drummers and all that jazz
I can tinker around on the piano, play a pretty average rhythm guitar and have fond memories of occasionally hitting the right
note on the oboe in my high school orchestra. Musical instruments and the people who play them have always fascinated me. My love affair with music began in the 1960s during the British Invasion when guitarists ruled the stage. Keyboard players were not as prevalent in those days, but I’ll always remember the organ’s dominance in “House Of The Rising Sun” by The Animals. Woodwinds and brass were virtually non-existent in the British Invasion bands. The only exception I can come up with (and I’ll be happy to be corrected) is the late Denis Payton, saxophonist for The Dave Clark Five. But those were the guys fronting the bands. Toward the back of the stage was the guy who kept it all together: the drummer.
After a brief history of drums and drumming, we present mini-profiles on ten of the best in the business. Each one is followed by a YouTube showcasing that drummer engaged in his craft.
note on the oboe in my high school orchestra. Musical instruments and the people who play them have always fascinated me. My love affair with music began in the 1960s during the British Invasion when guitarists ruled the stage. Keyboard players were not as prevalent in those days, but I’ll always remember the organ’s dominance in “House Of The Rising Sun” by The Animals. Woodwinds and brass were virtually non-existent in the British Invasion bands. The only exception I can come up with (and I’ll be happy to be corrected) is the late Denis Payton, saxophonist for The Dave Clark Five. But those were the guys fronting the bands. Toward the back of the stage was the guy who kept it all together: the drummer.
After a brief history of drums and drumming, we present mini-profiles on ten of the best in the business. Each one is followed by a YouTube showcasing that drummer engaged in his craft.
getting a feel for it
If you’ve ever looked at the“greatest drummers of all time” lists, you’ll see quite a few rock drummers there. Not many of the other genres are represented, although you may see (and
rightfully so) such names as Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa and Chick Webb. But nearly every musical style requires the glue the percussionist uses to hold it all together. Listen to recordings by some of the big band greats (Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw). Even with the instrumentation of those capable bandleaders, it’s hard to imagine what their records would sound like without the steady sound of a backbeat.
The skill involved in jazz drumming goes beyond learning a few beats or patterns. As with any style of music, one needs to understand, in equal measure, the concept and technique. A study of those who developed the use of those essential ingredients is also a must.
To those more schooled in the study of jazz than I am, the names we’re exploring in this lens will probably be familiar. But I’m just beginning my journey through jazz and every discovery is cause for celebration. There are far too many talented percussionists to mention in this one lens. The ones we’ve chosen have been selected at random from our research. Accept our invitation to this party and help us salute those “Drummers And All That Jazz.”
rightfully so) such names as Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa and Chick Webb. But nearly every musical style requires the glue the percussionist uses to hold it all together. Listen to recordings by some of the big band greats (Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw). Even with the instrumentation of those capable bandleaders, it’s hard to imagine what their records would sound like without the steady sound of a backbeat.
The skill involved in jazz drumming goes beyond learning a few beats or patterns. As with any style of music, one needs to understand, in equal measure, the concept and technique. A study of those who developed the use of those essential ingredients is also a must.
To those more schooled in the study of jazz than I am, the names we’re exploring in this lens will probably be familiar. But I’m just beginning my journey through jazz and every discovery is cause for celebration. There are far too many talented percussionists to mention in this one lens. The ones we’ve chosen have been selected at random from our research. Accept our invitation to this party and help us salute those “Drummers And All That Jazz.”
laying down the beat
Simply stated, jazz drumming is the art of playing percussion in jazz styles ranging from 1910s
Dixieland to 1970s jazz-rock fusion and further into 1980s Latin jazz. The techniques and instrumentation of this type of performance have evolved over several periods, influenced by jazz at large and the individual drummers within it. Stylistically, this aspect of performance was shaped by its starting place, New Orleans, as well as numerous regions around the world, including other parts of the United States, the Caribbean, and Africa.
Jazz required a method of playing percussion different from traditional European styles, one that was easily adaptable to the different rhythms of the new genre, fostering the creation of jazz drumming's hybrid technique. As each period in the evolution of jazz (such as swing and bebop) tended to have its own rhythmic style, jazz drumming continued to evolve along with the music through the 20th century. One tendency that emerged over time was the gradual "freeing" of the beat.
But older styles persisted in later periods. The borders between these periods are unclear, partly because no one style completely replaced others, and partly because there were multiple influences crossing over between styles.
