Tim befriended a number of New York musical heavyweights including Bernard Purdie, Chuck Rainey, Paul Griffin, and Hugh McCracken. Tim’s reputation as a drummer was also gaining ground. He began subbing for friend Bernard Purdie on numerous demos, and was an original member of ‘The Drummer’s Club’. This group shared the costs of storing drums and cymbals at many New York studios to save on cartage, and have the necessary equipment available for a recording session at a moment’s notice
Read moreDrummer Ben Riley Dies At 84
Riley contributed to an estimated 300 albums, including more than a dozen cut with tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin between 1960 and ’62—most of them also featuring Griffin’s classic two-tenor hookup with saxophonist Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis. In 1962 he made waves via his work with Sonny Rollins on the canonical album The Bridge, the saxophonist’s first release following his historic sabbatical.
Riley’s association with Monk began in 1964 with the album It’s Monk’s Time, also featuring bassist Butch Warren and saxophonist Charlie Rouse. Riley also recorded with the pianist in ’64 for Monk. and Live at the It Club, and appears on 1966’s Straight, No Chaser and ’68’s Underground.
Read moreRecollections: Buddy Rich - Chapter Nine
Not So Modern Drummer continues to celebrate the legendary Buddy Rich in 2017. Recognizing the 100th anniversary of his birth… Contributing their personal recollections and commentary on Buddy Rich are: Donn Bennett, Steve Crabtree, Aaron Kennedy, Butch Miles, and Jon “Bermuda” Schwartz
Read moreBuddy and Louis on Billy Gladstone's Technique
Buddy Rich, “My roll is probably the best roll in the world outside of one other drummer and I’m not modest. The greatest drummer that I have heard in my life as far as rudiments and the roll is concerned is Billy Gladstone.”
Read moreGrady Tate, prodigious jazz drummer and noted vocalist, dies at 85
Grady Tate, a crisp, swinging drummer who also enjoyed crossover success as a vocalist in a prolific recording career spanning more than 50 years, died on Sunday night at his home in the Upper East Side neighborhood of Manhattan. He was 85. His death was confirmed to NPR by Wendy Oxenhorn, executive director of the Jazz Foundation of America, which provides a range of assistance to musicians. No cause was given.Tate was one of the most versatile and in-demand jazz drummers of the '60s and '70s, appearing on hundreds of albums. His first major appointment was with the Quincy Jones Orchestra in '62. Among the artists Tate backed were saxophonists Stan Getzand Stanley Turrentine, composer-orchestrators Oliver Nelson and Lalo Schifrin, and organists Shirley Scott and Jimmy Smith.
Read moreRecollections: Buddy Rich - Chapter Eight
Not So Modern Drummer continues to celebrate the legendary Buddy Rich in 2017. Recognizing the 100th anniversary of his birth… Contributing their personal recollections and commentary on Buddy Rich are: Carmine Appice, Les DeMerle, John JR Robinson, Tim Smith, and Ed Soph.
Read moreBill Bruford releases definitive boxed set "Bruford 1977-1980: Seemed Like A Lifetime Ago"
Drum legend and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Bill Bruford, best known for his work with YES, King Crimson, Genesis and his prolific solo career, is releasing the definitive boxed set “Bruford 1977-1980: Seems Like A Lifetime Ago.” Scheduled for release on Winterfold Records on October 28th, pre-orders are now being taken for the Limited Edition 8-disc set, which features unreleased, remixed or remastered material & a signed certificate.
Read moreOmar Hakim has been named the new chair of the Percussion Department at Berklee College of Music
Omar Hakim, a master drummer who has played on countless hits, from David Bowie's "Let's Dance" to Daft Punk's "Get Lucky," has been named the new chair of the Percussion Department at Berklee College of Music. Hakim is one of the most influential and sought-after drummers of the past 40 years. Renowned for his versatility, Hakim has hundreds of albums to his credit, collaborating with scores of prominent artists, including Miles Davis, Madonna, Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Mariah Carey, Chaka Khan, D’Angelo, and the late Bowie, who described him as "a fascinating drummer, with impeccable timing" and "always fresh in his approach." Hakim succeeds John Ramsay, who served as Berklee's percussion chair since 2008.
Read moreAustin Drummer Magazine summer 2017 issue
Nic Marcy's Austin Drummer magazine summer 2017
Read moreMike Clark: Words of Wisdom - Chapter 16
Guy walks in off the street and starts playing brushes on a newspaper he threw on top of the piano and plays with the duo, He was as good as anyone I have ever heard, and no one knew who he was. He got into a cab and drove off... Love New York City !!
Read moreRecollections: Buddy Rich - Chapter Seven
Not So Modern Drummer continues to celebrate the legendary Buddy Rich in 2017. Recognizing the 100th anniversary of his birth… Contributing their personal recollections and commentary on Buddy Rich are: Gregg Bissonette, Dom Famularo, Michael Shrieve, and Steve Smith
Read moreIn Memoriam - Remembering John Blackwell Jr.
