|
Wait! Before you start saying "You can't compare jazz drummers to rock drummers," let me explain. I'm not trying to compare the two in terms of talent or influence or relevancy to the musical world. I'm not comparing styles or chops or trying to say one is better than the other. The truth is you really CAN’T compare the two. The two different styles of music demand very different things from drummers, and rarely do you ever see a drummer who can really be called a master of both. Rather than talking about the playing, I would like to take a moment to discuss prestige… Recently, the drumming community lost one of its most kind, creative, and innovative artists: Louie Bellson. Louie was an amazing player, considered one of the best in the world during his prime and was influential in the development of the modern drum set. His use of multiple rack toms and bass drums changed the drum industry forever. I was lucky enough to meet Louie before his passing, and I got to hear him perform a few years prior with the Cedar Rapids Big Band.
I was recalling those fond memories the other day when it struck me: jazz drummers and rock drummers do not get the same treatment from the drumming community as they age. Allow me to explain. Rock Drummers When a rock drummer becomes famous, it's almost always because they play in a famous band. When that band is popular, those drummers enjoy fame and recognition from the public and from other drummers but often times, when the band starts to fade away, so does the drummer. There was a time when Lars Ulrich and Alex Van Halen were two of the most well-known and well-liked drummers in the world. Now, many young rock fans don't even know their names. They are frequently the target of insults and jokes, as if their playing has somehow become as dated as spandex pants and hair spray. They are still great drummers and nothing about their classic recordings has changed, yet their prestige in the drumming community has fallen for some reason. Drummers like John Bonham are somewhat immune to this, because their careers were cut short in their prime. They never had to live through their band's declining popularity, and as a result, they will always be remembered at their best. These drummers, however, are the exception rather than the rule. There was a time when Neil Peart was considered the best drummer alive. He was the ultimate drum hero, the man who single-handedly took rock drumming to the next level in the early 1980s. Peart is still popular, don't get me wrong, but these days it's not at all uncommon to hear someone say, "Thomas Lang is so much better than Neil Peart” or “I like Neil, but he's not that good by today's standards." As if somehow it's Neil Peart's fault that he came along before "drum shredding" became common place. As if the people who listened to Neil and borrowed his ideas and his style are now somehow BETTER than the man who inspired them. Jazz Drummers Jazz drummers, for some reason, seem to be immune to this. People will occasionally challenge the idea that Buddy Rich was the fastest drummer ever, or suggest that a modern drummer might be a more impressive soloist, but there is an undeniable prestige that comes with being an old jazz drummer. Drummers like Elvin Jones, Max Roach and Louie Bellson were no longer in their prime by the 1990s. Their chops were diminished, and they no longer played with the top jazz bands in the world, yet their reputation was a strong as ever. Often times, jazz drummers are MORE appreciated and respected later in life, when they are no longer capable of blazing single strokes or crossover fills. It's understood that their playing is classic and historic and is part of an ongoing legacy in jazz music. They are not expected to keep up with modern players or have hit records on the charts every year. I have never heard anyone say "Will Kennedy could smoke Tony Williams if they played side by side" or "Steve Smith is a better soloist than Gene Krupa." Nobody tries to compare modern drummers to the jazz legends of the past. They are given a special distinction in the drumming community, and once they are there, their reputation can only grow and improve. Getting to meet Elvin Jones a few months before his death was a huge thrill for me. Getting to see him play, even though it was only for a few minutes, felt like an honor. I'm not trying to take anything away from Elvin or Louie or anyone else. I'm suggesting that maybe it's time that we start to take rock and heavy metal music more seriously as an art form. Maybe it's time we start respecting the rock and metal giants of the past like we do the jazz legends. Maybe it's time we start to realize that rock drummers can't be expected to stay on top of the musical world forever. A Great Drummer is a Great Drummer Times change, styles change and people get older. If we can appreciate jazz music and jazz drummers for their simplicity, their sense of phrasing, and their unique style, why can't we grant the same privilege to the drummers who chose to express themselves in a different, more modern style of music? To me, a great drummer is a great drummer. Once you have come onto the scene, earned your place in history, and contributed to the ever-changing journey of drumming expression, can't you sit back and relax knowing your legacy will always be secure? Maybe that will be the case some day, but until then, I tip my hat to all the great ones who came before us, regardless of style.
Trackback(0)
 |
West Music Articles 
TrackBack URI for this entry
Subscribe to this comment's feed
Show/hide comments
Show/hide comment form