Groove Masters

One of the real joys of practicing is sitting down at the drums,tossing on a recording and just playing along. This is a real opportunity to sit right smack in the middle of a master drummers groove and soak up their feel for the music.
The drummers who have influenced me are many and their influence on the history of music is considerable. Art Blakey was and still is one of the most influential Groove Masters. Art's feel was both muscular and sensitive.  

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The Great Al Jackson Jr was the house drummer for Stax records in Memphis. He literally fathered playing at the bottom of the beat. Al's most famous recording is the simple Minor blues "Green Onions' by Booker T and The MGs, of which he was a member. It's just quarter notes with a ton of attitude. Al could do more with less than any other drummer I know.

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Nobody can channel Al Jackson better than Steve Jordan. Known as "MR. Authentic". Steve's playing on the Blues Brothers recordings and with Chuck Berry are notable for for his faithfulness to the sounds of the original drummers. Steve has been a fixture in the New York studios as a drummer and producer.

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Jazz master Jimmy Cobb Is known for his work with Miles Davis, but his other credits read like a Who's Who of Jazz. Jimmy's groove is akin to a comfortable chair. He's in his eighties and still in demand.
The gentlemen mentioned here created and kept a foundation that raised the level of every piece of music they played on. They are but a few of the many great drummers and rhythm sections I will be talking about in the future. Your thoughts and comments are always welcome.

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