Dixieland to 1970s jazz-rock fusion and further into 1980s Latin jazz. The techniques and instrumentation of this type of performance have evolved over several periods, influenced by jazz at large and the individual drummers within it. Stylistically, this aspect of performance was shaped by its starting place, New Orleans, as well as numerous regions around the world, including other parts of the United States, the Caribbean, and Africa.
Jazz required a method of playing percussion different from traditional European styles, one that was easily adaptable to the different rhythms of the new genre, fostering the creation of jazz drumming's hybrid technique. As each period in the evolution of jazz (such as swing and bebop) tended to have its own rhythmic style, jazz drumming continued to evolve along with the music through the 20th century. One tendency that emerged over time was the gradual "freeing" of the beat.
But older styles persisted in later periods. The borders between these periods are unclear, partly because no one style completely replaced others, and partly because there were multiple influences crossing over between styles.
mixing the beat
The rhythms and use of percussion in jazz, as well as the art form itself, were products of extensive cultural mixing in
various locations. The earliest occasion when this occurred was the Moorish invasion of Europe, where the cultures of France, Spain, and Africa to some extent, encountered each other and most likely exchanged some cultural information. The influence of African music and rhythms on the general mix that created jazz was profound, though this influence did not appear until
later.
There are several central qualities shared by African music and jazz, most prominently the importance of improvisation. Some instrumental qualities from African music that appear in jazz (especially its drumming) include using unpitched instruments to produce specific musical tones or tone-like qualities, using all instruments to imitate the human voice, superimposition of one
rhythmic structure onto another (e.g., a group of three against a group of two), dividing a regular section of time (called a measure in musical terms) into groups of two and three, and the use of repetitive rhythms used throughout a musical piece, often called clave rhythms. This last quality is one of special
importance, as there are several pronounced occurrences of this pattern and the aesthetics that accompany it in the world of jazz.
various locations. The earliest occasion when this occurred was the Moorish invasion of Europe, where the cultures of France, Spain, and Africa to some extent, encountered each other and most likely exchanged some cultural information. The influence of African music and rhythms on the general mix that created jazz was profound, though this influence did not appear until
later.
There are several central qualities shared by African music and jazz, most prominently the importance of improvisation. Some instrumental qualities from African music that appear in jazz (especially its drumming) include using unpitched instruments to produce specific musical tones or tone-like qualities, using all instruments to imitate the human voice, superimposition of one
rhythmic structure onto another (e.g., a group of three against a group of two), dividing a regular section of time (called a measure in musical terms) into groups of two and three, and the use of repetitive rhythms used throughout a musical piece, often called clave rhythms. This last quality is one of special
importance, as there are several pronounced occurrences of this pattern and the aesthetics that accompany it in the world of jazz.
Marching To A Different Drum
The military drumming predominant in the fife
and drum corps of the 19th century and earlier supplied much of the technique and instrumentation of the early jazz drummers. Influential players like Warren "Baby" Dodds and Zutty Singleton used the traditional military drumstick grip, military instruments, and played in the style of military drummers using rudiments, a group of short patterns which are standard in drumming. The rhythmic composition of this music was also important in early jazz and beyond. Very different from the African performance aesthetic, a flowing style which does not directly correspond to Western time signatures, the music played by military bands was rigidly within time and metric conventions, although it did
have compositions in both duple and triple meter. The equipment of the drummers in these groups was of particular significance in the development of early drum sets. Cymbals, bass, and snare drums were all used. Indeed, a method of damping a set of cymbals by crunching them together while playing bass drum simultaneously is probably how today's hi-hat, a major part of today's drum set, came about. Military technique and instrumentation were undoubtedly factors in the development of early jazz and its drumming, but the melodic and metric elements in jazz are more easily traced to the dance bands of the time period.
and drum corps of the 19th century and earlier supplied much of the technique and instrumentation of the early jazz drummers. Influential players like Warren "Baby" Dodds and Zutty Singleton used the traditional military drumstick grip, military instruments, and played in the style of military drummers using rudiments, a group of short patterns which are standard in drumming. The rhythmic composition of this music was also important in early jazz and beyond. Very different from the African performance aesthetic, a flowing style which does not directly correspond to Western time signatures, the music played by military bands was rigidly within time and metric conventions, although it did
have compositions in both duple and triple meter. The equipment of the drummers in these groups was of particular significance in the development of early drum sets. Cymbals, bass, and snare drums were all used. Indeed, a method of damping a set of cymbals by crunching them together while playing bass drum simultaneously is probably how today's hi-hat, a major part of today's drum set, came about. Military technique and instrumentation were undoubtedly factors in the development of early jazz and its drumming, but the melodic and metric elements in jazz are more easily traced to the dance bands of the time period.
