I’ve been thinking recently about all the great drummers who had an influence and their signature drum parts. One was the great Vernell Fournier who played with Pianist Ahmad Jamal’s Live at the Pershing and all the trouble his groove on Poinciana gave me as I tried to learn it. As A matter of fact it took me three weeks to learn. Vernell was from New Orleans and what he played was a New Orleans street feel adapted to the drum kit.
This was a feel I had never heard before and I was glad I learned it. Whenever I get to play it. I fondly remember that record and Vernell.
This was a feel I had never heard before and I was glad I learned it. Whenever I get to play it. I fondly remember that record and Vernell.
Another great player who gave me fits when I was learning to play was the wonderful Don Lamond. Don was best known for his work with Woody Herman’s Thundering Herd, he was also heard on hundreds of records recorded in New York when it was a hot bed of music. He was not only known for his beautiful cymbal sound, but for fills that could leave the band holding it’s breath to see if he would come out on one. It was adventurous big band drumming at it’s best.
Don’s work on Bobby Darin’s Beyond The Sea is memorable. The fills he played broke up sextuplets between the bass drum and the rest of the kit. This was unheard of on a 60’s pop record and it kicked the hell out of the band and Darin.
Don’s work on Bobby Darin’s Beyond The Sea is memorable. The fills he played broke up sextuplets between the bass drum and the rest of the kit. This was unheard of on a 60’s pop record and it kicked the hell out of the band and Darin.
Another scary groove for me was Mitch Mitchell’s work on Manic Depression. It was one of the first times I ever heard a Jazzy 6/8 on a rock record.
Ringo Starr is probably on every drummer's list as an influence. One particular area of his playing that is often overlooked is his ability to move in and out of different meters seamlessly. Check out “While my Guitar Gently Weeps” and of course “ Here Comes The Sun. I was in my late teens with some musical background when both these tunes hit the scene and I still had difficulty getting them to feel right. It is also interesting that George Harrison wrote both those songs.
Last but not least is the groove played by Zombies drummer Hugh Grundy on “She’s Not There. The edgy syncopated beat on the verse was the perfect accompaniment to the song and it’s memorable bass line.
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