Carlton Barrett

The Stones Rock

Junior Member
I looked around drummerworld and I couldn't find a thread about him, so I'll start one. Carlton was the drummer for the The Wailers and Bob Marley and The Wailers, and is the originator of the one drop. What are your thoughts on him?
 
Carlton Barrett is the most unsung drummer in modern history. He and his brother Aston formed the rhythm section responsible for more danceable grooves in the 20th century than any other outfit. Together they invented the One-Drop groove. How many drummers invented a new groove? Carlton is "The Man" and I wish I could have seen him live more than the two concerts I was privileged to take in starring Bob Marley and the Wailers.

Thanks for starting a thread honoring one of music's greatest drummers.
 
Carlton Barrett was a great drummer who is truly under-rated. His influence lives on to this day. While probably not known for technique, he had great feel that was perfect for the music.
 
While probably not known for technique, he had great feel that was perfect for the music.

This is a very serious misconception about reggae music, which is highly rudimental. For example, the intro for "Waiting in Vain" is a simple rrLR, but good luck on getting it sounding as clean and crisp as Barrett.
Most fills in reggae are combinations of diddles and paras in whatever inversions, more often than not in sextuplets. Reggae is disregarded as "feel" music, because the swing required to make those rudiments sound good is quite difficult to acquire if you haven't been raised in a rhythm-heavy music community (i.e. afro-american community).

There are jamaican drummers with little technique, but many amongst them have superlative rudimental chops, and they make them sound good.
 
I looked around drummerworld and I couldn't find a thread about him, so I'll start one. Carlton was the drummer for the The Wailers and Bob Marley and The Wailers, and is the originator of the one drop. What are your thoughts on him?

I think Carly should be on the home page readouts,after all he is reggae...(only if he knew how great he was)...sa a matter of fact Bob Marley never had a clue to how great he was....
 
Carlton continues to amaze me the more and more I listen to his drumming. It's tight, clean, technical (never seen his hands... but he's got great command of the RH for sure), and soooo very much grooving. The guy should be textbook standard for reggae drumming. He's got recognition, but definitely could use more!
 
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