Peter Erskine’s Infinity Drummers

Infinity Drummers. Day #97. Don Lamond. John Von Ohlen turned me onto this recording when we were both teaching at one of Stan Kenton's summer camps at Drury College in Springfield, Missouri. I was eating lunch and he came over to the cafeteria table with a portable cassette machine and played this, rewinding and replaying two of the outrageous drum fills for me over and over again (hooting and laughing each time), circa 1:47 - 1:57 in the track. Don Lamond's drumset has a snare drum, floor tom and bass drum plus a couple of cymbals at most here. Amazing. This swings so hard and it is really great. Please look below for another link to the entire album and check out the first track!

Infinity Drummers. Day #98. Andrew Cyrille. A birthday salute to the drummer who taught us how to be free.

Infinity Drummers. Day #99. (11/11/20 — Veteran's Day in America) Eric Gravatt. Weather Report. "Unknown Soldier" Joe Zawinul's masterpiece, in my opinion. With notable contributions from Wayne Shorter, Miroslav Vitous, Dom Um Romão, Andrew White (English horn), Wilmer Wise (piccolo trumpet), plus a group of vocalists that included Yolande Bavan and an uncredited Will Lee. Roger Powell assisted Joe with the impressive synth programming. Gravatt's drumming is relentless but never boorish, overpowering in its emotional tenor but never too much in terms of volume or notes. However it was approached or recorded, it strikes me as a perfect performance. Also: check out what happens from 6:00 minutes on, and someone please feel free to educate me as to why such evocative and haunting harmonic chords don't seem to exist in today's music. Seems to me there was a brief and shining moment, (yes) emanating from some of those Miles recordings like "Silent Way" and "Live/Evil" — and, then, Weather Report —where a single chord (or, better yet, a series of them) somehow questioned all of mankind if not the universe. Like an extension of Mahler. Or am I merely stuck in some sort of adolescent impression? Anyway, not to distract from Gravatt's drumming, or distract from this day when we honor and remember all of the men and women who served our nation, fighting for democracy. (Ironically, Zawinul used to refer to the cymbal beat that Eric played here as "the warhead" of the tune.)

Infinity Drummers. Day #100. Philip Wilson. Playing the "Love March" (he co-wrote it, too). The Paul Butterfield Blues Band. "Keep On Moving." Philip was also known as being one of the founders of the Art Ensemble of Chicago. Keep the faith, folks. We'll be doing some "keep on keepin' on" on Friday.

Infinity Drummers. Day #101. Ed Soph. The working drummer responsible for there being so many working drummers, heard here with Woody Herman's band circa the late 1960s. Saxophonist Sal Nistico tears it up here. The trumpet section includes Gary Grant as well as USC Thornton School of Music faculty member John Thomas. Whatta band. I still count my blessings for having had Ed as a mentor at that Redlands summer camp in 1966. As the song title goes: "Keep On Keepin' On" ... it's all that we can do, folks. And, oh yeah, wear your masks.

Infinity Drummers. Day #102. Peter Donald. "Road Time Shuffle" When I heard this for the first time, I turned to my dad and said, "Wow, I'm going to have to get a whole lot better if this is how other drummers are playing right now." And thus began my relationship with the "other" Peter, affectionately known as Peter1 in our house (in his house, too ... I'm Peter2) or "Uncle Peter" to my kids. Peter1 was the prototypical versatile drummer, the kind of drummer one needed to be in the 70s and 80s: big band, small group swing, avant-garde, pop jingles, backing up vocalists, playing in a late-night TV show band, etc. The guy has done it all. And, to the point of this recording, he sounds spectacular. Check out his work with the John Abercrombie Quartet on ECM, but for the moment, here he is with Toshiko Akiyoshi plus Lew Tabackin and LA's finest.

Infinity Drummers. Day #103. Guy Wallez. In addition to having recorded with Michel Legrand, he was the drummer on the first Swingle Singers albums to reach these shores. I'll admit that I do not know much more about him, but his lightly-swinging beat and inventive framing of this music — plus some terrific brush playing — helped introduce this young drummer to the world of J.S. Bach and classical music in general. Perfect music for a Sunday, and I'm going to include a 2nd track from the Swingle Singers' "Going Baroque" album, Handel's Aire, because I'd rather err on the side of ... oh, never mind! Enjoy!

Infinity Drummers. Day #104. Daniel Humair. A man of irrepressible intelligence and wit ... a gourmand who is equally famous in the world of art for his paintings as he is in the jazz world for his drumming. I first saw him on American television backing up the Swingle Singers, and then next heard him on this recording of a very young Jean-Luc Ponty. Produced by Michael Cuscuna and Siggi Loch (who would go on to found the ACT label), the album also features George Gruntz on piano, Guy Peterson on bass, Leo Wright on flute and Carmell Jones on trumpet. I first MET Daniel in the company of Michael Brecker during a Steps tour of Europe, and monsieur Humair seemed very opinionated (an understatement) and, to be honest, I wasn't too sure if he had any positive impression of me. One topic of our brief conversation concerned his frustration at not being able to find a good pair of brushes in Europe. So, upon returning to New York, I headed to Manny's Music Store and purchased 2 pair of Regal Tip retractable brushes and mailed them to the address I had gotten from Daniel in order for us to keep in touch. I think that he was very surprised by this gesture, and our next meeting set the stage for an affectionate friendship that still exists. Meanwhile, I was able to listen to Daniel play several times in the trio he shared with pianist Joachim Kuhn and the late great bassist J.F. Jenny-Clark. To this day, I have not heard a level of fluidity between three musicians such as I witnessed at those various outdoor jazz festivals dotted across Europe during one summer in the mid-1980s ... their spontaneous play resembled cascading sheets of water (I remember telling Marc Johnson, "Marc, they sounded like a waterfall ... unbelievable.") Here, in a more restrained but equally sparkling performance, enjoy this tune "California."

