Great drum solos

[Ian Thumwood]

[Quarky]

Oldball

The Guiliana clips are curious as they seem more informed by techno than jazz. I think that he is technical accomplished but his approach has nothing to do with the heritage from Zutty Singleton through to Hamid Drake. Much is made in jazz regarding an alleged "African" origin of drums but I can't hear anything of this in Guiliana approach. It is interesting to speculate on the African influence but perhaps more interesting to think about things like swing , syncopation and groove. There is a groove in Guiliana's playing but it doesn't swing. It's just too rigid and too square. If I'm honest, I hate his playing. I'd rather have Nasheet Waits, Hamid Drake, Antonio Sanchez, Eric Harland, Billy Hart, Frank Rosaly, Clarence Penn, etc to the kind of groove based and jazz-less style of Guiliano.

Ian - grateful as ever for your informed views. Which is why I posted the Giuliana links. I don't hold any brief for him and agree his approach is "square". But he has been the subject recently of glowing tributes, not least from Jezz Nelson when Mehliana was featured on Jon3.

I agree about the African influence on drumming - absolutely central to Jazz. But I wonder whether this is being diluted when we get to improv and Jazz fusion.

Traditionally, African drumming would have a language, and send out coded messages. When I first listened to Max Roach, I wondered whether he was doing this. But no, according to Wiki, it's more a way of expressing himself through his music.

[Ian Thumwood]

Oldball


I think your comment sums it up for me. The "African" element is often missing in more Euro-centric improv and the more musicians drift towards rock / fusion / techno, the more this can be diluted. I would add caveats as someone like Hamid Drake has worked in other styles like reggae and rap but he remains true to being what jazz is about. Of course, he also works in more improv styles too yet you could never say that what he plays isn't jazz. I wasn't surprised to read somewhere that he is a massive Jo Jones fan - discovering that made sense to me.

I think that there are many drummers out there who are totally aware of the African heritage of drumming and the liner notes t the recent Jeff Ballard CD reveal just how aware he is of the history of drums and the sources of inspiration. This all feels in to the 90 year lineage of jazz which has built up it's own traditions and mystique with the likes of Sonny Greer evoking the spirit of Africa in the Cotton Club when he was a member of Ellington's band. Jazz drum solos are much more that bravado these days and it is fascinating to come across reference from the likes of Steve Smith and Hamid Drake to be in to earlier jazz styles and taking something from it. There is a clip on Youtube too where Paul Motian is asked about his favourite drummer and he cited Jimmy Crawford who used to play in Lunceford's band. I love the fact that there is this connect between different eras even when jazz is going in new connections. Everything seems to get swept up in to the heritage. This is why I find Guiliana so boring despite having his adherents whether it is Jez Nelson or a young drum student I met up with in Vienne who was similarly enthusiastic.

[Jazzrook]

From my favourite Coltrane album 'Crescent', Elvin Jones & 'The Drum Thing' (1964): www.youtube.com/watch?v=XICejHSjI4Q

[MarkG]

A few drummers have successfully recorded whole albums of just solo drums - Gunter Sommer, Paal Nilssen-Love, Fritz Hauser, Eddie Prevost to name a few. Might be a bit of a specialist interest...

[MarkG]

Gunter Sommer...

[Tenor Freak]

Short and sweet from Freddie Waits - starts at around the 3:10 mark, solo begins around 3:29:

Pure joy and excitement before cooling things down again for McCoy.

[Jazzrook]

Roland Kirk, Tommy Flanagan, Henry Grimes and the great Roy Haynes. What a group!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwU8CZnkW4M

[Rcartes]

Sorry if this doesn't fit in with other posts on this thread, but for me the best drum solos are the ones that are just long enough for me to slip out and make myself a cup of tea....

[Old Grumpy]

Sorry if this doesn't fit in with other posts on this thread, but for me the best drum solos are the ones that are just long enough for me to slip out and make myself a cup of tea....

I can see where you are coming from...

OG