“Try to treat everyone with respect. Music can be the great unifier. Teach those who want to learn. Never think you are the best, continue to improve, never think you know it all.”

Jimi Bott: Feeling the Beat & Rhythm

Jimi Bott is an award winning blues drummer, recognized across the globe as one of the very best. His career has spanned 45 years of touring, recording, and performing along side many of the world's best musicians. Here you can stay up to date on his latest ventures and tour dates, as well as take a look back at his amazing career in music. While still in high school Jimi started his professional career at the tender age of 17 with well-known Bay Area blues men, Paul Durkett and Byrd Hale. At 19 he joined Mark Hummel and the Blues Survivors, starting what would be the beginning of a perpetual life on the road. On his 21st birthday he auditioned for, and won, the gig of his dreams with Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers, the very same band that had inspired him to become a professional drummer. Next, he played with The Fabulous Thunderbirds for a total of 8 years. He joined The Mannish Boys and toured with them for an additional 8 years. Jimi took a break from touring to work in his Portland based studio, Roseleaf Studios. His discography boasts impressive credits to over 150 CD's and countless live performances with other blues greats.                                             (Photo: Jimi Bott)

Jimi was privileged to be schooled by two of the best drum instructors in the country. From 1980 to 1983 he studied with the Bay Area great, Forrest Elledge. Later, while living in Los Angeles, he was one of the famous Murray Spivack's last (and according to Murray, one of his best) students ever, an incredible compliment considering Murray's list of students includes world-famous drummers such as Joe Morello (Dave Brubeck), David Garibaldi (Tower of Power), Louie Bellson and Chuck Silverman.  Hand technician geniuses, both Forrest and Murray befriended Jimi and passed on their vast knowledge of stick control, musicality, and sense of rhythm.  Forrest and Murray's influence flows through every performance of Jimi's. Played with many of the great blues men of the past and present most notably; The Fabulous Thunderbirds, The Mannish Boys, Rod Piazza, Albert Collins, Earl King, Snooky Pryor, Luther Tucker and the list goes on. He is known worldwide as one of the best blues drummers of any generation.

Interview by Michael Limnios

How has the music influenced your views of the world?

I choose the path less traveled and it has taken me around the world, opening my eyes to life outside of not just my small town beginnings but beyond that of TheUnited States. Music has allowed me to travel to distant countries. I’ve been ableto experience firsthand other cultures which has in turn broadened my horizons and perspective of the world.

What moment changed your music life the most?

The year was 1980 or ’81 in my home town of Los Gatos California (several years before it was to be part of or known as Silicon Valley). My friend Eric Smith and I snuck into a local bar, Mountain Charlie’s. We had heard the band who would be performing that night was one of, if not the best, blues west coast swing bands anywhere. We sat at a table hoping we would not be noticed (I was only 15, Eric was 16. Far too young to be in a bar!) Great anticipation grew as the club filled with excited fans. The clock ticked closer to the hour the band would start. Much to our dismay a waitress spotted us just before downbeat. She said “I hope you two are not thinking you can stay here for the show?” We were crushed and our faces showed our disappointment. The waitress said “Stay here I’ll be right back” We saw her talk to the bartender, he looked at us, then back to her, and nodded in agreement. She returned to our table. “Come with me” she said. We were certain she was going to throw us out but instead she took us to the back end of the long bar and actually had us sit on the bar so we could see over the tops of heads of the now packed club. She brought us two free cokes. Then pointing at the front door she said “If any cops come in that door you get out of here through this door fast!” and she pointed at the back door behind us.

Just then the band hit the stage opening with Rocker by Little Walter. It was so exciting and powerful I was hooked from the first note! The band was The Chicago Flying Saucer Band who would later change their name to Rod Piazza and The Mighty Flyers. I got to meet them all that night. Miss Honey, Jr Watson, Bill Stuve, Rod and drummer Willie Schwartz who took me on stage during the break. I had told him I wanted to be a blues drummer and was just learning. He was so nice to me. That night literally changed the entire course of my life. I went back to school Monday morning and told my algebra teacher, “I don’t need to know any of this stuff. I’m going to be a drummer. Specifically a BLUES DRUMMER!” Six years later on my 21st birthday I auditioned for and joined the band.

”My fear is that less and less people will want to experience live music. I have three teenagers who are always on their phones. They do have a varied and wide range of musical tastes including many of the classic rock bands.” (Jimi Bott with Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers / Photo by John De Leon)

How do you describe your sound and music philosophy? What's thebalance in music between technique (skills) and soul/emotions?

It’s all about feeling. In my younger years I would work hours a day on my technique. I practiced nonstop with a strict regimen using a stop watch to monitor my actual practice time. It wasn’t until I was in my 20’s during the second year of playing with the flyers I had an epiphany. We were playing a gig at Carlos O’Brian’s in Riverside CA (Rod’s home town) when he played something on the harp. I had “a feeling”, my body, not my brainreacted and I answered him on my instrument. A light bulb went off and I realized “This is what it’s supposed to be like all of the time!”

After that I realized that rather than “think” what I “should” do, I could “conjure” emotions and my body would react. Now, that said, if you have a particular feeling/emotion but your body cannot physically react on your instrument, this is when/where you must work on your technique. You must have the tools, ability, dexterity and mastery of your instrument to express yourself without pause.

Which meetings have been the most important experiences for you? Arethere any memories from gigs, jams, and studio sessions which you’d like to share with us?

