Kofi is Gingers son and can this guy crank! He has a totally out front lead style that fits in with one of the best progressive jazz fusion bands on the planet, Chris Poland's OHM. All of these guys rock out to the max, and Kofi's style drives them to frenetic levels. If you are into heavy progressive rock/jazz, they can't be missed!
I would have to add Steve Gadd and Buddy Rich and Billy Cobham to the list as well.
Had the opportunity to see Steve Smith's Buddy's Buddies at a small club in Chicago once. It was his tribute to Buddy Rich, complete with two of Buddy's bandmembers, Steve Marcus and Andy Fusco. It was a show I'll never forget. Unfortunately you will never see this group again, because a couple of months after the show Steve Marcus, one of Buddy Rich's sax men died. That guy could blow!
I wouldn't think of calling Buddy a great musician, let alone the "best" drummer. While he was a great technician, he wouldn't play any arrangement that didn't feature him as a "soloist", even when he didn't have a drum solo in the song. Drummers like Hal Blaine and Bernard Purdie were team players, playing parts that would place the "song" as the top priority, not their egos. Buddy never did that kind of thing, as it just wasn't in his personality. And speaking of personality, ask any player who ever shared the stage with Buddy (or worked for him) exactly what they thought of him.
buddy rich,without a doubt ,is the best of all times.he transcended 50 years of unparelled excellence . sure ,he wasn't a rock drummer,but his jazz genre was more difficult than r&b or rock and roll. look at some old tapes of him on the old johnny carson show and tell me there is a better technical drummer than buddy. by the way,he was well past his prime on these shows.
Billy Cobham (pure unadulterated power) Steve Gadd (timing--everybody's session guy) Bill Bruford (versatility) Carl Palmer (pure speed/craft) Jack DeJonette (deftness of touch) Tony Williams (stunning dexterity) Neil Peart (explosiveness) Narada Michael Walden (keeping up with Mclaughlin note for note)
John Bonham - Force of Nature Ginger Baker - GB and JB thought the were in a jazz band...w/EC as Ornette Coleman or maybe J Coltrane...can't remember. Keith Moon - Force of Nature 2 Ringo Starr- Mr Self Control; a great percussionist...not simply a drummer
Hal Blaine is one of my favorite drummers. I just had the pleasure to meet and speak with him at NAMM 2008. He was very gracious. His famous "monster" drum kit was on display at the Zildjian pavillion.
Alan White was also there. He's a teriffic drummer as well.
How about Hal Blaine? He's played on gazillions of top selling hit songs. I'd be willing to wager there's at least one recording in everybody's collection that features his excellent and tasteful playing. He's the master at playing exactly what the song requires and nothing more. He doesn't get into the egotistic gyrating that interests only other drummers, instead he finds the proper groove, propels the song forward and places a tasty fill where it works best. While he certainly is an excellent technician, he is without a doubt the most musical drummer ever to play on records, having provided the push that made many songs so memorable.
There are even drummers mentioned in this thread whose parts on their records were actually played by Hal.
Buddy Rich, Neil Pert & Keith Moon. I know it's a boring answer, but I could listen to them all day! Of course, Ginger Baker, Bill Bruford and too many more to mention are also great!
Interesting that the Latin percussionists are not heavily mentioned yet (e.g., Tito Puente, Alex Acuria, Bobby Sanabria) or heavy metal drummers (e.g., Jimmy Degrasso, Mickky Dee, Charlie Benante). I'd love to get some opinions on percussionists in those genres!
To name a few who seem to have not been mentioned so far: Mike Clark (check out his solo album!), Steve Smith (yes from Journey but check out his Vital Information and Vital Tech Tones recordings), Stewart Copeland, Dennis Chambers, the drummer (names escape me...I am getting old or something) for The Poets of Rhythm (he can really funk!)
Someone mentioned Carmine Appice??? Wow....I remember seeing Beck, Bogart and Appice at the Fillmore West in San Fran in around 1971??? Had forgotten about them :)
Oldpro, Jacki Liebezeit is male jazz drummer of CAN(born in Germany probably at 1947+- and that's probably where the name confusion took place) and as Duane... pointed out he still can amaze with his skill on simpliest and complicated drum sets.
As to female drummer with Chris Boti I'm intrigued that someone can lead the band like Bill Brufford! I did not include Brufford on my three-best list but I'd say he'd stand right after Jacki Liebezeit that I know as the best drum-leader in nearly any band rock or jazz. Mark Nauseef and Pierre Moerlen(can stand next to Mark but still...) can drum on anything and anywhere with any style and any drum sets. Moreover when one or another plays drum solo you feel music as you wouldn't feel from any other drummer. Ginger is a-bit of there and here.
As to Pat Mastelotto, the current drummer of King Crimson I realised in comparison with Bill Brufford than despite Bill being not so metal-ish and heavy was able to bring more solid and leading part than Pat. Pat seems to accompany the music bit I think it shold be otherwise i.e. music has to hold upt to the rhythm or bass or both.
Separate from my list I'd like to add a couple percussionists: Nana Vasconcielos and Trilok Gurtu
OKAY!!!! I'm gonna name 3 more JAZZ CATS! Jimmy Cobb (stone groove), Art Taylor (more of same), and Roy Haynes (there from the beginnings of bop and beyond).
Hey Oldpro, Not sure if Marakanetz is going to field this one, so I'll take a stab at it, (hope no offense is taken). If you were watching Chris Botti (young trumpet player), the drummer on the broadcast was probably Karen Taperberg. Haven't heard her, but really like the Bruford/Levin Upper Extremities discs that Chris Botti is on. As far as I know Jaki Liebezeit, the (#%&:!!!! amazing) drummer who was in in Can is still a man.
Hey Marakanetz,is Jackie Liebeztie that jazz drummer I saw on a PBS music show backing a young trumpeter? She was GREAT I'll give her a vote and my other votes go to Moonie(the GREATEST EVER) and my last vote goes to me
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