Jazz Drums

T

TrueCarpet

Junior Member
Hey guys, i'm learning jazz but unfortunately i know nothing about it.

So does anyone know any artists i should listen to or albums?

Also any beginner jazz songs i can learn to would be helpful thanks.
 
The first album I suggest for my students who know nothing about jazz is "Moanin' " by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Also, Clifford Brown's "Study in Brown" makes jazz accessible as well as understandable.

As far as songs go, there are as many different opinions on what songs to learn as there are jazz drummers. You can pick yourself up a copy of "The Real Book" and start checking them off when you know the tunes. That's a good reference, and it will take you a while to put a dent in that tome.

Other than that, just listen to as much jazz as you can...immerse yourself in the genre. That's how you pick it up and it starts making sense. Good luck!
 
caddywumpus said:
The first album I suggest for my students who know nothing about jazz is "Moanin' " by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Also, Clifford Brown's "Study in Brown" makes jazz accessible as well as understandable.

As far as songs go, there are as many different opinions on what songs to learn as there are jazz drummers. You can pick yourself up a copy of "The Real Book" and start checking them off when you know the tunes. That's a good reference, and it will take you a while to put a dent in that tome.

Other than that, just listen to as much jazz as you can...immerse yourself in the genre. That's how you pick it up and it starts making sense. Good luck!
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Thanks a lot :) just looked up the real book and wow.... it has about 450 pages and thats just volume one haha .
 
As you follow the advice that was given you will soon find the players and styles that you like and you will focus on them.
I also suggest spending some time with the Big bands to get the feel of "Swing"
Goodman, Basie, Ellington, Etc.
 
Hook up with Pandora on line and list jazz as one of your channels and sit back and listen and learn.
 
Get Kinda Blue - Miles Davis.

More than many other categories of music, for jazz, it is Imperative that you do a ton
of listening.

Read your local entertainment papers/ads/sites, find local live jazz - and go watch and listen.

Enjoy.
 
And make it a point to check out Live At Smalls.

Ari Hoenig is playing there later tonight. He's not only a very good drummer but he's always got good players and good music.
 
Frank said:
Get Kinda Blue - Miles Davis.

More than many other categories of music, for jazz, it is Imperative that you do a ton
of listening.

Read your local entertainment papers/ads/sites, find local live jazz - and go watch and listen.

Enjoy.
Click to expand...
+1

Kind Of Blue is a great entry point into jazz. Lots of people find the modal style less difficult to gain an appreciation for. It's jazz of the highest order with fine musicianship all around and great compositions.

Jimmy Cobb is a real artist on the kit. He plays a minimalist style on KOB but he gives a great example of how a jazz drummer can play time and swing the band without filling up space unnecessarily. He changes sound colors behind the soloists and uses dynamics to great effect to bring some drama and excitement. You won't find any drum solos here, just a master of swing and understatement at work.

And yes, there's no substitute for seeing as much live jazz as possible. There are things you can pick up on watching the musicians do their thing live that can't be beat.
 
As Frank said, get Miles's "Kind of Blue" classic jazz that's great to learn the song structure. Also John Riley's book "The Art of Bop Drumming" this book and his direction will get you started.
Then get a teacher and/or some jam mates who are into playing jazz.

But most of all listen, listen to the form - count the phrases or count the bars 2 4 8 or 12 bars to the changes. Listen to the solos, what is the Bass player doing, the sax, the piano etc.

I think it was Coltrane that said, to listen to jazz you need to first, listen to each instrument one at a time. ie. Listen to the bass all the way through then listen to the drums all the way through etc. then all together.

link http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?p=723613&posted=1#post723613
 
Listen to the following Musicians and ANY bands they played in:

Drummers:
Jake Hannah
Louis Bellson
Buddy Rich
Dave Weckl
Airto

Bass Players:
Ray Brown

Guitar Players:
Herb Ellis

You'll get the point! Good Luck!!
 
8Mile said:
+1

Kind Of Blue is a great entry point into jazz. Lots of people find the modal style less difficult to gain an appreciation for. It's jazz of the highest order with fine musicianship all around and great compositions.

Jimmy Cobb is a real artist on the kit. He plays a minimalist style on KOB but he gives a great example of how a jazz drummer can play time and swing the band without filling up space unnecessarily. He changes sound colors behind the soloists and uses dynamics to great effect to bring some drama and excitement. You won't find any drum solos here, just a master of swing and understatement at work.


+1!!!
I've always described Jimmy Cobb's approach on KOB as "pocket" jazz drumming. It's a wonderful starting place especially for drummers familier with the concept of supporting or playing for the song.
Click to expand...
 
KBadd said:
Listen to the following Musicians and ANY bands they played in:

Drummers:
Jake Hannah
Louis Bellson
Buddy Rich
Dave WecklAirto

Bass Players:
Ray Brown

Guitar Players:
Herb Ellis

You'll get the point! Good Luck!!
Click to expand...

DANGER! DANGER! Jazz-thread killing statement detected!
 
Get a Miles Davis album or two from each decade. Look at the sidemen on those and get an album from each of them from each decade. Do the same thing for each of their sidemen. Look up a discography of Ray Brown. Do the same thing, especially all the various Pablo compilations. Seek out the classic jazz drummers above along with Art Blakey, Jimmy Cobb, Max Roach, and various big band drummers like Krupa, Rich and Les DeMerle (replaced Buddy in Harry James' band).

Go to KCSM.org and stream the jazz radio if you don't have a "real" (not smooth) jazz station where you live.
 
Garvin said:
DANGER! DANGER! Jazz-thread killing statement detected!
Click to expand...

Christ, I'm glad you got there first because I was about to have a thrombosis!

Dave Weckl is about as jazz as James Hetfield's right thumbnail...
 
I'm not a jazz guy in any sense of the term but I absolutely LOVE Dixieland stuff. Early New Orleans jazz stuff just grooves in a way that nothing else does. Check out Louie Armstrong and Fats Domino. Also early Sabbath records are a great gateway drug for full on jazzery. I also love Miles Davis' Sketches of Spain. I suppose that's very Mexican of me, trumpets to me are like ketchup to a finicky eater, you put that on anything and I'll love it.

FYI, there are a few wonderful transcriptions by Daniel Glass on this site. Some very helpful technique tips too.
 
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