Without Missing A Beat
The first true jazz drummers had
a somewhat limited palette to draw from, despite their broad range of influence. Military rudiments and beats in the military style were essentially the only technique that they had at their disposal. However, it was necessary to adapt
to the particular music being played, so new technique and greater musicianship evolved. The roll was the major technical device used, and one significant pattern was simply rolling on alternate beats. This was one of the first "ride patterns", a series of rhythms that eventually resulted in a beat that functions in jazz as the clave does in Cuban music: a "mental metronome" for the other members of the ensemble. "Baby" Dodds, one of the most famous and important of the second generation of New Orleans jazz drummers, stressed the importance of drummers playing something different behind every chorus. His style was regarded as overly busy by some of the older generation of jazz musicians such as Bunk Johnson.
Beneath the constant rhythmic improvisation, Dodds played a pattern that was only somewhat more sophisticated than the basic one/three roll, but was, in fact, identical to the rhythm of
today, only inverted. The rhythm was as follows: two "swung" eighth notes (the first and third notes of an eighth note triplet), a quarter note, and then a repeat of the first three beats (sound sample "Inverted ride pattern" at right). Aside from these patterns, a drummer from this time would have an
extremely small role in the band as a whole. Drummers seldom soloed, as was the case with all other instruments in earliest jazz, which was based heavily on the ensemble. When they did, the resultant performance sounded more like a marching cadence than personal expression. Most other rhythmic ideas came from ragtime and its precursors, like the dotted eighth note series.
a somewhat limited palette to draw from, despite their broad range of influence. Military rudiments and beats in the military style were essentially the only technique that they had at their disposal. However, it was necessary to adapt
to the particular music being played, so new technique and greater musicianship evolved. The roll was the major technical device used, and one significant pattern was simply rolling on alternate beats. This was one of the first "ride patterns", a series of rhythms that eventually resulted in a beat that functions in jazz as the clave does in Cuban music: a "mental metronome" for the other members of the ensemble. "Baby" Dodds, one of the most famous and important of the second generation of New Orleans jazz drummers, stressed the importance of drummers playing something different behind every chorus. His style was regarded as overly busy by some of the older generation of jazz musicians such as Bunk Johnson.
Beneath the constant rhythmic improvisation, Dodds played a pattern that was only somewhat more sophisticated than the basic one/three roll, but was, in fact, identical to the rhythm of
today, only inverted. The rhythm was as follows: two "swung" eighth notes (the first and third notes of an eighth note triplet), a quarter note, and then a repeat of the first three beats (sound sample "Inverted ride pattern" at right). Aside from these patterns, a drummer from this time would have an
extremely small role in the band as a whole. Drummers seldom soloed, as was the case with all other instruments in earliest jazz, which was based heavily on the ensemble. When they did, the resultant performance sounded more like a marching cadence than personal expression. Most other rhythmic ideas came from ragtime and its precursors, like the dotted eighth note series.
The Beat Goes On
Sydney “Big Sid” Catlett
To a small extent in the swing era, but most strongly in the bebop period, the role of the drummer evolved from an almost
purely time-keeping position to that of a member of the interactive musical ensemble. Using the clearly defined ride pattern as a base, drummers were able to experiment with comping patterns and subtleties in their playing. During songs with a swing feel, drummers would usually comp with one hand on the snare drum while playing time on the cymbals. More skilled drummers often comp with even all three limbs excluding their right-hand ride pattern (snare drum, bass drum, hi-hats). They will most likely develop the simple jazz drum pattern and add a few "bomb" bass drum notes for extra effect. One such
innovator was Sidney "Big Sid" Catlett. His many contributions
included comping with the bass drum, playing "on top of the beat" (imperceptibly speeding up), playing with the soloist instead of just accompanying him, playing solos of his own with many melodic and subtle qualities, and incorporating melodicism into all of his playing. Another influential drummer of bebop was Kenny Clarke, the man who switched the four beat pulse that had previously been played on the bass drum to the ride cymbal, effectively making it possible for comping to move forward in the future. Once again, this time in the late 1950s and most of the '60s, drummers began to change the entire basis of their art. Elvin Jones, in an interview with Down Beat magazine, described it as "a natural step."