Infinity Drummers. Day #105. Joe Hunt. Sippin' at Bells.

George Russell at the Five Spot, with Al Kiger (trumpet), David Baker, (trombone), Dave Young (saxophone) and Chuck Israels (bass). This track was highlighted in a Top 10 list that preceded this lengthier anthology, and I'm including it again because this is the song and performance that we all need to hear now.

Infinity Drummers. Day #106. Steve Bohannon. Here's a story I've recounted before here on Facebook, but it bears repeating today. Back when I was in Weather Report, Joe Zawinul asked me out of the blue, "Hey, Peter ... do you wanna know who the most exciting drummer was I ever saw?" And I thought about it for just a moment, and slyly replied, "I bet you're gonna say Steve Bohannon." And he immediately exclaimed, "GODDAMMIT, MAN, HOW DID YOU KNOW???!!!" I told him that I knew he had been at the 1966 Monterey Jazz Festival with Cannonball's band, and so the chances were good that he got to see and hear the Don Ellis Band during their performance there (which is so powerfully captured on the "Live at Monterey!" album). Ergo, he would have witnessed Steve Bohannon playing in concert. And it just stood to simple reason in my mind that Steve's drumming would have made that impression on Joe, because he was one of the most exciting drummers to have ever played the instrument. All the more remarkable because Steve Bohannon was an accomplished Hammond B-3 player. I'm hoping that some Facebook friends (like Mike Lang and Tom Scott, et al) will fill in or fill out this story with more info, anecdotes and asides about this incredible drumming force who left us way too soon. In his honor, I present a track from the first studio album that the Ellis band made (Electric Bath), with the promise that there will soon be a series of Double Drummers recordings, and so we will be blessed by the drumming once more of Steve Bohannon but in the company of Alan Estes ... and there will be Ralph Humphrey + drummers, Steve Gadd and Chris Parker, plus plenty more including some surprises. But for now, please enjoy this recording of a signature Don Ellis Band tune, "Indian Lady," and let the stories flow, folks.

Infinity Drummers. Day #107. Ralph Humphrey. As tempting as it is to post any number of the incredible performances of Ralph driving the Don Ellis Band, many of my favorites are either long-ish ("Variations for Tumpet" from the Autumn album or "Strawberry Soup" from the Tears of Joy albums) or "Whiplash" (where he sounds amazingly great, but I don't want this thread to devolve into a discussion about that movie) ... so, with all of that said, here's Ralph playing one tune on Wayne Shorter's album "Atlantis," Wayne's first post-Weather Report recording for all intents and purposes. Ralph's drumming here is, as always, rock solid, disciplined yet filled with creative choices. And the man always gets such a great sound out of his drums (first Rogers, then Yamaha). I will add that there's no other drummer I can think of who could have replaced Steve Bohannon like Ralph was able to do. And Ralph is one of the very few drummers I ever said this to, upon first meeting him: "I wish that I could play just like you."

Infinity Drummers. Day #108. Alex Neciosup Acuna. The drummer who, when I first heard his playing on a cassette of the Heavy Weather album mixes, prompted me to tell our deejay Jaco Pastorius, "This is the version of Weather Report I've been waiting for my entire life..." Alex once told me that "The Juggler" was his favorite track from this iconic album, but his drumming on "Palladium" sparkles like a magical meteor shower. He is my hero.

Infinity Drummers. Day #109. I can think of no better way to start a weekend than by listening to Joe LaBarbera, heard here playing with Bill Evans and Marc Johnson in a recording made at the Village Vanguard in 1980. I posted a photo yesterday of my "audition," playing with the Kenton band in Avery Fisher Hall back in 1972. Stan's band was sharing the bill with Woody Herman, and Joe was the long-haired drummer in that band. I sought out his kindred spirit and he was as kind-hearted as he was swinging, giving me advice about going on the road ... basically just some good old reassurance, which was good to hear. We've been friends all these years, and I still learn something new from him every time I hear him play. "My Romance" is as much a drum feature as it is anything else, and it is something else, indeed.

