Jazz drummers, so who do you rate?

[Serial_Apologist]

Agree about both Higgins and Hayes - was lucky to hear Billy live towards the end of his life in Grant Park Chicago with Charles Lloyd. And Louis, if I'm not mistaken was on a gig I presented for Radio 3 some years back from Cheltenham with Jackie McLean. I'd like to throw some other names into the mix. I've become more and more enamoured with Sam Woodyard over the years. Technically not a patch on Sonny Payne, but so much feeling and nuance in his playing. Art Taylor deserves a mention, as do Philly Joe and Jimmy Cobb. The nicest drummers I've ever interviewed were Ed Thigpen and Louie Bellson, both of whom were pretty amazing players. And, S-A, surprised not to see Phil Seaman in your list, or Bryan Spring, and what about the doyen of Scandinavian drummers Jon Christensen?

I thought I'd shortlist my choices to three - more democratic that way!!!

He's a nice guy, Bryan Spring - a wee bit out to lunch in the best possible way; I feel slightly sorry for him - Mike Garrick used to say he didn't easily fit in with what was expected of a drummer, and was prone to "give it one" when least expected, or desired! We had a drummer called Ian when I was in Bristol who, like Bryan in many ways, was very much in the Phil Seamen mould. At one time he had depped with Tubby Hayes. When it came to "taking fours" his drum breaks would spill out all over the subsequent soloist, which, being free jazz-inclined, always appealed more to me than the neat drummers - of whom, even when "high", Phil could be one with ease - who would dramatically explode into life for their "slot" and then suddenly resume in a polite ten-to-ten regularity, with just the odd off-beat. Ian was more associated with the older, mainstream generation before the coming of Andy Sheppard, and I remember one of the rare occasions he was encouraged to give more than his all, which was in backing an impromptu last-minute arranged get-together involving Keith Tippett and Larry Stabbins, among several others. At the end, he came over, wiping off the sweat, insisting to me that, "Look, see? People have me down as a straight ahead drummer, but I can do all of that stuff, too!" In the end he really overdid it, and from what I was told, died onstage.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

On the Brits, Phil Seamen spent an evening gazing at my then partner at the Old Ronnies, to my slight annoyance, before we both realised he was fixed on a spot on the wall behind us while he was playing!

And I once had a very long conversation with Alan Jackson in the toilets at the "Porlock Arts Festival". All about the "old days" with Westbrook etc. When I asked him what happened to X, he'd reply "too many smarties" Y? "too many smarties"! He is a very approachable and genuine guy. And a fine player.

[Richard Barrett]

Someone asked me who my favourite jazz drummer was and I answered Tony Williams without hesitation.

Many other great players have been mentioned here of course, but to those I would add

Gerry Hemingway
Paul Lovens
Paul Lytton
Roger Turner

[Serial_Apologist]

On the Brits, Phil Seamen spent an evening gazing at my then partner at the Old Ronnies, to my slight annoyance, before we both realised he was fixed on a spot on the wall behind us while he was playing!

And I once had a very long conversation with Alan Jackson in the toilets at the "Porlock Arts Festival". All about the "old days" with Westbrook etc. When I asked him what happened to X, he'd reply "too many smarties" Y? "too many smarties"! He is a very approachable and genuine guy. And a fine player.

I had a conversation with Kit Downes in the toilets at The Vortex. Being slightly autistic as I am it's easy to misjudge these things, but luckily he has a good sense of humour that belies the impression he gives of seriousness at all costs. "We can't go on meeting like this", I told him, "people will talk!"

[Serial_Apologist]

And thinking of Tony Oxley, boards might be amused by this: http://www.efi.group.shef.ac.uk/moxkit.html

That's a great interview, for which thanks, Alyn. I remember Tony being interviewed on another occasion for radio, I think by Charles Fox. Asked about the experimental nature of what his group was doing, Tony replied "We really do know what we're doing, you know"!

I was invited once to the home of the drummer John Marshall. He took me upstairs into his work room, at one end of which was a drum kit set out, ready for playing; at the other end another kit, covered over. "You have two kits, I see", I remarked. "That one which is covered I bought off Rashied Ali", he told me. "Was that the kit he played on those last John Coltrane recordings?" I asked. "That's right; I've only once recorded playing them - on the second side of the fifth Soft Machine album". The one with the black cover.

[Bryn]

Eddie Prevost.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

I remember Tony Oxley playing those cymbals in Stan Tracey's Qrt with Tony Coe. At Swindon's Link Centre, which was essentially a sports/swimming pool and which atracted an "appropriate'" clientele and lot of locals thinking they were going to get a Neville Dickie or George Melly. One of them shouted "when are you going to play some proper JAZZ?" at the the avantish ensemble. Crash of Tracey's hand on the keyboard! A very funny night that perfectly sums up Swindon to me.

[ostuni]

I don't think anyone has mentioned Joey Baron yet. Every now and then, I go back to this solo, and marvel at its delicacy and invention: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gwIyJRPRFXU

[Alyn_Shipton]

BN I remember the "appropriate" clientele at the link centre. We played there with Ken Colyer- he referred to gigs with that kind of crowd for whom he could do no wrong as "prayer meetings".

[burning dog]

Tony Williams Paul Motian

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

I remember a sizeable number of older "fans" at the Link with kind of ex RAF moustaches and 50s sports coats. The Stan Tracey gig was a leg of an Arts Council tour and I had to wait on the floor below to guide the Quartet ("Swindon" was unsure what they looked like), up to the screened-off performance area, past the bar on the floor below. We stopped off at the bar which was an interesting start in itself...triple vodkas...

[burning dog]

I remember a sizeable number of older "fans" at the Link with kind of ex RAF moustaches and 50s sports coats. The Stan Tracey gig was a leg of an Arts Council tour and I had to wait on the floor below to guide the Quartet ("Swindon" was unsure what they looked like), up to the screened-off performance area, past the bar on the floor below. We stopped off at the bar which was an interesting start in itself...triple vodkas...

Was it the band with Chris Laurence on bass? If so I saw them in West London in about '85 - different audience by the sound of it

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Yes, it was a one off (as far as I know) Arts Council sponsored UK tour. Musically it was excellent, Tony Coe was hugely impressive, I didn't know he could/did play like "That". The second half was fairly "out" which is what kicked off the loud "what's THIS all about?" from the sport and blazer coated who were standing pints in hand not far from the band. Wouldn't have missed it for the world!

[Lat-Literal]

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Wot.

No Krupa?

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Jo Jones, Shadow Wilson, Kenny Clarke, surely HIM?!

And SHELLY MANNE! Immensely musical, inventive, swinging, versatile...who else has recorded with Duane Eddy AND Ornette Coleman? Not together, thankfully.