purely time-keeping position to that of a member of the interactive musical ensemble. Using the clearly defined ride pattern as a base, drummers were able to experiment with comping patterns and subtleties in their playing. During songs with a swing feel, drummers would usually comp with one hand on the snare drum while playing time on the cymbals. More skilled drummers often comp with even all three limbs excluding their right-hand ride pattern (snare drum, bass drum, hi-hats). They will most likely develop the simple jazz drum pattern and add a few "bomb" bass drum notes for extra effect. One such
innovator was Sidney "Big Sid" Catlett. His many contributions
included comping with the bass drum, playing "on top of the beat" (imperceptibly speeding up), playing with the soloist instead of just accompanying him, playing solos of his own with many melodic and subtle qualities, and incorporating melodicism into all of his playing. Another influential drummer of bebop was Kenny Clarke, the man who switched the four beat pulse that had previously been played on the bass drum to the ride cymbal, effectively making it possible for comping to move forward in the future. Once again, this time in the late 1950s and most of the '60s, drummers began to change the entire basis of their art. Elvin Jones, in an interview with Down Beat magazine, described it as "a natural step."
Manipulating The Beat
During the 1950s and 1960s, the drummer took on an even more influential role in the jazz group at large, and started to free the drums into a more expressive instrument, allowing them to
attain more equality and interactivity with the other parts of the ensemble. In bebop, comping and keeping time were two completely different requirements of the drummer, but afterward, the two became one entity. This newfound fluidity
greatly extended the improvisatory capabilities that the drummer had. The feel in jazz drumming of this period was called "broken time", which gets its name from the idea of changing patterns that had previously been rigid. The
repetitive nature of the ride pattern and the steady pulse of the hi-hat were almost eliminated.
The concept of manipulating time, making the music appear to slow down or race ahead, was something that drummers had never attempted previously, but one that was evolving quickly in this era. Layering rhythms on top of each other to create a different texture in the music, as well as using odd
combinations of notes to change feeling, would never have
been possible with the stiffness of drumming in the previous generation. Compositions from this new period required this greater element of participation and creativity on the part
of the drummer. Also, because of the greater space in
this new style both rhythmically and harmonically, greater experimentation was much easier to attain. Musicians were not encumbered by as many aspects of bebop, like the extremely high tempos and quick chord changes.
attain more equality and interactivity with the other parts of the ensemble. In bebop, comping and keeping time were two completely different requirements of the drummer, but afterward, the two became one entity. This newfound fluidity
greatly extended the improvisatory capabilities that the drummer had. The feel in jazz drumming of this period was called "broken time", which gets its name from the idea of changing patterns that had previously been rigid. The
repetitive nature of the ride pattern and the steady pulse of the hi-hat were almost eliminated.
The concept of manipulating time, making the music appear to slow down or race ahead, was something that drummers had never attempted previously, but one that was evolving quickly in this era. Layering rhythms on top of each other to create a different texture in the music, as well as using odd
combinations of notes to change feeling, would never have
been possible with the stiffness of drumming in the previous generation. Compositions from this new period required this greater element of participation and creativity on the part
of the drummer. Also, because of the greater space in
this new style both rhythmically and harmonically, greater experimentation was much easier to attain. Musicians were not encumbered by as many aspects of bebop, like the extremely high tempos and quick chord changes.
Ready For A Drumroll
The stage has been set! We know what brought about the art of jazz drumming. Now we need to look at some of those who contributed to making it an art. So here, in no particular order, are ten of the great drummers who provided the backbeat to this thing called jazz.
FEATURED DRUMMERS:
Elvin Jones
Max Roach Art Blakely Papa Jo Jones Billy Cobham |
Louie Bellson
Joe Morello Bernard Purdie Roy Haynes Lewis Nash |
elvin jones
(September 9, 1927 – May 18, 2004)
Jones began his professional career in 1949 with a short-lived gig in Detroit's Grand River Street club. Eventually he went on to play with artists such as Miles Davis and Wardell Gray. In 1955, after a failed audition for the Benny Goodman band, he found work in New York, joining Charles Mingus' band, and releasing a record called J is for Jazz. In 1960, he joined with the classic John Coltrane Quartet, which also included bassist Jimmy Garrison and pianist McCoy Tyner. Jones and Coltrane often played extended duet passages. This band is widely considered to have redefined "swing" (the rhythmic feel of jazz) in much the same way that Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, and others did during earlier stages of jazz's development. He stayed with Coltrane until 1966. Elvin Jones' sense of timing, polyrhythms, dynamics, timbre, and legato phrasing brought the drum set to the foreground. Jones was touted by Life Magazine as "the world's greatest rhythmic drummer", and his free-flowing style was a major influence on many leading rock drummers, including Mitch Mitchell (whom Jimi Hendrix called "my Elvin Jones") and Ginger Baker. Jones performed and recorded with his own group, the Elvin Jones Jazz Machine, whose line up changed through the years. Sonny Fortune and Ravi Coltrane, John Coltrane's son, both played saxophone with the Jazz Machine in the early 1990s, appearing together with Jones on In Europe on Enja Records in 1991. Jones, who taught regularly, often took part in clinics, played in schools, and gave free concerts in prisons. His lessons emphasized music history as well as drumming technique. Elvin Jones died of heart failure in Englewood, New Jersey on May 18, 2004.