Infinity Drummers. Day #110. Sonny Payne. His irrepressible swing, blazing technique and showmanship drove the bands of Count Basie and Harry James in countless concerts and recording studio sessions. The occasion of this gig was a disc jockey convention being held in Miami. The first of the three sets recorded at the Americana Hotel began at 2 a.m. Following the final chord of the night, the band flew back up to New York to play at Birdland on that Sunday. This chart "Counter Block" is a fascinating sample of Thad Jones' early writing and a fascinating look at what soon would become the lingua franca of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra. But this is vintage Basie band stuff here, and Sonny Payne sounds as great here as he does on any other recording I can think of. And, remember folks, that bass drum you hear at the end of the tune is being played with a single pedal. Holy Smokes! The entire album is worth checking out (particularly Joe Williams singing "No Moon At All"). Happy Sunday, everyone, and stay safe.

Infinity Drummers. Day #111. Chris Parker. On his birthday, no less! I first heard Chris' drumming on the Brecker Brothers "Back To Back" album, but this particular track from the Brecker's "Don't Stop The Music" album displays much of what I love about Chris' drumming: rock-solid time but always with a sense of air, his beats breathe within any track he plays on — and always with a cleverness that's as subtle as it is effective at making the song memorable. Randy Brecker is heard to great effect here, of course, as is his late brother Michael. Other friends include Will Lee and Steve Khan as well as Don Grolnick and Ralph MacDonald. This album came out in 1977. And Chris is turning 70 today. Happy Birthday, friend ... don't stop the music.

(P.S. Chris is also an incredible artist, one of his water colors adorns the wall of my music room.)

Infinity Drummers. Day #112. Bill Berg. "Tricycle." One of the more fascinating drummers to be spotlighted here, for a variety of reasons. A pioneer in digital recording, thanks to his work with engineer Tom Jung in Minneapolis as part of the "Flim & the BBs" group, utilizing the latest technologies that the 3M company had to offer; a busy studio drummer who also recorded with guitarist Wayne Johnson; the drummer on the Bob Dylan album "Blood on the Tracks"; and the drummer whose move to Los Angeles was not to seek the greener pastures in the recording studios here but to learn more about the art of animation (at Cal Arts), finally becoming a key animator at the Disney Studios ... all the while retaining his love and skills for all things percussive. Innovative and unique, a drummer who meshes perfectly with the one and only Jimmy Johnson on electric bass ... these two created a rhythm section language all their own. This link will take you to the entire album Tricycle, the second recording by this dynamic band that included Billy Barber on keyboards and the ubiquitously versatile Dick Oatts on saxophone. These guys were wild back then (the album was recorded in the early 1980s on a Mitsubishi X-80) and the music still sounds wild now — their first direct-to-disc album was quite the rage in audio stores. And so, with ascertainment now firmly in hand, let's enjoy us some Bill Berg with Jimmy Johnson and company.

Infinity Drummers. Day #113. Where to start? Okay, first off, congratulations to Terri Lyne for her Grammy nomination yesterday. On a global or macro scale, Terri Lyne has busted through the “glass ceiling” more times than the Infinity Drummers list can count (to be honest, this list is predisposed to not count too much above the number 4) … all to say, Terri Lyne has been as much a pioneer in percussion as she has been a fighter for gender justice while fighting racial inequity. She has my unending respect. And, continuing on the personal/micro note: when I was house-hunting in Los Angeles (back in late 1986 for my return to Lotus Land), the jazz radio station was playing in the rental car. Blindfold Test. All I knew was what I heard myself say out loud in the otherwise empty car, “Damn, this drummer is a perfect synthesis of every drummer I love…” Turned out to be this recording that she made with Mulgrew Miller. That’s Charnett Moffett on bass. And that is Terri Lyne Carrington on the drums. We became teaching colleagues at USC for a while; she’s back home in Boston now, where she is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice.

Infinity Drummers. Day #114. Ray Marchica Another happy bit of timing here on the list as we celebrate Ray Marchica's birthday while dancing and grooving to his drumming behind James Brown on "Living in America" from the Gravity album. For those of you not familiar with Ray's biography, the man has done it all: studied with Morris 'Arnie' Lang; played in the Broadway pit for "A Chorus Line," "Starlight Express" and "Mama Mia" among many other shows; was in Rosie O'Donnell's TV show band; backed Barbra Streisand at the Village Vanguard; and has held down the drum chair in the big band led by Ed Palermo. Back to James Brown ... Ray is laying it down here, folks.

The Infinity Drummers List wants to wish everyone "Living in America" a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

Infinity Drummers. Day #115. "Sleigh Ride" ... too soon? It's never too soon to listen to Morris Jennings play the drums. Heard here driving the Soulful Strings, arranged by Richard Evans, with such Chicago-based Chess/Cadet Records studio stalwarts as guitarist Phil Upchurch, bassist Cleveland Eaton, and the legendary Bobby Christian on vibes and percussion. This was my go-to Christmas album 50 years ago: "The Magic of Christmas." Have a soulful day after Thanksgiving, y'all.

Infinity Drummers. Day #116. Earl Young. The Stylistics. "Betcha By Golly, Wow" This song's got everything: a hook, an odd metric thing, some Burt Bacharach magic in the rhythm guitar with some mellow flugelhorns and harp glissandi ... plus a subtle drum beat that holds it all together. Well done, Mr. Young, well done. A tip of the hat to producer Thom Bell and lead vocalist Russell Thompkins, Jr. You know, Freddie Hubbard dug the tune enough to record a cover of it. I hope you'll enjoy the original ...

