Under Rated Drummers!

  • Thread starter Thread starter A GUY NAMED JON
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chadsxe said:
O.k why does everyone think that you are atomaticaly better if you play Blues/Jazz

I can only speak from personal experience here, and I've never played with or recorded a jazz trained drummer that was mediocre. In the technique department they just always seem to have a one up on every rock drummer I've ever played with. Now maybe it's just coincidence, but I think Jimmy Chamberline was on to something when he said that:
"rock is for people who can't play jazz". :eek: Something along those lines anyways.
 
Clit Torres said:
I can only speak from personal experience here, and I've never played with or recorded a jazz trained drummer that was mediocre. In the technique department they just always seem to have a one up on every rock drummer I've ever played with. Now maybe it's just coincidence, but I think Jimmy Chamberline was on to something when he said that:
"rock is for people who can't play jazz". :eek: Something along those lines anyways.

THough this may be true, it still doesn't make the earlier statment true. Just because you play blues/jazz it does not mean you are better then someone else.
 
Jazz drummers nowadays are often pretty well educated. When I went to school I played every percussion instrument, timpani, marimbas, and marching percussion. Then you would study jazz and get private lessons from everybody you liked who came to town with a band. The most well known guy I got lessons from was Paul Wertico, who plays with Pat Metheny.

Great drummers come from everywhere but there is not much money to be made playing jazz or blues so you had better be committed. In addition, jazz/blues players often rely on standards so they play with alot more musicians. A typical rock band may change drummers once every couple of years. But jazz drummers sit in for other people every week. In addition a drummer such as myself has played with folkies, rockers, metal, country, and your typical wedding gigs and what not as well as jazz. Typically in college I played with 3 or 4 bands and then the symphony as well. Rockers seemed hard to work with because they wanted you in only _their_ band rehearsing the same 11 originals again and again while they get baked.

A drummer is a drummer. If you want to work all the time, you will get the skills in whatever genres necessary to do the gig. Often, somebody who plays jazz can also do rock or reggae or whatever as well. They gots to make money somehow.

So no. Just because someone plays jazz/blues that does not automatically make them a great drummer but, often they can throw down pretty good.
 
firby said:
A drummer is a drummer. If you want to work all the time, you will get the skills in whatever genres necessary to do the gig. Often, somebody who plays jazz can also do rock or reggae or whatever as well. They gots to make money somehow.

So no. Just because someone plays jazz/blues that does not automatically make them a great drummer but, often they can throw down pretty good.


Ding Ding DIng we have a winner...........
 
firby said:
Elvin Jones is talked about alot but not enough. He is atomically better. I have seen him play half a dozen times. He was unreal man.

I agree completely.. Sadly, I've never seen him play live.

firby said:
The drummer/percussion players for edie brickell were serious badasses from north texas state.

Matt Chamberlain was in her band: he is incredible. And let me add Jim Keltner to the list: he's not particularly underrated, but deserves more global acknowledgement for his genius :)
 
Thorguitarist said:
1. Bill Bruford of Yes
2. Mike Protnoy of Dream Theater (only cause DT isnt that "well-known")
3. Dana Carey of Tool
4. Malcolm Mortimore, Martin Smith, John Weathers of Gentle Giant
5. Pat Mastelotto of King Crimson
6. Phil Collins of Genesis
7. Carl Palmer of Emerson, Lake, and Palmer
8. Almost any Blues/Jazz drummer around

I must agree with most of this list. Mike Portnoy is ridiculous, and my main influence, but I don't think he's under-rated. Also a few posts back Gene Hoglan and Dave Lombardo were mentioned, they're great. But my main pick is Richard Christy. He is a goddamn mad-man. Listen to him play on Death's Sound of Preserverance album, Control Denied's Fragile Art of Existance, or some of his work with Iced Earth or Burning Inside. The last two the music is kinda crappy and generic, but the Death & Control Denied performances are amazing. Just check out the drum intro to the first track of that Death album... and here's a quick video of his recording "Lack of Comprehension" on an up-coming Death tribute album: http://www.deathtribute.msanthrope.com/video/recording richard.mov
 
onewaydown said:
But my main pick is Richard Christy. [/url]

Now he can be heard on the Howard Stern Radio Show. But don't expect to hear any drum playing.
 
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