max roach
(January 10, 1924 – August 16, 2007)
Max Roach's most significant innovations came in the 1940s, when he and jazz drummer Kenny Clarke devised a new concept of musical time. By playing the beat-by-beat pulse of standard 4/4 time on the "ride" cymbal instead of on the thudding bass drum, Roach and Clarke developed a flexible, flowing rhythmic pattern that allowed soloists to play freely. The new approach also left space for the drummer to insert dramatic accents on the snare drum, "crash" cymbal and other components of the trap set. By matching his rhythmic attack with a tune's melody, Roach brought a newfound subtlety of expression to his instrument. He often shifted the dynamic emphasis from one part of his drum kit to another within a single phrase, creating a sense of tonal color and rhythmic surprise. The idea was to shatter musical conventions and take full advantage of the drummer's unique position. "In no other society," Roach once observed, "do they have one person play with all four limbs." While that approach is common today, when Clarke and Roach introduced the new style in the 1940s it was a revolutionary musical advance. "When Max Roach's first records with Charlie Parker were released by Savoy in 1945," jazz historian Burt Korall wrote in the Oxford Companion to Jazz, "drummers experienced awe and puzzlement and even fear." One of those awed drummers, Stan Levey, summed up Roach's importance: "I came to realize that, because of him, drumming no longer was just time, it was music." He was one of the first drummers (along with Kenny Clarke) to play in the bebop style, and performed in bands led by Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Coleman Hawkins, Bud Powell, and Miles Davis. Roach played on many of Parker's most important records, including the Savoy November 1945 session, a turning point in recorded jazz. Not content to expand on the musical territory he had already become known for, Roach spent the decades of the 1980s and 1990s continually finding new forms of musical expression and presentation. Though he ventured into new territory during a lifetime of innovation, he kept his contact with his musical point of origin. He performed with the Beijing Trio, with pianist Jon Jang and erhu player Jeibing Chen. His last recording, Friendship, was with trumpet master Clark Terry, the two long-standing friends in duet and quartet. His last performance was at the 50th anniversary celebration of the original Massey Hall concert, in Toronto, where he performed solo on the hi-hat. Max Roach died in the early morning on August 16, 2007 in Manhattan.
Art Blakey
(October 11, 1919 – October 16, 1990)
Along with Kenny Clarke and Max Roach, Art Blakely was one of the inventors of the modern bebop style of drumming. He is known as a powerful musician and a vital groover; his brand of bluesy, funky hard bop was and continues to be profoundly influential on mainstream jazz. For more than 30 years his band, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, included many young musicians who went on to become prominent names in jazz. The band's legacy is thus not only known for the often exceptionally fine music it produced, but as a proving ground for several generations of jazz musicians. Blakey's groups are matched only by those of Miles Davis in this regard. From his earliest recording sessions with Billy Eckstine, and particularly in his historic sessions with Monk in 1947, Blakey exuded power and originality, creating a dark cymbal sound punctuated by frequent loud snare and bass drum accents in triplets or cross-rhythms. Although Blakey discouraged comparison of his own music with African drumming, he adopted several African devices, including rapping on the side of the drum and using his elbow on the tom-tom to alter the pitch. His much-imitated trademark, the forceful closing of the hi-hat on every second and fourth beat, was part of his style from 1950 to '51. A loud and domineering drummer, Blakey also listened and responded to his soloists. His contribution to jazz as a discoverer and molder of young talent over three decades was no less significant than his very considerable innovations on his instrument. Blakey went on to record dozens of albums with his constantly changing group of Jazz Messengers. He had a policy of encouraging young musicians: as he remarked on-mike during the live session which resulted in the A Night at Birdland albums in 1954: "I'm gonna stay with the youngsters. When these get too old I'll get some younger ones. Keeps the mind active." After weathering the fusion era in the 1970s with some difficulty (recordings from this period are less plentiful and include attempts to incorporate instruments like electric piano), Blakey's band got revitalized in the early 1980s with the advent of neotraditionalist jazz. Wynton Marsalis was for a time the band's trumpeter and musical director, and even after Marsalis's departure Blakey's band continued as a proving ground for many "Young Lions" like Johnny O'Neal, Philip Harper, Terence Blanchard, Donald Harrison and Kenny Garrett. He continued performing and touring with the group into the late 1980s; Ron Wynn notes that Blakey had "played with such force and fury that he eventually lost much of his hearing, and at the end of his life, often played strictly by instinct." Some reports suggest he had hearing problems as early as 1959. Art Blakey died in 1990 in New York City, leaving behind a vast legacy and approach to jazz which is still the model for countless hard-bop players.
