# Next week is Drum Solo Week on Letterman! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 4, 2011, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-week-is-drum-solo-week-on-letterman/584311 "2011-06-04T15:46:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DfrntBreign](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@DfrntBreign](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DfrntBreign)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-week-is-drum-solo-week-on-letterman/584311/22 "2011-06-10T12:50:37Z")
So what we have so far > [@Zeldar](#): > > Steve Gadd [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5mDDD2\_I94](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5mDDD2_I94) > Omar Hakim [127 Hours (2010) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1542344/) > Bernard Purdie [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRQtNreFojk](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRQtNreFojk) > Billy Cobham [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2VYKgFBH3A](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2VYKgFBH3A) > [@Zeldar](#): > > Joe Morello > Philly Joe Jones > Buddy Rich > Gene Krupa > Jimmy Cobb > Shelly Manne > [@Raskolnikov](#): > > Max Roach! > [@Zeldar](#): > > Butch Trucks > Jaimoe > Ringo > [@Dietrich\_K](#): > > Stewart Copeland > John Bonham > Manu Katché > Terry Bozzio > Dave Weckl > Carter Beauford > Mitch Mitchell > Pete Moon \ > Carl Palmer > Bill Bruford > Mike Portnoy > Dave Lombardo > Vinnie Colaiuta > Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson still gonna need: Zoltan Csörsz Nick D’Virgilio Matt Abts Yonrico Scott Jimmy Keegan (the late, great) Richie Hayward Phil Ehart Michael Schrieve Tommy Aldridge Ginger Baker Vinnie and Carmine Appice Dennis Chambers Lenny White Tony Williams Billy Cobham Jack DeJohnette Russ Kunkel Jim Keltner Elvin Jones Buddy Miles Rod Morgenstein Alphonse Mouzon Prarie Prince Chester Thompson Steve Smith Cozy Powell Ian Paice Airto Moreira Dave Mattacks Harvey Mason Peter Erskine Stanton Moore Jaime Salazar Alan White Gregg Bissonette Danny Carey Jason Bonham Brian “Brain” Mantia Jon Fishman Tim “Herb” Alexander Roger Hawkins Walfredo Reyes Walfredo Reyes, Jr. Michael Travis Should probably add that [DrummerWorld.com](http://DrummerWorld.com) could be a vital resource for this discussion. Bios and clips (both audio and video) and more. ---
**Author:** ![Dietrich\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@Dietrich\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dietrich_K)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-week-is-drum-solo-week-on-letterman/584311/23 "2011-06-10T12:52:30Z")
Agreed. Would you like to write the thread up, or should I? Personally, I find your other polls to be quite admirably meticulous, your posts erudite, and your verbiage a breath of fresh air. So obviously, I think you’re the individual who’d most do such a poll (or polls) justice. ---
**Author:** ![Dietrich\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@Dietrich\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dietrich_K)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-week-is-drum-solo-week-on-letterman/584311/24 "2011-06-10T12:55:41Z")
**DfrntBreign** - Exceptional list (I’m especially appalled that I, myself, left off the mighty Ian Paice!). I also thought of another: Kenny Aronoff. (Yes? No?) ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-week-is-drum-solo-week-on-letterman/584311/25 "2011-06-10T13:02:58Z")
> [@Dietrich\_K](#): > > Agreed. > > Would you like to write the thread up, or should I? Personally, I find your other polls to be quite admirably meticulous, your posts erudite, and your verbiage a breath of fresh air. So obviously, I think you’re the individual who’d most do such a poll (or polls) justice. Flattery works! 😃 Seriously, though, I will do the poll-posting once we make some decisions about how many sub-polls make sense. My only caution at this stage is that I tend to go overboard with a topic. Those “THE WIRE” things that **Bob Ducca** and I flooded the board with last year were not as well-received as I would have hoped. 🙂 And my latest foray into Stand-up Comedy and “Funny Women” has drawn some comments that make me a little gunshy. Nevertheless, with some fair to middling participation in this early phase, I can release that trepidation! Hat off to **DfrntBreign** for a bodacious summary! ---
**Author:** ![DfrntBreign](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@DfrntBreign](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DfrntBreign)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-week-is-drum-solo-week-on-letterman/584311/26 "2011-06-10T13:03:32Z")
Oh, you’re entirely too kind! But really, I’d be much better suited sitting over there in the peanut gallery slingi…Oh. You weren’t talking to me? Oh how embarrassing. Sorry, Carry on. 😃 On preview: Absolutely Kenny Aronof! There are probably quite a few of the “solid” players missed…Simon Kirke for one. Charlie Watts. I’m sure there are more. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-week-is-drum-solo-week-on-letterman/584311/27 "2011-06-10T13:07:01Z")
