The Rhythm Section

The abundance of drummers and bassists here already know good music starts with compelling rhythm. Fans of exotica who are not musicians will no doubt acknowledge the seductiveness of strange percussion from mysterious tribal lands. While not limiting this thread to exotica musicians, I'm hoping TCers who enjoy rhythm will post pics and info about their favorite drummers bassists and percussionists and perhaps some recommended listening.

I'll begin with an obvious choice, perhaps the godfather of mid century exotica percussion Harold Chang.

A versatile drummer adept at Latin, jazz and swing, Chang will always be known best for his work in the Arthur Lyman Group.

I enjoy Taboo as a perfect and complete statement from that unit and one that I believe was never topped in its grace and simplicity, even by it's own creators.

Everybody here is familiar enough with his work to comment on favorite tracks from Lyman, but lets not forget that Harold Chang was also an uncredited player on Martin Denny's Quiet Village alongside Augie Colon.

Harold Chang is a kind and generous man with whom I've had the great pleasure to chat on several occasions. He still plays and teaches rhythm at Harry's Music on Waialae Ave in Honolulu.

Just gonna mention this once (as I know we are in the Exotica mode here) but the best drummer I ever saw was John Bonham of Led Zeppelin. He was a gawd of the skins....all over those babies and great bass drum action. He was much admired by drummers all over the world. Luckily I saw Led Zeppelin several times in concert....simply awesome. His famous Moby Dick solo only shows some of his talent.

OK...now back to the Exotica. :)

FATIMA BLUSH: Oh, how reckless of me. I made you all wet.
JAMES BOND: Yes, but my martini is still dry.

VampTiki

[ Edited by: VampiressRN 2007-05-02 20:54 ]

[ Edited by: VampiressRN 2007-05-02 21:02 ]

This is a fun thread Hank, always fun to think about drums and percussion. My first
suggestion is one of my personal faves, Babatunda Olatunji, Drums of Passion. Released in
1959 (or close to that) it's arguably the first commercially successful "world music"
album. I guess that comment would open a can of worms but I'll stick with it. At any rate,
great traditional African drumming and singing, very exotic.

Well, the "best" drummer that ever lived, I had the honor of seeing live. Of course.........Buddy Rich

(Bozzio is far left in this Zoot era pic)

Spotted a mention of one of my favorite trap set players while looking up info for the upcoming ZAPPA plays ZAPPA tour (The Dweez will be in San Diego in August possibly with guests Steve Vai and drummer Terry Bozzio

http://www.zappa.com/zpz/videos/blackpage_detroit.html

Terry's played with just about everybody.

With Zappa I recommend anything live especially the You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore series, Live in New York and Bongo Fury. Also check out Sheik Yerbouti and Zoot Allures as a Zappa band member.

With UK on Danger Money and night After Night

With Jeff Beck on Guitar Shop

...and fun 80's pop from Missing Persons on Spring Session M

From '68 to '72, my favorite rhythm section in rock.

[ Edited by: hodadhank 2008-01-21 17:17 ]

Within rock, there are almost too many cool drummers to mention, although Viv Prince of the Pretty Things is a personal fave, almost as much for his off-stage antics as his high-energy skin-bashing (that's him in the middle).

Turning to the Afro-Cuban thang, the Mongo Santamaria/Willie Bobo combination that turns up on earlier Cal Tjader LPs is pretty hard to beat

My favorite exotica drummer? Abe Lagrimas Jr, the former drummer for Waitiki. Of all the exotica bands I have seen live, he is the only one that I wanted to sit and watch and be amazed at the fluidity of his work.

I will have to admit, that although I'm an ex-percussionist (I briefly earned money playing drums in a polka band), I don't take the time I should to recognize the individual percussionists, who too often work in anonymity in the background. I should be reading and studying more closely the liner notes for those many LPs I have.

Exotica percussionists certainly don't have the fame as the rock drummers, so thanks for starting this thread. I hope to learn more about others who deserve to be better known.

