When Jazz made the big step from dance music to Modern Jazz with all its di erent playing styles in the 1940s, its harmony and rhythm became more and more complex and it moved away from his “primitive” origins. Interestingly, however, this sparked an interest in the African roots of the music, fueled of course by the new self-consciousness of African Americans after World War II. The drummer Art Blakey traveled to Africa in 1947 in order to become more familiar with African polyrhythms. He used all of these experiences for albums like “Holidays for Skins”, which kicks o this comprehensive overview of the great drummers of Modern Jazz.
Guy Warren from Ghana was one of the pioneers of the fusion of African music with Jazz, which went on to in uence many musicians in Africa as well as North America – from Fela Kuti to Duke Ellington. With his “Percussion Bittersweet”, Max Roach managed to create a wonderful work that confronts young avant-garde musicians such as Eric Dolphy with complex rhythms, enriching the mix with Abbey Lincoln’s new vocal accents. Two of the most important drummers of the “Swing into Bebop”- era cannot be left out: Gene Krupa and Jo Jones.
Not least because of the successful drum battles at the popular Jazz At the Philharmonic concerts, encounters of the best drummers have always taken place for recording sessions as well, which fortunately presents all participants’ musical abilities. With Chico Hamilton, Philly Joe Jones, Elvin Jones, Shelly Manne, and Dave Bailey, some of the best drummers of the time present themselves in small and medium-sized ensembles without pushing their instruments into the foreground. A very special album is “The Drum Suite” by Manny Albam and Ernie Wilkins, who also wrote scores for the participating drummers.
Feat. Art Blakey, Max Roach, Gene Krupa, Jo Jones, Buddy Rich, Louis Bellson, Guy Warren, Philly Joe Jones, Elvin Jones, Shelly Manne, Donald Byrd, Stanley Turrentine, Clark Terry, Eric Dolphy, Abbey Lincoln, Mal Waldron, Coleman Hawkins, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, Cannonball Adderley, Lee Morgan, Benny Golson.
TRACK LISTING — DISC 1
1. Art Blakey – The Feast –
2. Art Blakey – Aghano –
3. Art Blakey – Lamento Africano –
4. Art Blakey – Mirage –
5. Art Blakey – O’Tinde –
6. Ray Bryant – Swingin’ Kilts –
7. Art Blakey – Dinga –
8. Art Blakey – Reflection
TRACK LISTING — DISC 2
1. Max Roach – Garvey’s Ghost –
2. Max Roach – Mama –
3. Max Roach – Tender Warriors –
4. Max Roach – Praise For A Martyr –
5. Max Roach – Mendacity –
6. Max Roach – Man From South Africa –
7. Max Roach – Wee Dot –
8. Max Roach – Fours –
9. Max Roach – Philly Joe Jones’ Solo –
10. Max Roach – Art Blakey’s Solo – Segue – Finale –
11. Max Roach – Now’s The Time –
12. Max Roach – Philly Joe Jones’ Solo –
13. Max Roach – Art Blakey’s Solo –
14. Max Roach – El Nino –
15. Max Roach – Fours –
16. Max Roach – Drum Ensemble – Segue – Elvin Jones’ Solo –
17. Max Roach – Drum Ensemble – Segue – Charlie Persip’s Solo –
18. Max Roach – Drum Ensemble – Segue – Finale
TRACK LISTING — DISC 3
1. Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich – Buddy’s Blues –
2. Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich – Bernie’s Tune –
3. Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich – Gene’s Blues –
4. Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich – Sweethearts On Parade –
5. Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich – I Never Knew
TRACK LISTING — DISC 4
1. Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich – Idaho –
2. Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich – Sophisticated Lady –
3. Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich – Flying Home –
4. Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich – Drum Boogie –
5. Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich – The Drum Battle –
6. Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich – Perdido –
7. Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich – Shoe Shine Boy – First Take –
8. Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich – Lover Man –
9. Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich – Georgia Mae –
10. Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich – Caravan –
11. Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich – Lincoln Heights –
12. Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich – Embraceable You –
13. Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich – Shoe Shine Boy – Second Take
TRACK LISTING — DISC 5
1. Buddy Rich and Max Roach – Sing, Sing, Sing (With A Swing) –
2. Buddy Rich and Max Roach – The Casbah –
3. Buddy Rich and Max Roach – Sleep –
4. Buddy Rich and Max Roach – Figure Eights –
5. Buddy Rich and Max Roach – Yesterdays –
6. Buddy Rich and Max Roach – Big Foot –
7. Buddy Rich and Max Roach – Limehouse Blues –
8. Buddy Rich and Max Roach – Toot, Toot, Tootsie Goodbye –
9. Buddy Rich and Max Roach – Skin Deep –
10. Buddy Rich and Max Roach – Claxton Hall Swing –
11. Buddy Rich and Max Roach – Phalanges –
12. Buddy Rich and Max Roach – For Europeans Only –
13. Buddy Rich and Max Roach – Copasetic –
14. Buddy Rich and Max Roach – Fascinatin’ Rhythm –
15. Buddy Rich and Max Roach – Percussionistically Speaking –
16. Buddy Rich and Max Roach – All God’s Chillun Got Rhythm –
17. Buddy Rich and Max Roach – Loris –
18. Buddy Rich and Max Roach – A Pearl For Louie
TRACK LISTING — DISC 6
1. Guy Warren With The Red Saunders Orchestra – Africa Speaks –
2. Guy Warren With The Red Saunders Orchestra – Ode To A Stream –
3. Guy Warren With The Red Saunders Orchestra – Duet –
4. Guy Warren With The Red Saunders Orchestra – Eyi Wala Dong –
5. Guy Warren With The Red Saunders Orchestra – Monkies And Butterflies –
6. Guy Warren With The Red Saunders Orchestra – J.A.I.S.I. (Jazz As I See It) –
7. Guy Warren With The Red Saunders Orchestra – Invocation Of The Horned Viper –
8. Guy Warren With The Red Saunders Orchestra – Chant –
9. Guy Warren With The Red Saunders Orchestra – My Minuet –
10. Guy Warren With The Red Saunders Orchestra – The High Life –
11. Guy Warren With The Red Saunders Orchestra – Eyes Of A Fawn –
12. Guy Warren With The Red Saunders Orchestra – Fred Tone
TRACK LISTING — DISC 7
1. Manny Albam, Ernie Wilkins – First Movement: Dancers On Drums –
2. Manny Albam, Ernie Wilkins – Second Movement: Bristling –
3. Manny Albam, Ernie Wilkins – Third Movement: Chant Of The Witch Doctors –
4. Manny Albam, Ernie Wilkins – Fourth Movement: Skinning The Valves –
5. Manny Albam, Ernie Wilkins – Fifth Movement: Cymbalisms –
6. Manny Albam, Ernie Wilkins – Sixth Movement: The Octopus –
7. Manny Albam, Ernie Wilkins – Jonalah –
8. Manny Albam, Ernie Wilkins – Chrissie –
9. Manny Albam, Ernie Wilkins – The Wind –
10. Manny Albam, Ernie Wilkins – Gone Lover (When Your Lover Has Gone) –
11. Manny Albam, Ernie Wilkins – The Ghost –
12. Manny Albam, Ernie Wilkins – Sleepy Slept Here (Santa Monica) –
13. Manny Albam, Ernie Wilkins – Takin’ A Chance On Love –
14. Manny Albam, Ernie Wilkins – The Squimp –
15. Manny Albam, Ernie Wilkins – Topsy –
16. Manny Albam, Ernie Wilkins – Drums West –
17. Manny Albam, Ernie Wilkins – Sleep
TRACK LISTING — DISC 8
1. Philly Joe Jones – Blue Gwynn –
2. Philly Joe Jones – Stablemates –
3. Philly Joe Jones – El Tambores – Carioca –
4. Philly Joe Jones – The Tribal Message –
5. Philly Joe Jones – Cherokee –
6. Philly Joe Jones – Land Of The Blue Veils –
7. Philly Joe Jones – Philly J.J.
TRACK LISTING — DISC 9
1. Elvin Jones, Shelly Manne – Lady Luck –
2. Elvin Jones, Shelly Manne – Buzz-At –
3. Elvin Jones, Shelly Manne – Shadowland –
4. Elvin Jones, Shelly Manne – Pretty Brown –
5. Elvin Jones, Shelly Manne – Ray-El –
6. Elvin Jones, Shelly Manne – Four And Six –
7. Elvin Jones, Shelly Manne – You Are Too Beautiful –
8. Elvin Jones, Shelly Manne – Take The “A” Train –
9. Elvin Jones, Shelly Manne – The Sicks Of Us –
10. Elvin Jones, Shelly Manne – Slowly –
11. Elvin Jones, Shelly Manne – Lean On Me –
12. Elvin Jones, Shelly Manne – Cherokee –
13. Elvin Jones, Shelly Manne – Me And Some Drums
TRACK LISTING — DISC 10
1. Dave Bailey Sextet – One Foot In The Gutter –
2. Dave Bailey Sextet – Well You Needn’t –
3. Dave Bailey Sextet – Sandu