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Where did the drummers go?


White Lightning

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Back in the 60s and 70s (and even before) some of the best groups were led by drummers. There were "Celebs-Drummers" in Rock and Fusion - not anymore.

When I talked with Curtis Fuller a year ago he told me that bone players couldn't lead combos back in the 50s and 60s. "All the combos were led by drummers", he said. Mr. Fuller is of course exagurating a bit, but today things are completely different: There are many combos led by hotn players, Pianists and even Bassists, but there are few led by drummers.

So why did the drummers gone out of the limelight?

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There are some big bands led by drummers:

John von Ohlen leads the Blue Wisp Big Band in Cincinnati

Tommy Igoe leads the Birdland Big Band

The Taylor / Fidyk Big Band is co-led by arranger Mark Taylor and drummer Steve Fidyk

Sherrie Maricle leads the DIVA Jazz Orchestra

..plus the Clayton/Hamilton big band.

Of course! One of the best in the business today. I did not list it because you mentioned Jeff Hamilton already in your previous post.

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There are some big bands led by drummers:

John von Ohlen leads the Blue Wisp Big Band in Cincinnati

Tommy Igoe leads the Birdland Big Band

The Taylor / Fidyk Big Band is co-led by arranger Mark Taylor and drummer Steve Fidyk

Sherrie Maricle leads the DIVA Jazz Orchestra

..plus the Clayton/Hamilton big band.

Of course! One of the best in the business today. I did not list it because you mentioned Jeff Hamilton already in your previous post.

Yes, although I initially was thinking of him in the small group context (his trio). :)

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Yeah, yeah, I'm familiar with many of the names you guys namedropped so affluently... :g

But I'm still not convinced... What Drummers are "Superstars" these days? Which of the "Jazz-Celebs" are Drummers? In the age of Jazz-Celebs of Marsalis, Lovano, Brecker, Holland, Metheney and their likes, the drummers are missing.

Why the lineage of Drummers who were celebs like Buddy Rich, Art Blakey, Max Roach, Tony Williams, Billy Cobham, etc... is no more?

(You may continue throwing rocks at me now... :) )

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  • 2 months later...

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