There are too many to list actually. At this point I have played on, recorded and or produced over 150 released recordings. I have been lucky enough to play with literally hundreds of musicians during my 45 year career. There are so many stories it could be a series or a book. But some of the highlights would have to be being on stage with some of my heroes. Brownie McGhee, Luther Tucker, Charlie Musselwhite, Albert Collins, Louis and Dave Meyers, Snooks Eaglin, Anson Funderburgh, Kim Wilson, Johnny Dyer, William Clarke, Larry “Arkansas” Davis, Cary Bell, Jimmy Rogers, Joe Houston, All the members of The Mighty Flyers of course, Jimmie Vaughn, Pinetop Perkins, Henry Gray - the list goes on and on.

Also meeting many of my drumming heroes has been fantastic. Francis Clay and I were friends. Richard Innes lived in Riverside Ca and would sit in with Rod and the band regularly. Sam Lay, and Willy Big Eyes Smith were both very cool. I hung out with Louie Bellson several times; we had the same teacher, the great Murry Spivack. Jaimoe Johnson (ABB) introduced me to Johnny Boudreaux. There are so many I don’t want to seem like I’m bragging and I would really have to sit and think about this a long time.

”I choose the path less traveled and it has taken me around the world, opening my eyes to life outside of not just my small town beginnings but beyond that of TheUnited States.” (Photo: Jimi Bott)

What do you miss most nowadays from the music of the past?

I do sometimes miss the ability as a band (like when I was with the flyers ’86-’96) to go out on the road, play every night of the week when the clubs were full every night. I remember once in about 1988 playing at the original Blues Harbor in Buckhead, Atlanta. We were going to play the whole week. We started on Monday night and the club was full. When we entered the club the next night it was bursting at the seams there were so many people. We got a standing ovation before we played a single note. Mid 80’s-90’s everywhere we went across the country the clubs were full every night of the week. When we had a new album (or later a new CD) everyone in the place would buy at least one. I was told that our Live at BB Kings CD (Big Mo records) sold close to 25,000 in the first year and most of those sales were off the bandstand.

As for what I think is missing in modern music or even modern blues is spontaneity and dynamics. I try to encourage artists in my studio to play live as much as possible and interact with each other, at least on the basic tracks for their recordings. I remember Francis Clay telling me how long they worked on the Muddy song Walkin’ Though the Park before they actually recorded it. They were always trying to make each song a special and different. It was never “Oh this is just a shuffle” which sadly is pretty prevalent today.

What are your hopes and fears for the future of?

My fear is that less and less people will want to experience live music. I have three teenagers who are always on their phones. They do have a varied and wide range of musical tastes including many of the classic rock bands. They find these groups through social media short posts and they do search and find the full songs if they really like them. But they don’t seem to have a strong drive to see any of the modern bands they like in a live setting. They also don’t have the experience of saving up to buy their favorite band’s new album. To hold it and read the liner notes over and over. In fact, of the music they listen to they know very little of who the members are or what instrument they play.

What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience in the music paths?

Try to treat everyone with respect. Music can be the great unifier. Teach those who want to learn. Never think you are the best, continue to improve, never think you know it all.

”As for what I think is missing in modern music or even modern blues is spontaneity and dynamics. I try to encourage artists in my studio to play live as much as possible and interact with each other, at least on the basic tracks for their recordings.” (Photo: Jimi Bott, Roseleaf Studio, Portland Oregon 2024)

How did the idea of Roseleaf Studio come about? How do you want the music to affect people?

In my early 30’s I was drinking and doing a lot of drugs. I was also spending and wasting a lot of money. I always had an interest in recording and recording gear at a very young age. When my Grandmother (my dad’s mom) died I received a reelto reel tape recorder of hers and I would spend hours recording my favoritealbums. Kind of an early version of “mixed tapes”. Anyway, somewhere around 1996 I had an idea that if I just stopped partying I could save a lot of money and buy some recording gear and that’s what I did. My first set up was two ADAT machines and a Mackie 24x8 board. When I moved to Portland OR in ’98 I set upa studio in a basement room of the house I was living in. Then when I bought my first house in 2000 I had an entire basement that I divided into a control roomsome ISO rooms. I kept buying more gear and working on getting better and better at getting good sounds. My first Pro Tools set up was PT 4 or 5.

In 2007 my wife & I bought another house on a big lot that already had a separate building on it. I grew up building homes with my father so I used my construction know-how to turn it into a recording studio - doing all the work myself. I still really love helping an artist with their vision/music, making it come to fruition. I truly enjoy getting “good sounds” and trying to improve my skill level as a recording engineer. It really is like learning an instrument. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication. I love it when people enjoy music that I help capture/create.

As for the name Roseleaf Recording, contrary to people’s assumptions, it actually has nothing to do with living in Portland, “The City of Roses. My earliest memories of making up songs with my friends on the long walk home from kindergarten/grade school. We would sing and make up these silly songs and try to finish them by the time we got back to my house which was on Roseleaf Lane, hence the name Roseleaf Recording and Roseleaf Music (my publishing co).

You’ve worked in many different settings, from clubs and studios to open air festivals. How do you navigate between these different worlds?

I guess this comes from years of experience? If you figure my average work year is approx. 250 days a year. I’ve been at it for 45 years that’s over 11,000 jobs/gigs.I’ve played almost every possible venue, club and studio situation you can think of. After a while you just seem to know what to expect. Again, don’t ever think you know it all but at the same time you do have to give yourself credit that you have done this or this type of gig before and you know what to do. I used to get really uptight and nervous in a lot of gig situations but at 60 years old I think I’m over that now. It’s like the great Elvin Jones told me once. “I finally realized all I can do is just bring myself to the music”.

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(Jimi Bott / Photo by Kelly Ralph)