Five-ish records that might finally get you into jazz
Shownotes
This week on Drummers on Drumming, I’m bringing back a re-edited 2021 conversation with my friend Anthony Fung.
The premise was simple: five-ish records and drummers that might finally get you into jazz.
Anthony explains what makes each drummer distinct, from Tony Williams’s fearless choices to Roy Haynes’s light touch, Elvin Jones’s rolling feel, and Billy Higgins’s unmistakable swing.
We also talk about Anthony’s path from discovering drums through Drumline to studying at Berklee and the Herbie Hancock Institute.
If jazz has ever felt hard to enter, this episode offers a great place to start.
Artist - The New Tony Williams Lifetime
Album - Believe It
Release Year - 1975
Key Track - “Fred”
Drummer - Tony Williams
Artist - Miles Davis
Album - My Funny Valentine: Miles Davis in Concert
Release Year - 1965
Key Track - “Stella by Starlight”
Drummer - Tony Williams
Artist - Miles Davis
Album - ‘Four’ & More: Recorded Live in Concert
Release Year - 1966
Key Track - “Walkin’”
Drummer - Tony Williams
Artist - Chick Corea
Album - Now He Sings, Now He Sobs
Release Year - 1968
Key Tracks - “Steps–What Was,” “Matrix,” “Windows”
Drummer - Roy Haynes
Artist - John Coltrane
Album - A Love Supreme
Release Year - 1965
Key Track - “Part I: Acknowledgement”
Drummer - Elvin Jones
Artist - McCoy Tyner
Album - Supertrios
Release Year - 1977
Key Tracks - “Moment’s Notice,” “Blues for Ball”
Drummers - Tony Williams and Jack DeJohnette
Tony Williams plays on “Moment’s Notice.” Jack DeJohnette plays on “Blues for Ball.”
Artist - Lee Morgan
Album - Cornbread
Release Year - 1967
Key Tracks - “Cornbread,” “Ceora”
Drummer - Billy Higgins
The album was recorded in 1965, which explains the year mentioned during the conversation. It was released in 1967.
Artist - Max Roach
Album - We Insist! Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite
Release Year - 1960
Key Track - No individual track named
Drummer - Max Roach
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