Contemporary Jazz Percussionists

[Elissa]

I've been trying to think of (and drawing a blank on) contemporary (aged 20-50odd) jazz percussionists. Have you any favorites? Wrote a note to Victor Jones, who uses Abdu M. Boop in his Culturversy project, but for a theater piece, looking for an American take rather than an African one.

Edited October 4, 2005 by Elis

[jazzbo]

Elis, always a pleasure to see your lovely avatar.

I'm not sure of his actual age, but maybe fitting into this category is. . . Pancho Sanchez? One superb percussionist!

[mikeweil]

Nothing against Poncho, but I'd say he's a Latin percussionist rather than a jazz percussionist.

In fact all percussionists currently active on the jazz scene have some ethinic background, Cuban, Carribean, Brazilian, African, Oriental, Indian ...... but only when they are able to expand their repertoire beyond placing authentic rhythm patterns into a jazz context I would call them jazz percussionists.

- Jamey Haddad is a candidate.

- Arto Tuncboyacian (of Armenian desecent)

- Mino Cinelu

- Don Alias

and:

- Milt Holland - a veteran who was among the first Americans to study in Africa, plays very fine Bossa Nova drumset stylings as well (e.g. on Laurindo Almeida's "Artistry in Rhythm")

[Elissa]

Yes, the piece sort of calls for an American take on percussion with less emphasis on the AfroLatin tip. I wonder how Wollensen and or Honig would feel about playing percussion rather than traps and am thinking I'd best just track down the blokes at NuBlu.

Edited October 5, 2005 by Elis

[Big Wheel]

Nothing against Poncho, but I'd say he's a Latin percussionist rather than a jazz percussionist.

In fact all percussionists currently active on the jazz scene have some ethinic background, Cuban, Carribean, Brazilian, African, Oriental, Indian ...... but only when they are able to expand their repertoire beyond placing authentic rhythm patterns into a jazz context I would call them jazz percussionists.

- Jamey Haddad is a candidate.

- Arto Tuncboyacian (of Armenian desecent)

- Mino Cinelu

- Don Alias

and:

- Milt Holland - a veteran who was among the first Americans to study in Africa, plays very fine Bossa Nova drumset stylings as well (e.g. on Laurindo Almeida's "Artistry in Rhythm")

←

How about Bill Summers?

(Although I'm not sure he or Cinelu or Alias even fit the category if we are restricting things to people under 50).

Edited October 5, 2005 by Big Wheel

[Nate Dorward]

Hamid Drake playsd as much hand drums as drumkit.

[mikeweil]

How about Bill Summers?

(Although I'm not sure he or Cinelu or Alias even fit the category if we are restricting  things to people under 50).

←

My idol Bill Summers - his name popped up in my head just as I was offline ... ..... of course!!!

Did anybody restrict it to players under 50?

[mikeweil]

There is an Argentinian guy active on the German scene, Marcio Doctor, who plays a unique self-made kit of various percussion isntruments varying according to the musical context, but with an approach similar to trap set players, but not quite - what I have heard him do so far is excellent!

[Big Wheel]

Did anybody restrict it to players under 50?

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contemporary (aged 20-50odd) jazz percussionists

[Michael Weiss]

A percussionist who deserves his own thread: Daniel Sadownick.

"...tours and recordings with jazz greats such as Michael Brecker, Dennis Chambers, Nicholas Payton, Christian McBride, Richard Bona, Nat Adderley, Dianne Reeves, Nnenna Freelon, Dewey Redman and many others" (me, for instance).

A versatile percussionist that does not limit himself to one genre, Daniel has spent the last few years touring and recording with such diverse artists as: Steely Dan, Jennifer Lopez, Billy Idol, Tony, Toni Tone', Maxwell, Angie Stone and Me'shell Ndege'Ocello, Daniel is also a member of the New York based cult band the Screaming Headless Torsos."

www.danielsadownick.com

We're at the Knickerbocker Bar and Grill this weekend, October 7 -8.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

The two or three times I've seen Cyro Baptista, he was incredible. He seems willing to tailor his choice of instrumentation (and he has a lot of instrumentation) to the music. I'd recommend him just based on the time I saw him with James Carter. Wow, was he something else!

Kevin

[Bright Moments]

poncho sanchez is DA shit!!!

[nathan]

Cyro Baptista is, of course, a master, who can (and does) do anything. Most recently, I've been digging his work on the recent live recording of John Zorn's Bar Kokhba Sextet. Cyro is so creative. Watching him live is mind-blowing.

Kenny Wollesen, whom you mentioned, is a great percussionist, away from the trap set even. Check him out with New Klezmer Trio (Melt Zonk Rewire has a lot of extracurricular percussion), or on John Zorn's "Filmworks, vol 8", half of which is an amazing film score for 2 percussionists (Cyro & Kenny). Wollesen's lays down some great vibraphone playing here too.

I'd also highly recommend Gino Robair, a master percussionist located in the Bay Area. Check him out on Crepuscular Music, with Tom Nunn and Miya Masaoka, among others. He may be over 50, but not by much.

Matt Moran in NYC is another great and versatile percussionist/vibes player.

nathan