A greatly undervalued drummer easily on a level with many of his more famous contemporaries, Beaver Harris was one of the avant-garde's most well-rounded musicians. He was accomplished in any and all jazz styles, yet as a bandleader favored the more progressive facets of the music. Harris began playing drums at the age of 20. After his discharge... [+] Read More

Yes No

An accomplished, yet not flamboyant or showy drummer, Cindy Blackman has become a well-respected drummer and occasional bandleader in a short time. Both her mother and grandmother were classical musicians and her uncle a vibist. Blackman began playing drums as a child and studied classical percussion at the University of Hartford and Berklee.... [+] Read More

Yes No

A solid drummer in either free or hard bop settings, Clifford Jarvis was featured on several '60s and '70s albums. He proved both a consistently engaging, rhythmically diverse and sound drummer and a good percussionist, adding textures and colors on African and Latin instruments. Jarvis studied at Berklee with Alan Dawson in the mid and late... [+] Read More

Yes No

Ed Blackwell made his reputation as a member of Ornette Coleman's band in the early '60s; without that association, one wonders whether he would be considered one of the great jazz percussionists. That's to take nothing away from his considerable ability, but Blackwell's unfashionably arcane and somewhat unpolished approach to playing time was... [+] Read More

Yes No

Elvin Jones will always be best-known for his association with the classic John Coltrane Quartet (1960-65) but he also had a notable career as a bandleader and continued to be a major influence in music. One of the all-time great drummers (bridging the gap between advanced hard bop and the avant-garde), Elvin is the younger brother of a... [+] Read More

Yes No

At his best, Jack DeJohnette is one of the most consistently inventive jazz percussionists extant. DeJohnette's style is wide-ranging, yet, while capable of playing convincingly in any modern idiom, he always maintains a well-defined voice. DeJohnette has a remarkably fluid relationship to pulse. His time is excellent; even as he pushes, pulls... [+] Read More

Yes No

Jeff "Tain" Watts came to fame as drummer with the early Wynton Marsalis band. He has been greatly in demand ever since, playing and recording with such musicians as Geri Allen, Ricky Ford, Robin Eubanks, Betty Carter, McCoy Tyner, Gary Thomas, and Branford Marsalis, among others. He made his debut as a leader for the Sunnyside label in 1991 and... [+] Read More

Yes No

One of the finest drummers in free jazz, Steve McCall was a subtle improviser who could keep a pulse going without actually stating the beat. He played early on with Lucky Carmichael, a blues singer. McCall met Muhal Richard Abrams in 1961 and became a founding member of the AACM in 1965. Based in Chicago, McCall played with hard bop groups, but... [+] Read More

Yes No

Sue Evans has provided percussive support for jazz and pop groups, as well as instrumentalists and vocalists. She's played conventional trap drums and various percussion instruments. Evans studied with Warren Smith and Sonny Igoe, and graduated from the High School of Music and Art in 1969. She toured Europe and America as a drummer with Judy... [+] Read More

Yes No