Former long-time Prince Drummer, John Blackwell Jr. passed away of cancer on July 4, 2017 – He was 43 years old.
His wife Yaritza conveyed the following message soon after his passing. "My husband incredible drummer John Blackwell Jr. passed the way peacefully in my company today. Thanks God for his life and thanks everyone for their support."John Blackwell’s death has prompted a large number of accolades from fellow drummers, and many others in the music industry world-wide.
Read moreArt prints of famous drummers and drums
We use FineArtAmerica to sell, print, frame, and ship our art for drummers. The link to our gallery at that site is http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/notsomoderndrummer.html Our first collection is that of Michael DeGruchy Haslam, a Canadian artist who has painted some very cool caricature portraits of famous jazz drummers. He is painting all the time so check back often to see what's new. Other images will be available very soon. In the slide show below are his current paintings available to buy: Philly Joe Jones, Baby Dodds, Elvin Jones, Tony Williams, Kenny Klook Clarke, Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Big Sid Catlett, Papa Jo Jones, Miles Davis/Sonny Rollins.
Read moreMike Clark: Words of Wisdom - Chapter 15
"Never mind all my Jazz rants… Let's get down to the real stuff...Who did kill Laura Palmer?"
Read moreTom Staley: Full Circle - exclusive interview with original NRBQ drummer
What makes Tom a great musician? I think the fact that Tom can play other instruments and can sing and write songs, and produce a song in the studio, gives him the "big picture" of what a song needs. Once you approach a song from a producer's point of view, you begin to see that the drummer is only one piece of the puzzle. You begin to appreciate the other instrument's roles in the song, and how the drums must fit into that puzzle and has a specific role if the song is going to be great. That's the difference between a good and a great drummer. Tom is definitely one of the great ones”.
-- Rick Hart
Read moreRelieving Hand Pain: A Drummer's Story
Joe Corsello
Case Study
A 69-year-old professional jazz drummer had pain, accompanied by numbness and tingling, in both hands and could not bend his fingers. He experienced moderate aching pain and difficulty holding his sticks both while practicing (two to three hours a day) and during two or three gigs a week. The pain was relieved by rest and breaks from drumming, though he sometimes woke up at night with a burning pain in both hands......
Read moreMemo to Phil Collins: Be careful what you wish for
Cadbury's Dairy Milk Advert of a Gorilla emotionally drumming to Phil Collins song "In The Air Tonight" GORILLA DRUMMER
Well, Phil Collins is back in the news lately. Remember when he was the guy every rock drummer wanted to be? Then he became a front-man, a break-out star, then a pop icon, then the stalwart of the housewives’ hit parade. Even though Phil are I nearly the same age, he was my idol. We all followed his progress from promising young prog-rock drummer with the shy manner and even shyer voice, to the most respected, most wanted, rock/pop drummer ever. I've just finished Phil's autobiography and I heartily recommend it.
Read moreRecollections: Buddy Rich - Chapter Six
Not So Modern Drummer continues to celebrate the legendary Buddy Rich in 2017, recognizing the 100th anniversary of his birth. Providing their personal commentary on Buddy are: Harry Cangany, Marko Djordjevic, Billy Drummond, Jeff Indyke, and Steve Maxwell. ".....but, the videos don't even come remotely close to seeing Buddy in person. Johnny Carson (the king of late night) said it best. Johnny was an amateur drummer and loved Buddy. In remembering Buddy, Johnny related a story of how Buddy always cranked it up even higher on nights when other famous drummers were in the audience. He talked about Buddy appearing in a club in LA, and on this particular night there were maybe ten guys in the audience who were well known drummers, and Buddy knew they were there. Johnny said that by the end of Buddy's big solo, it was so completely amazing that these guys were openly crying." - Steve Maxwell.
Read moreRemembering Mickey Roker 1932-2017
MICKEY ROKER (1932 - 2017)
Philadelphia native, Mickey Roker lost his battle with cancer and diabetes at the age of 84. Granville William Roker, Jr. was born in Miami, Florida on September 3, 1932. The hard driving drummer with a heart of gold is now in Jazz Heaven. His over forty-year reign on the music scene is legendary.
Mickey worked with some of the finest musicians in the business…Including Benny Carter, Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock, Milt Jackson, Sonny Rollins, Stanley Turrentine, The Modern Jazz Quartet, Nancy Wilson, Lee Morgan and numerous others.
Read moreMike Clark: Words of Wisdom - Chapter 14
"Somebody just reminded me of when I used to work with Oscar Brown Jr. He wanted fair treatment for all people knowing full well who was getting shafted the most, and of course this was his biggest concern. However he was inclusive when it came to brotherly love I can tell you that! He also knew how to play the stock market… On a side note he gave me a few good tips, and I made a little extra taste!"
Read more