Papa Jo Jones
(October 7, 1911 – September 3, 1985)
Born as "Jonathan David Samuel Jones" in Chicago, Illinois, Papa Jo Jones moved to Alabama where he learned to play several instruments, including saxophone, piano, and drums. He worked as a drummer and tap-dancer at carnival shows until joining Walter Page's band, the Blue Devils in Oklahoma City in the late 1920s. He recorded with trumpeter Lloyd Hunter's Serenaders in 1931, and later joined pianist Count Basie's band in 1933. Jones, Basie, guitarist Freddie Green and bassist Walter Page were sometimes billed as an 'all-American Rhythm section'. He was one of the first drummers to promote the use of brushes on drums and shifting the role of timekeeping from the bass drum to the hi-hat cymbal. Jones had a major influence on later drummers such as Buddy Rich, Kenny Clarke, Roy Haynes, Max Roach, and Louie Bellson. He also starred in several films, most notably the musical short Jammin' the Blues (1944). In contrast to drummer Gene Krupa's loud, insistent pounding of the bass drum on each beat, Jones often omitted bass drum playing altogether. He also continued a ride rhythm on hi-hat while it was continuously opening and closing instead of the common practice of striking it while it was closed. His style influenced the modern jazz drummer's tendency to play timekeeping rhythms on a suspended cymbal that is now known as the ride cymbal. In 1979, Jones was inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame for his contribution to the Birmingham, Alabama musical heritage. Jones was the 1985 recipient of an American Jazz Masters fellowship awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts. He was sometimes confused with another influential jazz drummer, Philly Joe Jones. The two died only a few days apart.
Billy Cobham
(born May 16, 1944)
Coming to prominence in the late 1960s and early 1970s with trumpeter Miles Davis and then with Mahavishnu Orchestra, Billy Cobham is, in the words of Steve Huey, "generally acclaimed as fusion's greatest drummer with an influential style that combines explosive power and exacting precision.” Following his discharge from the Army in 1968, Cobham joined the group of pianist Horace Silver for about a year, also playing or recording with saxophonist Stanley Turrentine, organist Shirley Scott, and guitarist George Benson. Cobham branched out to jazz fusion, which blended elements of jazz, rock and roll and funk, playing and recording with the Brecker Brothers (notably on their 1970-founded group Dreams), and guitarist John Abercrombie, before recording and touring extensively with Miles Davis. Cobham's work with Davis appears on A Tribute to Jack Johnson, among other recordings. He is also one of the first drummers to play open-handed lead: a drummer that plays on a right-handed set but leads with his left hand on the hi-hat instead of crossing over with his left (and also has his ride cymbal on the left side, instead of the traditional right). Cobham typically plays with multiple toms and double bass drums and was well known in the 70's for his large drum kits. At his best, Cobham harnessed his amazing dexterity into thundering, high-octane hybrids of jazz complexity and rock and roll aggression. He was capable of subtler, funkier grooves on the one hand, and awe-inspiring solo improvisations on the other. In fact, Cobham’s technical virtuosity was such that his flash could sometimes overwhelm his music. But his explosive technique powered some of the jazz fusion’s most important early recordings.
Louie Bellson
(July 6, 1924 – February 14, 2009)
Considered to be one of the great drummers of all time, Louie Bellson had the rare ability to continually hold one's interest throughout a 15-minute solo. He became famous in the 1950s for using two bass drums simultaneously, but Bellson was never a gimmicky or overly bombastic player. In addition to being able to drive a big band to exciting effect, he could play very quietly with a trio and sound quite satisfied. Winner of a Gene Krupa talent contest while a teenager, Bellson played with the big bands of Benny Goodman (1943 and 1946), Tommy Dorsey (1947-1949), and Harry James (1950-1951) before replacing Sonny Greer with the Duke Ellington Orchestra. A talented composer, Bellson contributed "Skin Deep" and "The Hawk Talks" to Ellington's permanent repertoire. He married singer/actress Pearl Bailey in 1952, and the following year left Ellington to be her musical director. Bellson toured with Jazz at the Philharmonic (1954-1955), recorded many dates in the 1950s for Verve, and was with the Dorsey Brothers (1955-1956), Count Basie (1962), Duke Ellington (1965-1966), and Harry James (1966). He continued to be active, leading big bands (different ones on the East and West Coasts), putting together combos for record dates, giving clinics for younger drummers, and writing new music. With many musicians, egos exceed talent. Bellson was not that way. Rather than outshine others, he strove to make everybody shine. Among the best jazz musicians, there is a feeling that they will always play their best and complement your performances so that you will play your best. They feed off of each other and inspire each other at the same time. Louie Bellson was a master at creating this kind of musical rapport.
