Results for "Drums"

Grady Tate

Born: January 14, 1932

Born in Durham, N.C., Grady Tate began singing at age four and he began playing drums at age five. For the past three decades his distinctive sound has graced literally hundreds of recordings with world-renowned artists such as Quincy Jones, Jimmy Smith, Lionel Hampton, Stan Getz, Pearl Bailey, Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, Lena Horne, Peggy Lee, Della Reese, Sarah Vaughan, Michael LeGrand, Lalo Schrifin, and Andre Previn. He graduated from North Carolina Central University with a degree in English literature/drama and a minor in Psychology. He taught English and Speech in Washington, DC, but his desire to pursue an acting career lead him to New York City and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts

Art Taylor

Born: April 6, 1929

One of the premier hard bop drummers of his era, by 1948 while still a teenager in Harlem, Art Taylor had played drums in church with Jackie McLean and Sonny Rollins. He also played with Howard McGhee and other young bop musicians in New York. In the early 50s he was also to be heard in mainstream groups, playing with Buddy De Franco and Coleman Hawkins. He continued to play with leading beboppers, including Bud Powell, and Art Farmer. Later in the decade was with Miles Davis and John Coltrane. From time to time he led his own bands, notably Taylor’s Wailers, and toured the States and Europe with Donald Byrd, and did a short stint with Thelonious Monk in 1959

Tani Tabbal

Tani Tabbal began playing drums professionally as a teen, performing with Oscar Brown Jr., Phil Cohran, and Sun Ra and his Arkestra. Tabbal has recorded, performed and toured with a wide range of musicians, including Roscoe Mitchell, David Murray, Geri Allen, Cassandra Wilson, James Carter, Karl Berger, Dewey Redman, David 'Fathead' Newman, Evan Parker, Anthony Braxton, Douglas Ewart, Oliver Lake, Muhal Richard Abrams, Henry Threadgill, Richard Davis, Leroy Jenkins, Milt Jackson, and Jackie McLean. Tani Tabbal is known as a dynamic, lyrical and energetic drummer. As a recording artist, he is on over 70 cd’s and has released three cd's as a bandleader: Before Time After, Wizards and Mixed Motion.

Bill Stewart

Born: October 18, 1966

Percussionist Bill Stewart made his name as the rhythmic force behind guitarist John Scofield 's band, working with him for five years between 1990 and 1995. Self-taught on drums, Stewart is also a capable pianist, the instrument on which he composes. He grew up listening to his parents' jazz and R&B record collection, but otherwise jazz was a rare commodity in Iowa in the 70s and he played in a Top 40 covers band in high school as well as the school orchestra. After graduating he enrolled at the University Of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, playing in the jazz and marching bands as well as the orchestra

Jack Sperling

Born: August 17, 1922

The definitive American Big Band and studio drummer. He was a recording artist, versatile jazz combo and dynamic Dixieland musician. In 1941 he played with trumpeter {{Bunny Berigan = 4938}}. Following the end of World War II Jack, along with a young pianist Henry Mancini, joined {{Tex Beneke = 3773}} when he took the popular Glenn Miller big band on the road (1946-1949), following Miller's death. Sperling first gained distinction with the Beneke recording of "St. Louis Blues" (1948), becoming know for his pioneering, propelling double bass drum solos, his trade mark throughout his career. When he played a solo, the melody line remained part of his drum work. His styling understated and restrained with tight snare drum rolls and tasty ride cymbals behind the big band sounds set Sperling apart, the ultimate driving powerhouse. Jack soon became a main stay with Les Brown and His Band of Renown, then regulars on the Bob Hope NBC radio program in 1949, which they followed with the recording Over the Rainbow (1951). {{Dave Pell = 10197}}, the tenor sax soloist with Brown's band formed his own octet in 1953 with musicians from Brown's big band and the combo was often featured during {{Les Brown = 5361}} concerts before it broke away on its own in 1955. The Dave Pell Octet in its prime included {{Don Fagerquist = 6624}} on trumpet; Ray Sims, Zoot's brother, on trombone; Dave Pell on tenor; Ronnie Lang was on baritone, Geoffrey Clarkson on piano; Tony Rizzi on guitar; {{m: Rollie Bundock = 141714}} on bass, and Jack Sperling on drums, who's day gig then was playing with Bob Crosby's Bobcats (1954-57) appearing on his regular television series. The Bobcats at that time consisted of Ray Sherman, Eddie Miller, Jack Sperling, {{Morty Corb = 12913}}, {{Charlie Teagarden = 4853}}, Elmer Schneider and Al Hendrickson. Jack would go on to perform with Benny Goodman, Charlie Barnet, Page Cavanaugh Septet and Jack recorded with Dave Pell Octet, "Plays Irving Berlin" (1953), and on "The Original Reunion of the Glenn Miller Orchestra" (1954).

Steve Smith

Born: August 21, 1954

Steve Smith was originally drawn to the drums by hearing marching bands in parades as a child in his native Massachusetts. At age nine, in 1963, Smith began studying the instrument in earnest with local Boston area teacher Bill Flanagan, who played in big bands in the swing era.

