Evidence for the Extinction of Double Drummers

Son of Vistalite Black

Son of Vistalite Black

Well-known Member
The drum experts over at American Songwriter magazine celebrate five outstanding double drumming tunes, with killer players like Porcaro, Keltner and, of course, Jack DeJohnette.

But, does the fact that none of
these bands exist anymore in a 2-drummer configuration signal that two drummer lineups are becoming rapidly extinct?

Are double-drummer bands redundant? Are there up-and-coming bands paying an extra drummer?

Here’s what American Songwriter says (with video links):

5 Must-Hear Tracks that Feature Two Drummers​

In 1956, jazz drummers Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich released Krupa and Rich, coming together on “Bernie’s Tune” with their dual percussion running nearly 14 minutes. When band leaders like John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, and Miles Davis aimed for more ambitious arrangements, they also used double-drum performances.

Meanwhile, psychedelic rock and jam bands like the Grateful Dead and The Allman Brothers Band utilized two drummers to blend jazz, rock, country, and blues to create new genres.

In 2008, Beyoncé performed a fusion version of her hit “Crazy in Love” on TheToday Show using two female drummers, Nikki Glaspie and Kim Thompson. And Jack Antonoff has spoken of The Allman Brothers Band’s influence on his group Bleachers.


Following the recent death of Dickey Betts, Jai Johanny “Jaimoe” Johanson is the last surviving original member of The Allman Brothers Band. To honor Jaimoe and the legacy of the Allmans, here’s a list of five must-hear tracks with two drummers.

“Parker’s Band” by Steely Dan​

Steely Dan’s brief ode to Charlie Parker features Jim Gordon and Jeff Porcaro swinging through a jazz-rock groove on their 1974 album Pretzel Logic.

“St. Stephen” by Grateful Dead​


Grateful Dead’s first official live album, Live/Dead (1969), features Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart trading flittering drum fills without losing the group’s psychedelic groove.

“Miles Runs the Voodoo Down” by Miles Davis​

Don Alias performs the New Orleans-style beat with Jack DeJohnette layering a collage-like assortment of rhythms over the top.

The Letter” by Joe Cocker​

On Joe Cocker’s 1970 live album Mad Dogs and Englishmen, drummers Jim Keltner and Jim Gordon come together for a raucous groove recorded at the Fillmore East in New York City.

“Trouble No More” by The Allman Brothers Band​

The Allman Brothers Band wasn’t the first group with two drummers, but they may have perfected the arrangement. Drummers Jai Johanny “Jaimoe” Johanson and Butch Trucks played together like they shared the same brain.
 
James Brown Band demise was major blow to drummers

get it? he had three sets on stage
but I don't think (...) two ever played at once
that often
 
I wouldn't say they're extinct, but it's becoming more rare with some notable exceptions.

King Crimson just a couple of years ago played some gigs with THREE drummers, placed right out front and it was excellent.

I also saw Jack DeJohnette's 80th birthday show last year that featured him in center, between Cindy Blackman and Will Calhoun. (And not to brag, but about 9 or 10 years ago I sat directly across the table from Jack at a seder at a mutual friend's house. What do you talk about with Jack in that situation? Anything but drums, LOL)
 
Up until a few years back King Gizzard had two drummers. It was pretty cool. They're still awesome with only one. Their old records are great to listen to with headphones or good speakers - each kit is panned left and right and it sounds awesome.



This has a cool alternating hihat thing going on


and this is just polyrhythmic madness
 
Two drummer bands do nothing for me, except for Estonia’s Winny Puhh:

 
moodman said:


This double drummer musta peed JB off.
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I think it's in the the event he overworks one the other one takes over (funny as heckkk!!!
 
Probably just an ebb before the flow of double drummer bands. I doubt extinction-you could probably graph the rise of double pedal use by drummers with a decrease in bands with double drummers , but I think though likely would show a significant correlation it don't mean doodie as being meaningful.
 
doobie brothers
 
jda said:
doobie brothers
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Sadly, the Doobies have been a one drummer outfit since the death of John Hartman in 2022.

Wiki lists scores of double-drumming bands (some inaccurately), most of which no longer have a redundant skinsman.

Double drumming - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org en.m.wikipedia.org
 
James Brown is really missed in the Augusta area-he was quite a complex character and very philanthropic in local community. He was a terrific entertainer. I never met him personally but several friends had met him.
 
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I always hear >1 drummer concurrently on drum set as not needed(no different than one adequately skilled drummer and more of a circus act) or, at worst, muddy/rigid.

I would also note that as far as bang for your buck, the profit sharing issue of adding a second drummer is prohibitive.

As far as if 'it's dead'...I would question its life as more than an oddity.

This isn't to say it couldn't be done in an interesting way...just that I have not heard an example in real life or in my compositional imagination.

I put it beside flash pot pyrotechnics and titillation - more flailing limbs for the show at the expense of constant flam-ing.
 
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I have to speak up about one thing. I realize people claim the Grateful Dead uses two drummers but I beg to differ. Kreutzman can play the drums……sort of. But Mickey Hart? Does anybody have any idea what the fxxx he thinks he’s doing back there? I am here to say that the Dead are a one drummer band. And even that’s a stretch. Let the bashing begin. 🤣
 
Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce to you double-drummer jazz fusion sensation, Wanubale (AKA wnbl).


This is just a small taste of their material. I highly recommend checking out the rest of their music!
 
Tob said:
Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce to you double-drummer jazz fusion sensation, Wanubale (AKA wnbl).



This is just a small taste of their material. I highly recommend checking out the rest of their music!
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That was amazing! Very cool! I'm guessing they are Finnish or Swedish, based on thier names?
 
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Son of Vistalite Black said:
The drum experts over at American Songwriter magazine celebrate five outstanding double drumming tunes, with killer players like Porcaro, Keltner and, of course, Jack DeJohnette.

But, does the fact that none of
these bands exist anymore in a 2-drummer configuration signal that two drummer lineups are becoming rapidly extinct?
Click to expand...

In art and music, nothing ever dies, nothing goes extinct.

I tell you what I wish would go extinct… writers all over the internet making huge statements and assumptions about every possible thing. Mistaking their uninformed opinions for facts, thinking they are cultural critics.

Everyone’s just cranking out garbage to fill up all that bandwidth.

I know, I know… just don’t read it.
 
vyacheslav said:
That was amazing! Very cool! I'm guessing they are Finnish or Swedish, based on thier names?
Click to expand...
From Spotify: “wnbl, formerly known as Wanubalé, is a collective of nine young musicians based in Berlin and Potsdam, who bring an unique blend of influences from electronic music, jazz and hiphop with a matchless energy onto the stage. Their constantly evolving approach to music results in a blissful room capturing harmony of virtuously played music that makes everybody feel like dancing in the blink of an eye. With a brass section of four and a rhythm section that has two drummers their live sets guarantee for infectious playfulness, exciting improvisations and ecstatic beats.”

I have to counter @Otto ‘s observations above by presenting this band as an example of double drumming done well.
Their double drumming is complementary rather than redundant like we see with the classic rock folks who are boringly playing the exact same beat note for note. Their drumming is also more intricate than what one “adequately skilled” drummer can play at once, and musical rather than muddy or rigid.
 
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