> [@DfrntBreign](#): > > Oh, you’re entirely too kind! But really, I’d be much better suited sitting over there in the peanut gallery slingi…Oh. You weren’t talking to me? Oh how embarrassing. Sorry, Carry on. 😃 > > On preview: Absolutely Kenny Aronof! There are probably quite a few of the “solid” players missed…Simon Kirke for one. Charlie Watts. I’m sure there are more. That’s why the early phase is so critical to a good poll, I believe. There’s not much as embarrassing as putting up a list of 50 names and have the Other flooded with “you forgot X” (X being the right hand of God). ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-week-is-drum-solo-week-on-letterman/584311/28 "2011-06-10T13:12:25Z")
Another ingredient to getting a solid poll or polls would be to have the Dopers who profess to skills and interests in the world of Drums and Drumming to have a say in the process of building them. Perhaps a list of those folks and an invite to them to participate in the discussion might be worth the effort. Isn’t **Quasimodem** an avowed drummer? Who all else? ---
**Author:** ![DfrntBreign](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@DfrntBreign](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DfrntBreign)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-week-is-drum-solo-week-on-letterman/584311/29 "2011-06-10T13:12:28Z")
That’s why I never try to start one. I’d love to stick around and share in this discussion but I hear thunder coming this way, so need to get this machine offline for a bit. You might look at how they separate the different styles on the Modern Drummer Website. [Link Here.](http://www.drummerworld.com/drummerchoice.html) Not necessarily the best way to do a poll, but might give some ideas. Have fun, and I’ll be back when I can. ---
**Author:** ![Dietrich\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@Dietrich\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dietrich_K)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-week-is-drum-solo-week-on-letterman/584311/30 "2011-06-10T13:17:39Z")
I kneel humbly in awe before you both. 🆒 That said, and speaking towards the genre sub-polls, what of session drummers (Steve Gadd, Omar Hakim, Dave Weckl, to name but a very, very few), who adeptly (some might even say masterfully) dabble in both the jazz and rock (and pop and country) genres? How do we categorize them? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-week-is-drum-solo-week-on-letterman/584311/31 "2011-06-10T13:26:30Z")
> [@Dietrich\_K](#): > > I kneel humbly in awe before you both. 🆒 > > That said, and speaking towards the genre sub-polls, what of session drummers (Steve Gadd, Omar Hakim, Dave Weckl, to name but a very, very few), who adeptly (some might even say masterfully) dabble in both the jazz and rock (and pop and country) genres? How do we categorize them? Good question. I see nothing wrong with either a separate poll for Session Drummers that would allow them to be mentioned there as competitors for that class as well as being included in whatever other sub-poll(s) where they are felt to be significant participants. Gadd (for instance) might easily fit in at least Jazz, Rock and Session. Others, too. The sub-polls could have standing on their own merit, and the Top X-number could go into a Master Drummer Poll after the results were in from the prelims. The drawback to this approach would be like those “THE WIRE” things! ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-week-is-drum-solo-week-on-letterman/584311/32 "2011-06-10T14:11:18Z")
**[Tito Puente](http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Tito_Puente.html)anyone?** Adding to a category, though it’s something of a shame to lump everyone into ‘world’ (but this would explode the number of categories). From Africa, you have: [Babatunde Olatunji](http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Babatunde_Olatunji.html) (arguably brought the djembe to the ears of the west) [Mamady Keita](http://www.mamadykeita.com/) (arguably brought the djembe to the hands of the west; he set up an institution to teach. Thanks Mamady!) [Tony Allen]([Tony Allen (musician) - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Allen_%28musician%29) [http://www.mamadykeita.com/](http://www.mamadykeita.com/)) (drummer for Fela) ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-week-is-drum-solo-week-on-letterman/584311/33 "2011-06-10T14:13:18Z")
> [@DfrntBreign](#): > > That’s why I never try to start one. I’d love to stick around and share in this discussion but I