Charlie Watts

Charles Connor

Tony Williams

Billy Higgins

s.

Keith Moon

Ginger Baker

Gene Krupa

John Bonham

Ringo Starr

Topper Headon

Louis Bellson
Buddy Rich
Phil Collins
Bobby Colomby
Dave Weckl
Steve Gadd
Steve Jordan
Louis Conte (percussion)
Sonny Emory
Jeff Porcaro
Ricky Lawson
Jeff Hamilton

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I'm sure there are many excellent drummers out there, but some of my favourites are:

Mike Shrieve (Santana)
Chester Thompson (Zappa, Genesis etc)
Steve Gadd (Steely Dan etc)

Michael Shrieve did some great work with HSAS (Hagar, Schon, Aaronson, Shrieve). I have him as a friend on Facebook. Cool guy!

Mark

Mark

Mitch Mitchell (Jimi Hendrix)
Paul Wertico (Pat Metheny)
Nick Mason (Pink Floyd)
Vinnie Coulita (session musician)
Paulinho Da Costa (Jazz session percussionist)

Man, I can't believe anyone here has not yet mentioned Art Blakey or Max Roach or Art Taylor. What is this world coming to?

Agreed on the Steve Gadd call. Love his fusion work with Chick Corea and Stanley Clarke.

The problem is that, as this list is proving, there are a great many spectacular drummers. I can't argue with any so far. The truth is if they have made this list they are at least very, very, good.

I agree with most of the selections previously made. I have to add Jack DeJohnette. His playing on the John Abercrombie Timeless LP makes me go back and play it again and again because it's hard for me to believe there's only one drummer. He's not very very good. He's utterly fantastic.

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Keith Moon

Ginger Baker

Gene Krupa

John Bonham

Ringo Starr

Topper Headon

Jason Bonham is not too shabby himself.

Mark

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I guess we need to mention Billy Cobham too. Like him or not, he's a competent drummer.

If you have listened to Stanley Clarke's Live at The Greek Theatre featuring Billy Cobham on the drums during the tune School Days.. you will be a believer in Cobham's skills on the skins.

Mark

Billy Cobham and DeJohnette ( Spectrum and Cosmic Chicken ) remain faves.

Keith Moon had those barely controlled, thrashing mayhem excursions that would just get back in time with the band. A tragic loss when he checked out.

Ginger Baker saved his best work for straight up jazz, IMO.

Bill Bruford from King Crimson. Especially the Album RED.

Great thread with many fantastic names in the art of drumming being tossed around. However there are still quite a few world class drummers, both living and dead, who have yet to be mentioned. Here are a few to help fill in the gaps.

Elvin Jones
Ed Blackwell
Dannie Richmond
Andrew Cyril
Han Bennink
Tony Oxley
Bill Bruford
Calvin Weston
Ronald Shannon Jackson
Pheeroan akLaff
Philip Wilson
Famoudou Don Moye
Hamid Drake

and many others worthy of mention.

I always liked the way Clemm Burke drove Blondie with an in your face pace. Then there is Pete Thomas that plays with Elvis Costello. Then there was George Hurley who played inspired punk and post punk stuff with the minutemen and fIrehose.

Check em out!

Neil Peart and Mick Fleetwood.

Hal Blaine

Buddy Harmon

Ronnie Tutt

Al JAckson Jr.

Vinnie Colaiuta

Glenn Kotche(wilco jim o rourke)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tse1WPxhOGA

Terry Bozzio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDwRJK8bpb4&feature=related
this guy
http://www.wimp.com/wronggig

bernard purdie

Buddy Rich

Weckl

While he is not strictly a drummer I still don't see how we could have forgotten to mention El Rey, "The King", Tito Puente.

One I haven't seen mentioned yet, Philly Joe Jones. Often dismissed by critics as "capable" or "workman like" the cat could play and had a long productive career as a leader and a sideman.

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One I haven't seen mentioned yet, Philly Joe Jones. Often dismissed by critics as "capable" or "workman like" the cat could play and had a long productive career as a leader and a sideman.

Perfectly stated. Absolutely another giant of the beat.

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While he is not strictly a drummer I still don't see how we could have forgotten to mention El Rey, "The King", Tito Puente.

I have a DVD of Calle 54 with him. He is amazing as is the whole disc. If you can find it off Amazon you will not be disappointed. The sonics are very good. My fav Michel Camilo is in there along with Elaine Elias, Paquito d'rivera, Gato Barbieri, Jerry Gonzales, Chico O'farrill, and Bebo and Chucho Valdes.