Infinity Drummers. Day #117 Greg Brown. "As" This double-LP set was and remains such a mind-blower to listen to. Every song is great. I can't think of an album that gave me more *hope* than 'Songs in the Key of Life' did. Life-affirming music. I remember buying it over and over again to give to friends both old and new. Stevie Wonder ... a talent beyond words. And this song has Herbie Hancock on it, too. Okay, a thousand great things. But, on top of all that, check out not only the beat that Greg Brown is playing, but those fills ... they start in the middle of a phrase yet make the most sense in the world. It's just brilliant ... brilliance on top of brilliance.

Infinity Drummers. Day #118. Stevie Wonder. STEVIE WONDER!

Luigi Paulino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni, otherwise known as Louie Bellson, was born in 1924 and began playing the drums at age 3. By the age of 15 he had already pioneered the use of double bass drums, and two years later he bested 40,000 other drummers to be crowned the winner of the Slingerland Drum Company-sponsored Gene Krupa Contest. None other than Duke Ellington called him “the worlds greatest drummer.” If you were lucky enough to have met him, you knew him as being the world’s nicest human being, as well as one of the few drummers who could go toe-to-toe with Buddy Rich and walk away from it looking good. Here’s something I penned when I got word of Louie’s passing in 2009 at the age of 84: “What words to say when an immortal one leaves us? Louie Bellson had been “there” for my entire life, always legendary, elegant and exemplar. There was Louie in the Ellington band, serving as role model that drummers can be composers. There was Louie, married to Pearl ~ and later to Francine ~ serving as pioneering role model that harmony could be found on the bandstand as well as between races, in marriage and in music. There was Louie, consummate gentleman, serving as role model that graciousness is hip as well as possible in jazz and in this modern world. Louie, the quintessential timekeeper who always had time for everyone. It’s hard to imagine a kinder and more giving man than Louie, all the more extraordinary because of his sky-high talents and abilities. Louie’s drumming could win the day by a knockout punch or a series of subtle whispers. There was Louie in that wonderful Rogers catalog, thumbed through countless times by this young drummer upon which I eventually managed to get my own Dyna-Sonic snare drum just like the one Louie used to play. I still thumbed through that catalog afterwards for inspiration, dreaming while looking at the photos of Louie in action. And the sound that man got from the drums!

Most of us expected, I think, that Louie would always be “there” for us. I wrote down a list of words this morning after I got the news … Louie Bellson: Great, gracious, god-like, a giant, gee-whiz-wow …drumming guardian, true Gentleman! Giving, gentle, a gift to the world of music … go, Gene, go!

Gallant, glowing … genius, genial, always generous. All good things, and now … gone. Rest in Peace, Louie, and know that you left the world a better place. Love, Peter” Let’s enjoy Louie now, playing his composition, rendered with impeccable soulfulness by the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Great solo playing by Louie, but, oh my, how he kicks that band!

Infinity Drummers. Day #120. Stan Levey. "The Original Original" (Dizzy Gillespie, about Stan Levey).

It is said that good things come to those who wait. Well, 119 drummers in, we've waited ... and now it's time for Stan Levey's arrival, courtesy of the Contemporary label album "The Arrival of Victor Feldman," recorded in January of 1958, with Scott LaFaro on bass. Stan Levey drove the Stan Kenton Orchestra as well as countless west coast jazz bands including Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All Stars. And check out the tune "West Coasting" from Stan Levey's own album ... but here is an exquisite trio performance of the Miles Davis tune "Serpent's Tooth." Keep in mind: such a refined touch, and Stan Levey was a professional boxer (as well as photographer). He floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee. Dude looked cool in a sailor's cap, too. A great drummer.

Infinity Drummers. Day #121. Chico Hamilton. This track is a bit of an oddity, but it's something I used to listen to a lot when I was kid ... the album had Clark Terry, Jerome Richardson, Charlie Mariano and Richard Davis playing on it, but on this track we hear Gabor Szabo, Ron Carter and percussionists Willie Bobo and Victor Pantoja, all recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's studio in 1966. Now, I don't know if that's Chico playing the series of repeating 16th-notes (with every 3rd beat accented, and that never stops throughout the entire song) or if that's one of the percussionists ... could Chico have overdubbed either the brushes pattern or the toms being played by mallets (those mallets being one of his signature devices)? ... in any event, I like to think of that as the "power of 3," the most basic syncopation in jazz that works every time, all of the time. Here, it's like a chant as much as a dance. And I like Chico Hamilton! And if you like single-headed toms, he's the man to thank.

Here's Gabor Szabo's tune which is really just more of a jam, "Evil Eye." Happy Thursday, everyone.