Joe Morello
(July 17, 1928 – March 12, 2011)
Jazz drummer, Joe Morello, was best known for his 12½-year stint with The Dave Brubeck Quartet. He was frequently noted for playing in the unusual time signatures employed by that group in such pieces as "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo à la Turk". Popular for its work on college campuses during the 1950s, Brubeck’s group reached new heights with Morello at the drums. In June 1959, he participated in a recording session with the quartet — completed by the alto saxophonist Paul Desmond and the bassist Eugene Wright — that yielded “Kathy’s Waltz” and “Three to Get Ready,” both of which intermingled 3/4 and 4/4 time signatures. Morello suffered from partial vision from birth, and devoted himself to indoor activities, first studying the violin for six years and then switching to the drums. After moving to New York City, he worked with numerous notable jazz musicians including Johnny Smith, Tal Farlow, Stan Kenton, Phil Woods, Sal Salvador, Marian McPartland, Jay McShann, Art Pepper, Howard McGhee, and others. After a period playing in McPartland's trio, Morello declined invitations to join both Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey's bands, favoring a temporary two-month tour with the Dave Brubeck Quartet in 1955; Morello remained with Brubeck for well over a decade, only departing in 1968. He later became an in-demand clinician, teacher and bandleader whose former students include Danny Gottlieb, Max Weinberg, Phish drummer Jon Fishman, Gary Feldman, Patrick Wante, Jerry Granelli, Glenn Johnson and Rich Galichon. During his career, Morello appeared on over 120 albums, 60 of which were with the Dave Brubeck Quartet. He authored several drum books, including Master Studies, published by Modern Drummer Publications, and also made instructional videos. Morello was the recipient of many awards, including Playboy magazine's best drummer award for seven years in a row, and Down Beat magazine's best drummer award five years in a row. He was elected to the Modern Drummer magazine Hall of Fame in 1988, the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame in 1993, and was the recipient of Hudson Music's first TIP (Teacher Integration Program) Lifetime Achievement award in June, 2010
Bernard Purdie
(born June 11, 1939)
Session drummer, Bernard Lee "Pretty" Purdie, is considered an influential and innovative exponent of funk. Purdie is known as a groove drummer with immaculate timing and makes use of precision half note, backbeats, and grooves. At an early age Purdie began hitting cans with sticks and learned the elements of drumming techniques from overhearing lessons being given by Leonard Heywood. He later took lessons from Heywood and played in Heywood's big band. Purdie's other influences at that time were Papa Jo Jones, Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, Joe Marshall and Art Blakey. In 1961 he moved from his home town of Elkton, Maryland, to New York. There he played sessions with Mickey and Sylvia and regularly visited the Turf Club on 50th and Broadway, where musicians, agents, and promoters met and touted for business. It was during this period that he played for the saxophonist Buddy Lucas, who nicknamed him 'Mississippi Bigfoot'. Eventually Barney Richmond contracted him to play session work. Purdie's signature sixteenth note hi-hat lick pish-ship, pish-ship, pish-ship is distinct and hard to copy and he is known for his versatility. He often employs a straight eight groove sometimes fusing several influences such as swing, blues and funk. He created now well-known drum pattern such as the Purdie shuffle, Half-Time Purdie Shuffle, also the Bernard Purdie half-time feel shuffle that is a blues shuffle variation with the addition of syncopated ghost notes on the snare drum. Variations on this shuffle can be heard on songs such as Led Zeppelin's "Fool in the Rain", Death Cab For Cutie's "Grapevine Fires", and Toto's "Rosanna" (Rosanna shuffle). Purdie's shuffle can be heard on Steely Dan's "Babylon Sisters" and "Home At Last". Purdie started working with Aretha Franklin as musical director in 1970 and held that position for five years, as well as drumming for Franklin's opening act, King Curtis and The King Pins. In 1970 he performed with both bands at the Fillmore West; the resulting live recordings were released as Aretha Live at the Fillmore West (1971) and King Curtis's Live at Fillmore West (1971). His best known track with Franklin was "Rock Steady", on which he played what he described as "a funky and low down beat." Of his time with Franklin he once commented that "backing her was like floating in seventh heaven".