hear thunder coming this way, so need to get this machine offline for a bit. You might look at how they separate the different styles on the Modern Drummer Website. [Link Here.](http://www.drummerworld.com/drummerchoice.html) Not necessarily the best way to do a poll, but might give some ideas. Have fun, and I’ll be back when I can. Righteous link! One idea might be to use their comprehensive list(s) and pick out our personal Top 20 (or some other number) to help narrow down the field for our own SDMB Drummer poll(s). For instance, here’s their: > [@](#): > > Top 15 Drummers of all time > > in alphabetical order: > > Louie Bellson > John Bonham > Dennis Chambers > Billy Cobham > Vinnie Colaiuta > Steve Gadd > Roy Haynes > Elvin Jones > Gene Krupa > Joe Morello > Buddy Rich > Max Roach > Ringo Starr > Dave Weckl > Tony Williams I’d have to modify that a little because I’m not familiar with all of them, but it would be a good starting point. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-week-is-drum-solo-week-on-letterman/584311/34 "2011-06-10T14:16:44Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > **[Tito Puente](http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Tito_Puente.html)anyone?** > > Adding to a category, though it’s something of a shame to lump everyone into ‘world’, but this would explode the number of categories. > > From Africa, you have: > [Babatunde Olatunji](http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Babatunde_Olatunji.html) (arguably brought the djembe to the ears of the west) > [Mamady Keita](http://www.mamadykeita.com/) (arguably brought the djembe to the hands of the west; he set up an institution to teach. Thanks Mamady!) > [Tony Allen]([Tony Allen (musician) - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Allen_%28musician%29) [http://www.mamadykeita.com/](http://www.mamadykeita.com/)) (drummer for Fela) Good ideas. Check out [Billy Taylor Trio featuring Candido - Mambo Inn](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtKBCil6qTk) also (if you can find a good clip) Sabu. Let’s not forget Art Blakey! ---
**Author:** ![Dietrich\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@Dietrich\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dietrich_K)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-week-is-drum-solo-week-on-letterman/584311/35 "2011-06-10T14:40:34Z")
Just wanted to chime in with two quick things: [ol] [li] **Rhythmdvl** , those suggestions, and links, are top notch![/li][li]Doggone it, _every_ week needs to be Drum Solo Week on Letterman![/li][/ol] ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-week-is-drum-solo-week-on-letterman/584311/36 "2011-06-10T15:12:42Z")
In case you’re not familiar with **Blast!** : [Blast! Drumline Battery Battle](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=186Fdc59tWY) ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-week-is-drum-solo-week-on-letterman/584311/37 "2011-06-10T16:14:35Z")
Where would the [Kodo Drummers of Japan](http://www.youtube.com/user/KodoHeartbeat#p/u/5/d8yY6MV0thQ)fit? Drumline or World? Given the strength, stamina and precision of their … _thing_, it seems a bit unfair to match them in the drumline category. Not to take anything away from anyone–but they take things to a somewhat different level. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-week-is-drum-solo-week-on-letterman/584311/38 "2011-06-10T16:56:25Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Where would the [Kodo Drummers of Japan](http://www.youtube.com/user/KodoHeartbeat#p/u/5/d8yY6MV0thQ)fit? Drumline or World? Given the strength, stamina and precision of their … _thing_, it seems a bit unfair to match them in the drumline category. Not to take anything away from anyone–but they take things to a somewhat different level. I’m so glad you found a working link to them! I went looking through an old thread > **[Best Beats in Music -- with audio](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=510277)** > > Long cool woman (in a black dress) sugarloaf - green eyed lady The Beatles Day Tripper Pink Floyd - Money Stevie Wonder ~ Superstition Michael Jackson - Billie Jean Just to get it started. Rock on! Best Beats in Music – with audio 03-14-2009, 10:10 AM through 04-01-2009, 08:10 AM for links to good drumming that still work. Here are some worth a listen/look: ====================================== [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Zu15Ou-jKM0/hqdefault.jpg "Stomp- Stomp Out Loud") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu15Ou-jKM0) Stomp- Stomp Out Loud [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nE2CxdskGII/hqdefault.jpg "Omar Hakim on Roland V-Drum") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nE2CxdskGII) Omar Hakim on Roland V-Drum [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/AzL7_P1_2qE/hqdefault.jpg "Joe Morello - Magnificent Drum Solo") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzL7_P1_2qE) Joe Morello - Magnificent Drum Solo ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/boZUSJU8FGY/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/boZUSJU8FGY?