Infinity Drummers. Day #122. James Gadson. A gentle giant of drumming genius, his pocket is laid back while moving the song forward with irresistible charisma and force. Of course I had every intention of posting a link to the Bill Withers tune, "Kissing My Love" — and I REALLY RECOMMEND that you find the live performance of that on YouTube ("Kissin My Love") — but let's listen to this Jon Lucien tune, "How 'Bout Tonight." Jon Lucien was a wonderful singer, musician and composer. Fun fact: Jon is one of the vocalists heard singing the chant on "Pursuit of the Woman in the Feathered Hat" on the Mr. Gone album by Weather Report. Back to this tune: it went through a few different iterations, including a version with forgotten drum tracks by myself and, later, Carlos Vega. It took James Gadson to play the drum track that would stick ... pun intended. This version was arranged by Richard Evans. Have a great Friday, y'all. And God Bless James Gadson.

Infinity Drummers. Day #123. Charles Collins. Part of the MFSB rhythm section team that included fellow drummers Keith Benson and Karl Chambers, and percussionist Larry Washington. To be honest, I wasn't sure who the drummer was on this Teddy Pendergrass hit, but my Facebook friend — drummer, educator, artist and president of the N.A.R.D. — Mark Beecher did the following research for me, being of Philadelphia kind: "After leaving messages with 4 of the folks that were on Teddy’s album - Engineers, Joe & Mike Tarsia of Sigma Sound Studios, where the record was recorded, drummer Charles Collins (who now lives and records in Dallas, Texas) and drummer Keith Errol Benson (who teaches and lives fairly close by in Camden, NJ) - it was Keith who responded right away! Keith was really sweet and gave me his phone number ... said to call any time (609-xxx-xxxx) - and did confirm that it was Charles Collins on the “When Somebody Loves You Back” track. In my own research, I had pretty much suspected it was Collins on that tune, but glad that Keith confirmed it " The Infinity Drummers list is as much an education for me as it is a treat to share music with all of you. Enough back story ... let's dig on some Teddy Pendergrass and "When Somebody Loves You Back." It’s a great track.

Infinity Drummers. Day #124. Norman "Tiny" Kahn. Known as a drummer, arranger and composer (he wrote for Woody Herman's band, among other groups), heard here with Stan Getz on tenor sax, Jimmy Raney on guitar, Al Haig on piano, Teddy Kotick on bass, recorded at George Wein's Storyville Club in Boston in the autumn of 1951. Tiny Kahn was all of 28 years old. He died two years later of a heart attack. I think you'll agree with me and every other person who listens to this album: Tiny Kahn is a revelation. Stan Kenton once told me out of the blue that "Tiny Kahn was the most exciting drummer" he'd ever heard in his life. Paying this sentiment forward to my students at USC, each one of them marvels at how modern and, yes, exciting Tiny Kahn sounds. Imagine hearing this live at the time. Well, hear it now. "Mosquito Knees." And have a great Sunday.

Infinity Drummers. Day #125. Frank De Vito. ”Witchcraft” I just found out that it’s Frank De Vito playing the drums on the 1957 (original) version of Frank Sinatra’s “Witchcraft,” arranged by Nelson Riddle (Irv Cottler plays on the 1963 Reprise recording of the tune). Many of you might know Frank De Vito by way of his Danmar bass drum beater (and other fine drum and percussion accessory products). I know Frank by way of his always-ready smile. Oh yeah ... he also donned a sombrero and played with the Baja Marimba Band back in the day. More Sinatra soon, we’ve Alvin Stoller and Irv Cottler and Gregg Field to account for (Buddy Rich, Sonny Payne and Earl Palmer have already made their drummers list appearance); we’re in for a swingin’ good time. But now, it’s Witchcraft ... take it away, Frank. I mean, Frank!

Infinity Drummers. Day #126. Shuggie Otis. "Sparkle City" What is a bassist and guitarist doing on the Infinity Drummers list? Well, for starters, playing one of the baddest drum beats I've ever heard. AND he composed the tune. And he's playing keyboards. And singing. And he produced the album. Basically, everything you hear here aside from the horns was conceived and played/sung by the one and only Shuggie Otis. I had been a big fan of Shuggie Otis based solely on the way he played the bass on Frank Zappa's "Peaches En Regalia" from the Hot Rats album. Hearing that as a 15 year-old — and hearing that Shuggie was a mere 16 year years old when he cut the track — was as intoxicating as it was daunting. And THEN ... hearing this many years later while beginning a holiday on the island of Ischia with my family, listening to the first in a stack of CDs on my Discman & headphones while watching the sunrise, I began shaking in recognition that this album was THE MISSING LINK. Concevied, recorded and released several years before Prince blessed us with his music, Shuggie showed the way to those with the ears to get it. I'll be honest, I missed this album when it came out. But the re-release caught my eye in a Tower Records store, and the subsequent listen blew my mind. Drummers list ... but DIG THE BASS PLAYING. HAVE A GREAT DAY. And, I'll be honest: I cannot wait until January 20th.

