This is the third in a series of blogs featuring the WORLD'S GREATEST DRUMMERS - actually the title of this blog was changed because the original title THE WORLD'S GREATEST JAZZ DRUMMERS is not very accurate simply because these guys and gals can play any kind of music - They are capable of playing music from jazz, rock, pop, latin, big band, small group, funky - you name it
I hope you enjoy discovering these great players - they can all be checked out on YouTube and even better go see them live - of course I have also included great legendary players like Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, Chick Webb and many others that have sadly passed on but they left a rich canon of recordings and video tracks for us all to admire and enjoy
For aspiring drummers - don't just restrict your listening to todays players - go back and study and learn from the truly great players and become a great player yourself - You will note that I have NOT included many of the names you might expect to see in this list - like Ringo Starr, John Bonham, Keith Moon, Ginger Baker, Dave Grohl, Don Henley and many other major names from the world of rock and pop - many of these guys have brought great joy and pleasure to you all and that is good - some of them will have inspired you to play - this is also great - but you also need to delve into the art of drumming and learn from whom I personally consider to be the true greats - I have been very fortunate to have worked with many of them and I give thanks for their talent and art - thanks for reading and enjoy discovering the WORLD'S GREATEST
STEVE GADD laid down the best grooves ever - set new standards in playing
You can't have a list of the greatest drummers without including probably the greatest of them all BUDDY RICH - Listen to his recording of West Side Story, Channel One Suite or the funky Birdland
AL FOSTER a superb player - had the honour to work with him with Miles Davis
ART BLAKEY - the great Jazz Messenger himself - great albums on Blue Note Records
BARRETT DEEMS called himself the "World's Fastest Drummer" I am not sure that was a very accurate statement - but he was a fine player and worked with the Louis Armstrong All Stars"
VINNIE COLAIUTA undoubtedly one of the finest drummers on the scene today - works with Sting and host of stars
BERNARD PURDIE - top session player - played on so many hit recordings
CINDY BLACKMAN - great player showing us all what a very fine drummer she is
BEN RILEY - fine player worked with Thelonious Monk and many other major jazz artists
BILLY HIGGINS - deeply influential player
CONNIE KAY - In my opinion a very underrated player - superb work with the Modern Jazz Quartet and many others
Any greatest drummer page has to include the incredible CHICK WEBB - King of the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem - died tragically young
HERLIN RILEY - A powerhouse player - worked with Wynton Marsalis and many others
VICTOR BERTON one of the pioneers of drumming in with 1920's and 30's
The very great ELVIN JONES - his work with John Coltrane is immortal - A Love Supreme
Another truly great player PHILLY JOE JONES
STEVE SMITH - magnificent technique
CHICO HAMILTON - his small groups were highly original and his playing superb
BOBBY COLOMBY - superb work with Blood Sweat and Tears and later as a record producer himself
GENE KRUPA - THE KING - you have to check Gene out - a super star of drumming who thrilled the world of music from the 1930's, 40's, 50's and 60's - SING, SING, SING the war cry of all drummers - DRUM BOOGIE - get the 1952 Drum Battle Album with Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich and listen to his version of Drum Bogie and the superb solo and of course Gene and Buddy thundering out at one another
BILLY COBHAM - THE GREAT BILLY COBHAM
BRIAN BLADES - SUPERB
BUTCH MILES - WONDERFUL BIG BAND PLAYER - LISTEN TO HIS YOUTUBE TRACKS WITH COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRA
COZY COLE - GREAT PLAYER - opened a drum school in New York with Gene Krupa in the 1950's - had a big hit with Topsy Part 1 and 2
DAVE WECKLE - A GENIUS OF TECHNIQUE - LISTEN TO HIS WORK WITH CHICK COREA
DAVE TOUGH - MAYBE NOT SO WELL KNOWN BY TODAY'S DRUMMERS - BUT ONE OF THE FINEST OF ALL TIME - HEAR HIS WORK WITH THE WOODY HERMAN BAND - listen to the track "Apple Honey"
DUFFY JACKSON - FANTASTIC ENERGY AND EXCITEMENT
EDDIE SHAUGHNESSY WITH JOHNNY CARSON AND THE TONIGHT SHOW - HAD A THRILLING DRUM BATTLE WITH BUDDY RICH YOU CAN SEE THIS ON YOUTUBE
EARL PALMER TOP SESSION MAN
One of the greatest big band drummers of all time - the great JO JONES with Count Basie
JOE MORELLO - TRULY MAGNIFICENT WITH DAVE BRUBECK QUARTET - JOE'S SOLO ON TAKE FIVE IS A CLASSIC in 5/4
LARRY BUNKER - marvellous playing with the Bill Evans Trio
LOUIE BELLSON - ONE OF THE ALL TIME GREATS AND A HELL OF A NICE GUY - CHECK OUT HIS RECORDING OF SKIN DEEP WITH THE DUKE ELLINGTON ORCHESTRA - ONE OF THE ALL TIME GREAT SOLOS - A KNOCK OUT WITH TWO BASS DRUMS
MAX ROACH ANOTHER GIANT OF THE DRUMS
HAL BLAINE - BOSS OF THE WRECKING CREW
IRV COTTLER WITH HIS BOSS FRANK SINATRA
TONY WILLIAMS - A GENIUS WE LOST TOO SOON - LISTEN TO THE RECORDINGS WITH MILES DAVIS - THEY CHANGED THE SHAPE OF JAZZ DRUMMING
SONNY PAYNE - SENSATIONAL DRUMMER WITH THE COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRA - WATCH HIS SOLOS AND PLAYING ON YOUTUBE
JAKE HANNA - A VERY FUNNY GUY AND LOVED BY EVERYONE - FANTASTIC PLAYER - CHECK OUT HIS WORK WITH THE WOODY HERMAN BIG BAND
SORRY CAN'T FIT ANY MORE PLAYERS IN
PLEASE LISTEN TO ALL OF THESE WONDERFUL DRUMMERS - THEY WILL GIVE YOU GREAT JOY AND LEARN FROM THEM - IT WILL BE A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY -YOU'LL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN
CHEERS PETER
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