Roy Haynes
(born March 13, 1925)
Jazz drummer and bandleader, Roy Haynes, is among the most recorded drummers in jazz, and in a career lasting more than 60 years has played in a wide range of styles ranging from swing and bebop to jazz fusion and avant-garde jazz. Haynes has been “hard swinging” since 1944, when he made his professional debut at the age of seventeen in his native Boston. He extracted the rhythmic qualities from melodies and created unique new drum and cymbal patterns in an idiosyncratic, now instantly recognizable style. Rather than using cymbals strictly for effect, Haynes brought them to the forefront of his unique rhythmic approach. He also established a distinctively crisp and rapid-fire sound on the snare; this was the inspiration for his nickname, ‘Snap Crackle’. Haynes began his full time professional career in 1945. From 1947 to 1949 he worked with saxophonist Lester Young, and from 1949 to 1952 was a member of saxophonist Charlie Parker's quintet. He also recorded at the time with pianist Bud Powell and saxophonists Wardell Gray, and Stan Getz. From 1953 to 1958 he toured with singer Sarah Vaughan. Haynes went on to work with more experimental musicians, like saxophonists John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy, and pianists Chick Corea and Andrew Hill. Haynes has recorded or performed with Gary Burton, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Henry Grimes, Christian McBride, Jackie McLean, Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Gerry Mulligan, Art Pepper, Sonny Rollins, Horace Tapscott and many others. He has also led his own groups, some performing under the name Hip Ensemble. His most recent recordings as a leader are Fountain of Youth and Whereas, both of which have been nominated for a Grammy Award. Among other honors, Haynes is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards on February 12, 2011.
Lewis Nash
(born December 30, 1958)
Boasting one of the longest discographies in jazz, Lewis Nash has appeared on more than 400 recordings, with contemporary stars and historical trailblazers alike. Among the masters the fifty-year-old Phoenix native has been recording with since the early 1980s are Betty Carter, Clark Terry, Joe Henderson, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Carter, J.J. Johnson, Tommy Flanagan (as a ten-year member of his trio), Joe Lovano, Oscar Peterson, Sonny Rollins, Milt Jackson, Ron Carter, Jackie McLean, Wynton Marsalis, Gary Burton, McCoy Tyner, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Don Pullen, and Diana Krall. Nash's style can be characterized by a few defining elements. An unrelenting ride cymbal beat, dazzling melodic invention between the snare, toms and bass drum, cymbal crashes which resolve these figures in complex, unpredictable ways, crisp technical execution of rudimental figures, a huge sweeping brush sound, and the use of three toms (10, 12, 14), which give Nash a pianistic range of melodic possibilities. Nash is recognized as one of the foremost brush stylists of his generation. In particular, Nash's recordings with the great pianist Tommy Flanagan display his mastery in this regard. Nash is also renowned in the jazz drumming community for his passion and dedication to jazz education, and has fostered the careers of a long list of younger players. He is in high demand as a clinician and educator at schools, workshops and major educational jazz festivals worldwide. He formed his own group in the late 1990s and currently leads several groups of varying instrumentation, from duo to septet. Because of his versatility in adapting to a variety of genres and his enormous musical catalog, Modern Drummer magazine named Nash as Jazz's Most Valuable Player in its May, 2009 issue.
sooze pick: for your ears
This recording is, perhaps, one of the finest compilations of jazz bands with the drummers who provided the heartbeat. The collection features a total of 63 songs from some of the biggest bands in the genre, including those of Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Cab Calloway, Chick Webb, Harry James, Charlie Parker and many, many more. For a complete track listing, click on the album cover above to be directed to the Amazon webpage for this album. The mp3 download is available from Amazon for $8.99.
sooze pick: for your eyes
Tracing the history of jazz drumming in America from its earliest, pre-1920 roots to the advent of the bebop revolution in the mid-1940s and beyond, some of the best drummers jazz has to offer are represented in this 2-hour video, featuring such greats as Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Max Roach, Big Sid Catlett, Art Blakely, Kenny Clarke, Baby Dodds and Joe Morello. Through archival film clips and photographs with commentary provided by legends in their own right -- Louie Bellson, Jack DeJohnette and Roy Haynes -- we are given a unique look at each of these drummers, discovering their strengths and understanding why they were important to the world of jazz. Click on the cover photo above to be directed to the Amazon webpage for this remarkable DVD.
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