Infinity Drummers. Day #127. Steve Jordan. "Pointing at the Moon" This is the song that starts off "Hearts and Numbers," a classic recording that showcases the compositions and playing of Don Grolnick. Before I focus on Steve, kindly allow me to borrow from my book "No Beethoven" where I quote another of the musicians heard here, Will Lee: << Will Lee and his lovely wife, Sandrine, came to our home for breakfast ... Conversation went from myriad Beatles tunes to the music of others, including our dear departed friend Don Grolnick. Will told me, “Not a day goes by that I don’t think of Don.” Which reminded me of something Don said while he was sick and certain of his own death; I’m paraphrasing here, but in essence Don expressed his assurance that Heaven did indeed exist as long as his presence was in the memory of those who knew him and/or his work. Of course, it does not surprise me that such a gentle and good man would be in Heaven, but it is comforting to know it for certain. >> And not a day goes by in this house or wherever I might be when I don't think of Don. And you might find yourself thinking of him more and more if you get the opportunity to listen to this entire album. I will be posting another tune/link when the Infinity Drummers list enters its 2-drummers phase. But let's speak now about the one and only Steve Jordan. Steve and Will were part of Don's band "Idiot Savant," which included Hiram Bullock and Michael Brecker. Those were some halcyon days, let me tell you. The Breckers-owned club 7th Avenue South would be packed to the rafters with musicians and fans whenever Idiot Savant would play. Steve Jordan was and remains a force of nature. Fun aside: when Steve was the house drummer in the David Letterman Late Show Band, it was always a treat to tune in no matter who might be a guest on the show, just in order to hear the band play the opening theme show music and to check out what fill Steve might play during that drum break near the end of the tune. Anyway, whenever Steve was NOT playing the show and a sub would be filling in, there'd be a buzz throughout New York City about whether or not "the fill" was played hip enough or not. Usually not, as I recall. Steve set the bar pretty high. (Anton Fig played it hip enough when he took over the drum chair.) In tandem with Will Lee — and playing Don's music — Steve Jordan can do no wrong on the drums. And was I talking about James Gadson's left hand snap? Steve's left hand is from another dimension. On top of that, he's a scholar when it comes to Black American Music and the evolution of the drum beats that moved this nation forward. Enjoy "Pointing at the Moon."

Infinity Drummers. Day #128. Tony Allen. with Fela Ransome-Kuti and The Africa '70. "Afrodesiac" Recorded at Abbey Road in 1972. My first visit to London was in early 1973 while on tour with the Stan Kenton Orchestra. We were playing 4 sets a night at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club. The final set ended at 3 a.m. I would be up early each morning after so I could make the most of being in London (going for walks, talking photographs, and shopping ... the dollar was almighty strong back in those days), including forays into record shops and music stores. Walked into one record store and this was playing on the stereo system. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing ... bought the album right away and waited WEEKS, carrying this and other albums (a bunch of ECM LPs plus some wonderful finds like Pierre Favre's Drum Conversations, etc.) all over the place in my suitcase until I had a chance to visit my parents' house in New Jersey on tour and make cassettes from the LPs, hooking up my Sony portable cassette deck to my Dad's Zenith Hi-Fi console. Anyway: TONY ALLEN. Deliciously upside-down beats that are rockin', swinging and funky all at the same time. Wild. Here's the entire album. 01 "Alu Jon Jonki" - 00:00 02 "Jeun Ko Ku (Chop 'n Quench)" - 12:44 03 "Eko Ile" - 6:41 04 "Je'nwi Temi (Don't Gag Me)" - 13:15 Fela Ransome-Kuti was like the James Brown and Martin Luther King, Jr. of Nigeria ... a multi-instrumentalist, social activist, charismatic performer as well as pioneer of Afrobeat music.

Infinity Drummers. Day #129. Nigel Olsen. Elton John "Friends" Yesterday's "Infinity Drummer" was Tony Allen ... here's another London resident, Nigel Olsen, a drummer infinitely different from the leading proponent of Afrobeat but no less influential or important as far as my musical listening went way back when. Imagine a lonely 18 year-old on the road, surrounded by older, not necessarily wiser but wizened road musicians, where the cynicism of the one night stand stood in contrast to everything this youngster thought he wanted to be as a person. Listening to this tune provided some comfort and let me stew in that conceit ... but let's face it: most of us behave horribly when given the chance.

Nigel's drumming is honest and he brings the song home, every time.

Infinity Drummers. Day #130. John von Ohlen. "The Baron" ... von Ohlen left an indelible stamp and mark on the Kenton band. He held sway with an almost mystical and hypnotic gaze of rhythmic concentration. You've heard of midwest gothic, John was more midwest mythic but in a good, nay great, sense. He had that Indianapolis beat and remains a hero to many.

After John left Stan's band, he started his own group, a wonderful quartet with Steve Allee on electric piano, Claude Sifferlen playing a Rhodes keyboard bass as well as elec. piano, and a wonderful vocalist, Mary Ann Moss (Mary Schott). Their one and only album was released on the Creative World label and is a collector's item these days. Some of the tracks can be found on YouTube including this gem of a trio performance of Wayne Shorter's "Pinocchio." You should also look up "Vonetta" as well as "Runaway Heart."

