Don Grolnick, Will Lee, & Steve Gadd have been the rhythm section for SO many great bands and records!
Greatest rhythm sections
The rhythm section in a jazz, blues or rock band provides the foundation and motive force for the entire ensemble. The truly great ones not only establish the band's sonic signature, they can generate new styles. Which rhythm sections do you think have been the most influential in their respective genres, and, or changed the way you listened to music? Please try to limit your selections to groups and not individual musicians as it the ensemble sound I'd like to get your comments on.
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Fishman and Gordon from Phish lock in and drive the groove along both structured and improv lines like very few other sections ever did. Up there also have to be Jones and Garrison from Coltrane's class Quartet form the early 60's. Very few could keep up with Coltrane like they did. And, of course, Geddy and Neil. |
dhpeck---Not to be contrary, but rhythm section is a term for the drummer and bassist (and sometimes pianist) in a band, the band's guitarist not being part of that section. There are exceptions, such as Steve Cropper of Booker T & The MG's, wherein his guitar style played a role in creating the band's rhythmic foundation. |
Not jazz or rock, but a great rhythm section. The Fania All-Stars. They were considered some of the best Latin Music performers in the world at the time. The original lineup consisted of: Band Leaders; Ray Barretto, Joe Bataan, Willie Colon, Larry Harlow, Monguito, Johnny Pacheco, Louie Ramirez, Ralph Robles, Mongo Santamaria, Bobby Valentin, Other Musicians; La La, Ray Maldonado, Ralph Marzan, Orestes Vilato, Roberto Rodriguez, Jose Rodriguez, Barry Rogers, and Special Guests; Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, Ricardo Ray and Jummy Sabater. |
@dragunski , you are quite right. The same can be said about the guitarists role in Jump Blues bands, one of which I worked in during the mid-70’s. I love focusing on the guitarist in such bands, as they play lots of passing chords, often with beautiful clean tone on really great arch-top guitars---old single-pickup Gibsons are especially sweet. In rock, guys like Clapton, Beck, Page, Hendrix, etc., unfortunately made being "only" a rhythm guitarist a humiliation. Few aspiring guitarists who came after them didn’t want to be perceived as anything less than a "lead" guitarist. If you look in musician hook-up sites, guys list their instrument played not as guitar, but as lead guitar. Unintentionally funny. A guitar is a guitar---there is no such thing as a rhythm guitar, or a lead guitar. I’ve been listening to Bill Frisell a lot lately, and his song parts are absolutely fantastic. He plays little phrases that deepen and enrich the musicality of a song, but that don’t call attention to themselves apart from, and at the expense of, the song. THAT’S the kind of musicianship I listen for. |
bdp24... I started getting into Bill Frisell a couple of years ago and I’ve since been busy digging the living hell out of him. Frisell draws you into his music. I listen intently, almost intensely to his playing trying to figure out how he figures things out only to go where I never anticipated. Pretty amazing. He creates aural landscapes then defines note by note the characters within it - or at least that’s what I perceive. |
oblgny, and, Frisell plays in so many different musical settings/environments---hardcore Jazz, soundtracks, Americana, Country, Singer/Songwriter. He did an album with drummer Jim Keltner and bassist Viktor Krauss (Lyle Lovett) entitled Gone, Just Like A Train that is great, and has a new, all-instrumental album (Guitar In The Space Age!) that is really cool. Bill and Ry Cooder are probably my two favorite living guitarists. Such a shame that Danny Gatton committed suicide---he was a guitar genius. |
Carly unfortunately died far too young and he and his brother, Aston, did not achieve the celebrity that Sly and Robbie achieved as band leaders and sidemen for acts like the Rolling Stones and others. Both “riddim” sections are deserving of accolades on their own account. I don’t think anyone is shunning the Barrett Bros. Just like the Funk Brothers more people know the sound than the musicians who created the Wailers distinctive sound. I had the opportunity to interview Sly for a documentary on Jamaican music I made. He’s a great guy and an amazing musical force. |
Early Santana Mark Clarke & Jon Hiseman Iain Clark + Osibisa´s percussionists on "Look at Yourself", 1971 Mike Rutherford & Phil Collins Greg Lake & Carl Palmer Chris Squire & William Bruford John Wetton & William Bruford John Wetton & Carl Palmer Stanley Clarke & Lenny White Rick Laird & Billy Cobham Chris Glen & Ted McKenna Geddy Lee & Neil Peart Jack Bruce & Corky Laing Jack Bruce & Simon Phillips Tiziano Ricci & Pierluigi Calderoni |
Some of the ones that come to mind for me: The Who Rush AC/DC Yes The White Stripes Tool James Brown ZZ Top Cake Cream Led Zeppelin Pink Floyd The Edgar Winter Group Fleetwood Mac Parliament/Funkadelic Thin Lizzy Jimi Hendrix Korn Little Feat Metallica Montrose / Sammy Hagar Nirvana Pixies Red Hot Chili Peppers Sublime Talking Heads The Beatles Tower of Power War |