Amazon shows 18 new starting at $5.

Hey, let's not forget Jimmy Cobb, his cymbal and brush work are superb. With a good bass player Jimmy will lay down a groove that's wide and deep.

We can't discuss drummers without mention of Roy Haynes. Roy can build layers of rhythm and texture and stay crisp without overplaying. All drummers should listen to Roy.

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While he is not strictly a drummer I still don't see how we could have forgotten to mention El Rey, "The King", Tito Puente.

I didn't mention him because I fucking hate jazz with everything in me.

Butch Trucks, Jai Johanny Johanson

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While he is not strictly a drummer I still don't see how we could have forgotten to mention El Rey, "The King", Tito Puente.

I didn't mention him because I fucking hate jazz with everything in me.

That is so f%#king sad. You have my deepest sympathy.

not sad at all really. There is a ton of music to keep my ears occupied....without listening to that which I hate(IE classical , jazz, and rap and r and b) went through a jazz phase in high school/college, acquired a massive collection, but lost interest soon after... i am not lying when I say id rather listen to almost anything else.

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not sad at all really. There is a ton of music to keep my ears occupied....without listening to that which I hate(IE classical , jazz, and rap and r and b) went through a jazz phase in high school/college, acquired a massive collection, but lost interest soon after... i am not lying when I say id rather listen to almost anything else.

The sad part isn't that you dislike or rather hate jazz but that you chose to ruin a perfectly good discussion with you're asinine declaration. I personally don't care for or like many of the "smooth" jazz drummers who have been mentioned but so what. I mentioned several drummers who I feel are worthy of mention without feeling the need to piss on someone else's choices. If there happens to be another person reading this thread who does like a type of music, be it jazz, free jazz, smooth, rock, country or whatever, then perhaps they now have some new music and musicians to check out.

Once again I repeat: Sad, so very sad.

actually it was *you* that pissed on peoples choices with your "i dont see how we could have forgotten xxx" which was equally snarky and assanine. one good turn deserves another.

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actually it was *you* that pissed on peoples choices with your "i dont see how we could have forgotten xxx" which was equally snarky and assanine. one good turn deserves another.

Except that I wrote "how we could have" thereby including myself within the group of the forgetful. So I don't think my remark was either snarky or asinine.

Additionally I hope that you have noticed how a once "hot" thread as completely cooled down after your "I hate jazz" post.

Now can we please back on topic and end this little flame war?

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Elvin Jones
Ed Blackwell
Dannie Richmond
Andrew Cyril
Han Bennink
Tony Oxley
Bill Bruford
Calvin Weston
Ronald Shannon Jackson
Pheeroan akLaff
Philip Wilson
Famoudou Don Moye
Hamid Drake

and many others worthy of mention.

It's funny - I keep coming back to your list, which is - of course - spot on, but I'm chewing on this:

There are great country, rock, pop, jazz, classical, soul, etc., etc. guitar players, bass players, piano players and - to the degree the music uses them - horn players.

But when it comes to drumming, I run short of greats, fast. In rock and soul I'm mostly looking for someone with good taste, which means economy. (Jazz inflected rock - the Dead, the Allmans - lie between the two musics and I tend to evaluate the drummers in terms of how 'jazz-like' they are.)

(Are there exceptions? Sure: Keith Moon, Jim Keltner.)

Maybe I'm not thinking about this right, but I have a hard time picking 'greatest' when the standard of taste and economy is most important, when it's the state of the art for a genre. Take country music, for example. I couldn't name a single 'great' country drummer. I'm sure there are some, but these ears can't hear the fine distinctions that separate the good from the very good and the very good from the great.

So most of the drummers I hear as individuals are jazz drummers, where there is a whole lot more freedom.

btw - You guys are right about Philly Joe Jones. He would be on my very, very short list.

s.

Steve Smith is a really great drummer. Most know of him from his years in Journey. He went on after that stint and made some solo albums. He is a great Jazz drummer as well.

Keith Moon- love him, cause he doesnt play techically, free, no rules, does not read music.

Steve Gadd- Perfect, too technical

Neil Peart- excellent drummer, Too technical, but no face expression, stone face, boring to me after a while

Charley Watts- Sloppy but carefull, family man, no drugs, makes millions, no show off, doesnt read music.

Basically Keith Moon and Charley Watts.

Sounds like this guy has spent a whole lot of time practising the wrong things!