Okay. Since many of you seem to be enjoying the "Infinity Drummers" list, let's have some fun on 12/12/20 ... "double your pleasure, double your fun, with 2 drummers drumming, instead of just one." Side by side to the Infinity Drummers list, then, here starts a double+ drummers list and I can't think of a better way to begin the list than by highlighting the 2 Kennys: Kenny Clarke and Kenny Clare with the Clarke-Boland Big Band, playing "Rue Chaptal" (Tenor Madness by any other name). Dig how the 2 Kennys play off each other, play for each other, and play for the band. In a word: wow. Or, better: wow wow

Infinity Drummers. Day #131. Paul "Skip" Reed. 1975. Rupert Holmes. My good buddy from the Interlochen Arts Academy, James Carter Cathcart, gave me a copy of this record right when it came out (Jim plays all of the keyboards on the album). Each song is a masterpiece in miniature, complete stories told with wit, musical style and a great beat. To be honest, I was not all that familiar with Skip Reed's drumming career (he was a founding member of the Laughing Dogs, the backup band for Rupert Holmes here) but I always enjoyed his playing on this album. Sadly, Skip Reed passed away a few years ago. His drumming on this tune is spot-on. Enjoy.

Double Drummers #2. Rich vs Roach. One of the great match-ups of all time. Two musical champions, drumming giants. Two approaches, both of them unique and both of them things of drumming beauty. My teacher got this album for me when I was a kid. I marveled at Buddy's playing but recognized it as being impossibly out of reach. On the other hand, Max's solo was so deceptively simple and melodic, that I was irresistibly drawn to it. I can listen to this now and realize how much I learned from both men. Sing, Sing, Sing.

Infinity Drummers. Day #132. (Monday, December 14, 2020) Jim Gordon. Legendary, first, for all of the right reasons ... and then, sadly, infamous for all of the wrong reasons. Without going into detail, I will just offer the most obvious platitude that his story is tragic. In his prime, he was a magnificent drummer. There are many outstanding examples of his rock-solid and innovative beats, but I've always liked this song, not only because it is one great song, but because of the way that Jim Gordon riffs at the end. There's something so *perfect* about it, somehow.

Glen Campbell singing Jimmy Webb's "Wichita Lineman." Jim Gordon, drummer.

Double Drummers #3. Jim Keltner & Jeff Porcaro. "Jack Daugherty And The Class Of Nineteen Hundred And Seventy One" I believe this was Jeff's first recording! And I'm also certain that's Chuck Findley we're hearing featured on the first tune (this link will take you to the entire album). Jack Daugherty produced the Carpenters on A&M. You know this album sounds good. And with Jeff and Jim playing, you know very much that this album sounds very, very good. You gotta hand it to Herb Alpert: he was responsible for a lot of really incredible recordings coming out back in the day. As someone posted on this YouTube page: "Hollywood sidemen at their best." Enjoy.

Infinity Drummers. Day #133. Sol Gubin. My teacher, John Civera, turned me onto all manner of great drummer recordings, including Specs Powell, Art Blakey, Max Roach and Buddy Rich. And Jack Sperling. Sonny Payne. And Sol Gubin. In fact, he held Sol Gubin up to represent the highest standard of what could be accomplished as a working drummer. This, to a 6-year old drummer who was lucky enough to get his hands on a 1950s red sparkle Gretsch round badge kit but pouted a bit because he really wanted black sparkle. Anyway, in all of the listening and sightreading we did together, I specifically recall him telling me about Sol Gubin. And here's but one fine example of Sol's drumming. You can find plenty of Mr. Gubin on YouTube, including playing "Preulde, Fugue and Riffs" under the baton of Leonard Bernstein ... or check out the theme to the TV show "Barney Miller" ... yes, that funky drumbeat is Sol Gubin! I hereby declare that Tuesday, December 15 is Sol Gubin Day.

Double Drummers, #4. Okay, I'm going to jump in here. Here's a track that Steve Jordan and I played on, Don Gronlick's "Human Bites" from his Hearts & Numbers album. I remember cutting this —with Steve and me set up — drumsets facing one another's just like that cover photo of the Buddy Rich/Max Roach album. We did one take and went into the control room to listen. Listened. Looked at one another and we both kind of just shook our heads and one of us said, "Okay ... we know what to do." And we went back into the drum booth (at the Power Station ... I seem to recall that we did this in "B") and made this take. The tag at the end was not planned ... I took a chance and kept going (I'm playing the 18" bass drum kit) ... Steve joined in, Michael Brecker soon followed. It was so much fun! To be honest, this is one of my favorite recordings that I've ever done. Don Grolnick was a genius who knew how to bring out the best in anyone and everyone. With Will Lee, Clifford Carter, Hiram Bullock and Michael Brecker. "Take human bites!"

Infinity Drummers. Day #134. Sue Evans. Sue studied with Warren Smith and Sonny Igoe, and was a mainstay on the New York live and recording scene for many years. She played in Gil Evans' band (no relation), and toured with Judy Collins for several years ... this recording is from one of those tours and it marked the first time I got to hear Sue in the early '70s. Drummer and percussionist and winner of the N.A.R.A.S. "Most Valuable Award" in 1984, 1987 and 1989. As Judy Collins sings, "Open the door and come on in ..." and say hello to Sue Evans.

