Tony "Thunder" Smith

B

Brian

Gold Member
I don't think I've heard his name mentioned on this forum independently. As an offshoot of the Billy Cobham thread, Tony is not a "big name" for most drummers compared to BC. Tony played in a similar way; very ambidextrous and free, perhaps even more so than Billy Cobham.

He was Jan Hammer's drummer in the 70's and I believe he's teaching at Berklee these days, along with playing music. I've researched some of his material over the years and found he's definitely worth checking out and of course stealing ideas from! ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3UduB4HsNk
 
I remember that album. Interesting line-up with just violin. I always wondered if Hammer was just plain tired of guitar after listening to McLaughlin hit 120 decibels every night. I saw MO twice. I never heard anything so loud. At Woolsey Hall, NH, CT Cobham just tore off the stage at the end. Aside from his solo I could hardly hear anything he did. He just seemed pretty upset.

I never saw Tony Smith. I wouldn't put him in the same category with Billy as far as the dynamics of the tour de force he could lay out, but Smith played hard on that album. Reminded me more of Tony Williams without the 'Tonyisms.'
 
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