands. So the right hand took care of itself. My left hand was the one that gave me a lot of problems. Even though I could grip with it, I didn’t have any strength. I never did anything as in-depth as holding a drumstick, which requires a lot of focused muscular action. So it was a struggle to develop control.”
Until he started drumming, Dan relied on both hands to do most day-to-day activities. But, as he explains, “by playing the drums for hours every day, I developed strength in my left hand that’s allowed me to do much more in my daily life. Drumming has allowed me to be much more independent.”
In fact, drumming took an important therapeutic role during Dan’s years of rehabilitation. “Drumming is the most in-depth physical therapy I’ve ever had, and I’ve had a lot,” he confirms. “I’ve had 122 reconstructive surgeries. But no physical therapy I’ve gone through at the hospital or rehab service did anything near what I can do because I play the drums.”
Much if this self-rehabilitation was a result of Dan’s unrelenting desire to improve. Says Dan, “I practiced until I had no skin on my hands, period. It was truly a blood, sweat, and tears type of thing. I just wanted to do it so much. I’d practice about four hours, and I’d hold drumsticks throughout the day to develop the strength, dexterity, and endurance to grip the stick. I never let a day go by.”
Along the way, Dan has encountered a number of exceptional people who have helped shape and refine his approach to the drums. While attending Loyola University in 2000 and 2001, Dan was exposed to various advanced musical concepts by famed New Orleans drummer Johnny Vidacovich. As Dan explains, “I wasn’t aware of the subtleties of drumming until I studied with Johnny. I was more into the technical side of things. Like any young student: More is better. But he taught me how to listen.” Brian Blade is another New Orleans jazz great who’s had a major impact on Dan’s drumming. “Brian blew me away with his expressiveness and control,” says Dan. “I listen to him at least once a day for inspiration.”
But the influences don’t stop there. Dan also cites jazz masters Elvin Jones, and Tony Williams, and funky New Orleans drummers Zigaboo Modeliste, Russell Batiste, and Stanton Moore as major influences. Dan is especially drawn to the adventurousness of Stanton’s playing. “He’s doing something phenomenal, using all kinds of electronics with the New Orleans stuff,” proclaims Dan.” He’s breaking boundaries.”
As for his own approach to the instrument, Dan is always exploring new territories. “Every day I try to get involved through different musical experiences,” he says. “If I had to limit myself to one thing, I’d be in agony. I’d probably end up quitting.”
Currently, Dan is putting a lot of energy into the original R&B/rock’n’roll group Boogie City. With this project, the drummer uses samples and sequences to augment his live performances. Spurred by a recent interest in the pop music of the 1980’s, Dan has become focused on the precision that this type of playing demands. He explains, “Pop music is so produced and perfected that you have to be rock-solid to perform it.”
To keep himself balanced, Dan is also involved in more experimental projects. As he explains, “I want to push myself further into free-form playing. I’m extreme. I don’t give one thing more effort that another.”
Another one of Dan’s regular gigs, Michael Ray and the Cosmic Krewe, allows the drummer to express his diverse interests. With this group, Dan has to pull off a wide range of styles, from funky odd-meter grooves, to straight-ahead jazz, to extended free improvisations.
Dan is equally adventurous in the practice room. He explains one of his more creative practice methods, stating, “I’ve been going through my collection of books and reading them upside down. This way, the bass drum part moves to the rack tom, or wherever.” As for the purpose of such practice, he says, “Is affects the way you hear patterns and how you build drum parts. Instead of being rooted on the bass drum, you put the root somewhere else. It makes you think differently.”
In addition to his busy schedule as a drummer, Dan is also using his experiences to connect with people as a public speaker. After his accident, the Shriners organization took care of Dan, covering all of his medical expenses. Over the years, they’ve kept in touch with him for public service announcements and endorsements. Dan has spoken at a variety of Shriners functions, including their biggest annual fundraiser, the Shrine Bowl. From these experiences, Dan discovered the Toastmasters organization and has since become the president of his local club. Dan would like to continue to explore this new interest, stating, “I feel like I can share something with people that might motivate them to go above and beyond what they expect of themselves.”
As for some passing advice, Dan says, “You are your only limit. If you get rid of it, then, ‘Space is the place.’ Anything and everything is possible. If you think it, you can do it—in every facet of life.”
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