Double Drummers #5. Steve Gadd & Chris Parker. "Stuff." The stuff of legend when this band played at Mikell's on the upper west side of Manhattan. I was lucky enough to catch one of their sets, but I listened to this album over and over while on the road with Maynard Ferguson ... imagine a bus full of itinerant young road musicians careening down a highway somewhere, this is what was playing on the stereo system our soundman Tony Romano rigged-up (RIP). Steve Gadd's drumming is rock-solid and funky but has the kinetic power of a volcano just waiting to blow, while Chris Parker's drumming holds your hand and lets you know that everything is going to be alright. A magical combination. Add Richard Tee, Gordon Edwards, and the guitars of Cornell Dupree and Eric Gale, and you got yourself some serious Stuff. Do yourself a favor and check out all of the albums and videos.

Infinity Drummers. Day #135.Rudy Collins. "Comin' Home." Herbie Mann at the Village Gate.

Herbie Mann - flute, with Hagood Hardy - vibraharp; Ahmed Abdul-Malik - bass; Ray Mantilla - conga and percussion; Chief Bey - African drum and percussion; Ben Tucker - additional bass (and solo) on "Comin' Home." Recorded at the Village Gate, NYC, on November 17, 1961. This was a hit back in the day. And I didn't know it at the time, but I was listening to Rudy Collins, who I would be hearing and digging with Dizzy Gillespie on the "New Continent" album with Lalo Schifrin (a follow-up to their collaborative Suite "Gillespiana" ... stay tuned for that), which features Mel Lewis on drums but ALSO has Rudy Collins on several tracks. Check out todays' DOUBLE DRUMMERS listing. But, meanwhile, bring it on home by digging on Comin' Home. And, speaking of home: STAY HOME if you can. We're near the finish line, folks ... but we've all got to get through this surge, and safely, too. Peace.

DOUBLE DRUMMERS #6. Rudy Collins & Mel Lewis. "Chorale" from "The New Continent" suite composed by Lalo Schifrin for Dizzy Gillespie. All-star big band assembled for the premier of the piece at the Monterey Jazz Festival as well as for this recording in Hollywood, here's a rare chance to hear Mel Lewis sharing the big band drumming honors with Rudy Collins. Add Francisco Aguabella to the mix on congas, and you can hear the embodiment of everything that makes jazz so beautiful, so vital, so swinging and dancing and sophisticated and elemental. I encourage you to listen to the entire piece (it's the final movement/track on the album ... check out the ENTIRE record, it's really great), but things get really interesting at 3:42 ... 2 drummers, 2 bassists. Rudy Collins is playing brushes, then Mel takes over with sticks ... some of his best big band playing ever, in my opinion. And THEN the congas come in: 4/4 swing on Dizzy's swish cymbal with a bata-like rhythm from the congas (someone please correct me here) ... it all adds up to rhythmic nirvana.

Infinity Drummers. Day #136. Don Alias. Stone Alliance. Gene Perla. Steve Grossman. "Sweetie Pie" You may know Don from his conga drumming with Elvin Jones on "Merry Go Round." Or from his conga and bata playing with Jaco Pastorius. Or his percussion work and drumming with Joni Mitchell. And on and on. But, left to his own devices playing the drums, the man had the baddest, deepest and skankiest beat. Don Alias made a joyful noise wherever he went. And Stone Alliance was the sh*t. 1976.

DOUBLE DRUMMERS #7. Ralph Humphrey. Ron Dunn. Don Ellis. Lee Pastora (congas). "Strawberry Soup" from the Tears of Joy album, recorded 'live' in 1971. In "9" for the most part but with plenty of ingenious ever-changing subdivisions. Ralph play through these like a hot knife in butter. (You can usually tell when Ralph is playing because, like Steve Bohannon before him, his drumset always sounds the best.) The trades near the end of this long-ish track are fascinating, scintillating, hair-raising and just darned great. I was lucky enough to see and hear this band play mere weeks before this recording (done in San Francisco) was made (I was a student at the Interlochen Arts Academy and our jazz band director Dave Sporny chartered a bus and took us all down and back to wherever it was to attend the concert ... we were all hoarse afterwards from all of the screaming we did. The next day most of us had to play Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra ... the jazz hooky was good. This is a long listen but well worth it. Enjoy. And stay safe out there, y'all. P.S. Oh yeah: that's Don Ellis playing drums in the trades, too.

Infinity Drummers. Day #137. Alvin Stoller. Change of mind and heart ... the news should not stop the music. And what better way to celebrate then listening to Alvin Stoller propel Hollywood's finest, backing the greatest singer in our lifetimes, Frank Sinatra, with this 1957 recording marking his first of many collaborations with Nelson Riddle. Check out the way Alvin uses his snare drum to drive this chart. You may recognize his sound and feel from countless musicals made in the day.

I cold-called Alvin after reading that he was one of the drummers to have played on the West Side Story film score (I'm fairly certain that the bulk of the drumming we hear in the film was done by Shelly Manne, but a number of rotating musicians might work on any large project such as West Side Story ...). "Mr. Stoller, this is Peter Erskine, and I just wanted to say 'bravo' for your drumming on West Side Story." His reply, "Oh ... thanks. I just got called for it one day, went in and read it. Man, that shit was HARD!"

He makes it all sound easy, especially here. "I've Got The World On A String." The album art shown here is incorrect, by the way.