Smith performed in the usual school band program and garage bands while in his teens, but also began to broaden his performing experience by playing in a professional Brockton concert band and even the big band at the local college, Bridgewater State. After high school, Smith began studying music at the famed Berklee College of Music in Boston in 1972. There he received valuable instruction from such renowned drum teachers as Gary Chaffee and Alan Dawson.

Marvin "Smitty" Smith

Born: June 24, 1961

Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Born June 24, 1961 in Waukegan (Illinois). "It was a very natural inclination for me to play drums," says Marvin "Smitty" Smith. A glance at his early life validates that truth. Born the son of a drummer, Marvin, Sr., was always surrounded by music in the house. At six months old, he would climb up on the large lounge chair positioned directly in front of his father's drum set and would watch him practice, intensely. Whenever his father took a break, he would crawl over and press the foot pedals and attempt to emulate his dad. That experience, and banging on pots and pans, was the extent of his playing until he began formal training at the age of three. Today, Marvin "Smitty" Smith is a young musician extraordinaire whose work has been described as a "comment on invention, firm and adventurous time and technical sufficiency." He has traveled extensively throughout the Orient, Europe, and the continental USA; and he has shared the stage with such greats as Sonny Rollins, Hank Jones, Frank Foster and Frank Wess, Art Farmer, Benny Golson, Slide Hampton, and Milt Jackson

Hal Smith

Born: July 30, 1953

Hal Smith took up drumming in 1963. He listened to classic jazz drummers such as Ben Pollack, Nick Fatool, Wayne Jones, and Fred Higuera in person and later took lessons from Jake Hanna. Hal has also been inspired by the recordings of Dave Tough, Big Sid Catlett, Zutty Singleton, Jo Jones, Vic Berton, Andrew Hillaire, Ray Bauduc, Gene Krupa, George Wettling, Kaiser Marshall, Stan King, Harry Dial, Minor Hall, Wally Bishop and many others. He claims "Chicago Style Jazz" as his favorite type of music, but also enjoys listening to and playing "New Orleans," "New York" and "Kansas City" styles. Hal has played with some of the greatest jazz musicians from the classic jazz, swing and traditional jazz revival eras, including Wild Bill Davison, Yank Lawson, Billy Butterfield, Bud Freeman, Peanuts Hucko, Ralph Sutton, Eddie Miller, George Van Eps, Milt Hinton, Dick Wellstood, Maxine Sullivan, Dick Cary, Vic Dickenson, Jack Lesberg, Art Hodes, Doc Cheatham, Turk Murphy, Bob Helm, Wally Rose, Bill Napier, Burt Bales, Ellis Horne, "Papa Ray" Ronnei, Percy and Willie Humphrey, Ed "Montudie" Garland, Alton Purnell, Andy Blakeney, Frank Chace, Bob Havens, Pete Fountain, George Probert, Pat Yankee, Kenny Davern, Scott Hamilton, Dave McKenna, Dick Hyman, Eddie Higgins, Bucky Pizzarelli, Jon-Erik Kellso, Dan Barrett, Howard Alden, Jim Galloway, John Sheridan, Randy Reinhart, Allan Vache', John Coccuzi, Ken Peplowski and Ed Polcer. His band credits include the Butch Thompson Trio, Dukes of Dixieland, Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band, South Frisco Jazz Band, Davern-Wilber Summit Reunion, Marty Grosz's Orphan Newsboys, Original Salty Dogs, Hall Brothers Jazz Band, Dixieland Rhythm Kings, Silver Leaf Jazz Band, West End Jazz Band, Magnolia Jazz Band, Golden State Jazz Band, Chicago Rhythm, Waldo's Gutbucket Syncopators, Golden Eagle Jazz Band and more

Chris Smith

Based in New York City, Chris Smith has performed with a diverse group of jazz musicians including the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Dick Oatts, Frank Wess, Ryan Kisor, Jay Anderson, Donny McCaslin, and Tony Malaby. His drumming has been featured in venues such as The Village Vanguard, Blue Note, Telluride Jazz Festival, and Smalls. Chris maintains a performance schedule in NYC while also performing throughout the country. Dedicated to jazz research, his latest book The View from the Back of the Band: The Life and Music of Mel Lewis is available in hardcover and e-book through the University of North Texas Press

Jae Sinnett

Jae Sinnett is a musical visionary and a man of extraordinary talent. He is a consummate drummer, composer, and band leader who has produced 14 recordings – the first of which was released in 1986. His most recent recording – Zero to 60 – was released in February 2016. Jae has written over 250 compositions. He has also scored music for five documentaries – one of which (John Biggers: Stories of Illumination) was aired on PBS. Jae’s dream of having his trio perform with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra was realized on Oct. 10, 2014. The performance was met with outstanding reviews. Jae’s other professional life places him as approaching his 27th year as jazz producer/host for NPR affiliate WHRV-FM 89.5 in Norfolk, VA