Remembering Great Drummers

When I was young (and the world was newly made).. I liked all sorts of music.. this included Jazz. As a teenager I was even known to go into the Village in New York and get to see some of the local jazz bands.

If you are of my generation or maybe have a parent that is, who liked Jazz, you may have heard of names like Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis. Well if you have, and if you've heard their music, chances are you heard of a certain drummer that worked with the likes of them.

His name is Max Roach. He was one of the "big boys" when it came to drumming. He was also one of the drummers I liked to listen to.

I was saddened yesterday when I heard of his passing at the age of 83.

83??!! Good gravy! When did i get this old that my drumming idols are nearly all gone?? *sigh*

here's a really good article on Max Roach. (here)

Max's Obituary...

Being a lover of the drums.. some of my absolute favorite drummers were:

Buddy Rich.. (passed away 1987) I still have the old LP record of Rich vs Roach of a drum battle between the two! Buddy was known as the faster drummer around.

..and no one didn't like the great Gene Krupa..

But my true favorite of all of them was Joe Morello... (born:1928)

... Here's Joe at a much later date:

Since I know most of you don't know these "old timers".. Joe Morello was the drummer in the Dave Brubeck Quartet, when they recorded "Take Five"..

I once was privileged and actually got to meet Joe. It seems that in his later years when he had some "off time" he taught drum lessons in a small music store in Irvington NJ.. which was where I lived then.

Hardly being able to believe it when I heard this, I went to the music store in hopes that I would bump into him. Though I had given up the drums because of being married and having kids by then, I still wanted to see this sensational drummer.

Well, luck was with me that day. I went to the store, and because I didn't want it to be tooooo obvious that all i wanted was to see Joe Morello, I actually bought a pair of drum sticks... then I heard it. A familiar tap, tap, taping noise coming from upstairs.

"oh.. do you give drum lessons here?" I asked innocently.

"Some" the man replied. "Only if Mr Morello thinks your worth it."

"Ohh.. (I should have gotten an Emmy) Joe Morello?!!"

"Sure.. he's up there now giving a lesson.. go have a look if you want."

Heh.. if I want?! Pshaw! I went up.. I looked.. Joe was sitting behind the rubber drum set used for drum lessons. I watched with my mouth open.. his left hand alone was faster then any two hands I had ever seen on a set of drums!!

He didn't notice me at first. Joe was wearing dark glasses, I found out a bit later that he was now legally blind... but he sure hadn't lost any of his talent!

I came back down the stairs a happy camper.. I had seen the great Joe Morello!

You can click on the link below if you would like to go to UTube and hear the Dave Brubeck Quartet play: Take 5