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque Ed Shaughnessy Drum Solo (Tribute to Buddy Rich) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/j9J5Zt2Obko/hqdefault.jpg "Gene Krupa- Sing, Sing, Sing") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9J5Zt2Obko) Gene Krupa- Sing, Sing, Sing # [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRAVnSo2twM](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRAVnSo2twM) Rare Steve Gadd!! 2 good clips!! Sadly my Kodo link there is dead, so yours is gratefully acknowledged. (I can’t really recommend that old thread but it does have some discussion of the “groove” versus “beat” distinction as well as a few live links to other clips of potential interest. Proceed at your own risk! 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![DfrntBreign](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@DfrntBreign](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DfrntBreign)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-week-is-drum-solo-week-on-letterman/584311/39 "2011-06-10T17:29:53Z")
I hope we’re not in too big a hurry to get this started. 🙂 The longer I think about it, the more (problems?) I come up with. I think it might be better to define the sub-categories along lines other than genre. There isn’t an easy (or fair) comparison between someone like John Bonham and Ringo Starr if they are both classified as simply “Rock”, but if we start trying to sub-divide “Rock” we’ll end up with 544654345 different distinctions. One possibility would be to divide along “Style” lines. There would have to be some degree of overlap, but that’s okay. Some possibilities (and feel free to discard, revamp, rename, criticize or whatever) could be: Technicians - drummers who play very tight and controlled, but with complexity. Most jazz, fusion and progressive players would fit here. Think Neil Peart, Omar Hakim, Buddy Rich, Mike Portnoy, and etc. Time-keepers - like the name implies, drummers who play simple (but elegant) lines. This is not an easy thing to do well, but most of the people who do it right tend to get overlooked. Charlie Watts, Kenny Aranoff and Simon Kirke are perfect examples of what I mean. Rock solid timekeepers without being simple metronomes. Wild men - these are the “monsters” of drumming. They play hard and they play loud!!! Bonham, Moon, Tommy Aldridge, Tommy Lee, Carmine Appice and even Billy Cobham all fit this category. Stylists - people with a distinct style (Vague I know). I’m going for people like Bernard Purdie, Styx Hooper, Jim Keltner or Buddy Miles. That big fat backbeat thing, if you know what I mean (this category needs a better name). Percussionists - this is kinda the catch-all for the drummers who don’t play actual drum kits. Tito Puente and Airto, Ray Cooper and Ruth Underwood. This would give at least one category for the so-called “world” percussionists. (Would Roy “Future Man” Wooten go here?) We’d have to decide whether to include the drum line and koto drummers in this category or have another separate category (or several). I’m sure I’ve overlooked …well, a lot, probably. But it doesn’t seem practical to compare based on genre alone. I think a poll based on that would say more about what kind of music people like than which drummer. So those are just some thoughts about organizing this mess. 😉 Not a lot of help about choosing who to include, I know, but whadda ya gonna do? ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-week-is-drum-solo-week-on-letterman/584311/40 "2011-06-10T17:36:01Z")
I know he doesn’t have a huge reputation, but I’d like to submit Zak Starkey for consideration. After all, he’s got the genes…and a famous mentor to boot! ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-week-is-drum-solo-week-on-letterman/584311/41 "2011-06-10T17:43:01Z")
Excellent points, **DfrntBreign** , especially > [@](#): > > But it doesn’t seem practical to compare based on genre alone. I think a poll based on that would say more about what kind of music people like than which drummer. I’m all in favor of some serious discussion and exchange of ideas before we dive into that massive pool of names at DrummerWorld! We need some clever ways to narrow that crowd down to 100 or fewer before making any serious cuts for sub-polls and such. And we ought to be able to arrange it so that choices are based on more than “Oh, yeah! I’ve heard of him/her.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-week-is-drum-solo-week-on-letterman/584311.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-week-is-drum-solo-week-on-letterman/584311.md?page=3)