Concerning rock drummers, I think most people are most familiar with, and remember most fondly, whoever the drummer was for their favorite band. As a teenager in the 70's, this meant I liked Roger Taylor of Queen, but if I had to listen to one rock drummer over and over today, it would be Stewart Copeland of the Police, who has a much more subtle style.

Vern

I have to agree with Vern on Stewart Copeland...I saw him live and he is very clean, methodical, and was very revolutionary for his time...plus the music from the Police is timeless.

OK...OK...AND...Ginger Baker from Creme.......love the power trio. :music:

On 2008-01-21 16:48, hodadhank wrote:
From '68 to '72, my favorite rhythm section in rock.

[ Edited by: hodadhank 2008-01-21 17:17 ]

Yeah, pretty much MY main influences from 75-84.

My other favorites were Bill Bruford/John Wetton (King Crimson) and later, Bruford/Tony Levin (80's period King Crimson, plus Neil Peart/Geddy Lee (RUSH).

For jazz I would have to say Shelley Manne, tony williams on drums, Ray Brown, Scott LaFaro on acoustic bass, Jaco, Jeff Berlin, on electric bass.

I could list more, though there are a LOT of unsung sidemen I really like. On bass for example, Leland Sklar.

Lee Sklar!! Always liked him from his days with James Taylor. Don't know if I'd like him as much without that crazy beard though.

Airto Moreira has worked with the following musicians and is definately recommended percussive listening. Certainly one of the greatist living percussionists...

Miles Davis, Chick Corea, Mickey Hart, Wayne Shorter, Larry Young, Joe Zawinul, Gil Evans, Dizzy Gillespie, Joni Mitchell, Tina Turner, McCoy Tyner, George Benson, Herbie Hancock, John McLaughlin, Khalil Balakrishna, Ron Carter, Carlos Santana, Al DiMeola, James Taylor, Paul Simon, Weather Report, Return to Forever, Cannonball Adderley, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Babatunde Olatunji, Bobby Hutcherson, Cal Tjader, Donald Byrd, Freddie Hubbard, Gato Barbieri, Grover Washington Jr., Sergio Mendes, Stan Getz, Stanley Clarke and many many many more.

On 2008-01-25 16:54, hodadhank wrote:
Lee Sklar!! Always liked him from his days with James Taylor. Don't know if I'd like him as much without that crazy beard though.

yeah, he is such an interesting looking guy-like something out of Cheech and chong-but then you look at his equiptment and he uses state of the art modern gear, and can play any style expertly, even modern sounding electronic stuff (I loved him in the "sussudio" video)

I was listening to JT's "One man dog" the other day, drinking a bit, and I am not ashamed to say I CRIED! That music is so righteously great!

I caught an Iggy Pop show in about 1977 or '78 at the San Diego Civic Auditorium. It was Iggy's Idiot tour. A great night fer sure...Iggy had the Sayles bros. (Tony & Hunt) plus David Bowie ticklin' the ivories on hits like "Lust For Life" and "the Passenger" and his opening band Blondie had Gary Valentine & Clem Burke poundin' out the the stuff off their first album (which I hadn't even heard yet).

"Ladies and gentlemen...Ginger Baker!"

DRUMS:

Mitch Mitchell - The Jimi Hendrix Experience would have only been the Jimi Hendrix Combo without him. Recommended listening: All of it. Just block out the guitar and bass and REALLY listen to Mitch's musicality. It's this bouncy, cushy, swingy thing with atomic fireball fills.

Tony Williams - Recommended listening: Andrew Hill, Point of Departure AND The New Tony Williams Lifetime, EMERGENCY!

BASS:

Hugh Hopper - Recommended listening: Soft Machine, Vols. 2, 3, 4 and 5.

And Hodad, life just wouldn't be complete without Hawkwind-era Lemmy now would it? Recommended listening: Hawkwind, Space Ritual Live

Too many more to mention.....