Drummers - my early heroes:
Gene Krupa - the energy, power & incredible skills of the Great big band drummer.
Louis Bellson - the awesome double bass drum man - was he the first? The drummer on the classic hit "Golden Wedding". I had the pleasure of meeting this "Great" at his Drum Clinic around 1990 in Auckland hosted by Kiwi music legends Tommy Adderley & drumming man Frank Gibson Jnr. Even though "Mr" Bellson was around 70+ he could still outplay most of the world's best younger drummers - his fills were as good as ever and far better than his Golden Wedding recording done about 50 years ago. You had to see/listen to him to believe it...!!!
Phil Warren was there too. Both he & Tommy did so much for NZ music & will be surely missed. God Bless Tommy & Phil.
Art Blakey - wwwooowww - what a drummer - his own style again - listen to him playing his toms & cymbal work on Swahili - jungle music at it's best with fellow outstanding US Jazz musicians Horace Silver on piano & Clarke Terry on trumpet - if anyone out there knows where I can buy this again on CD please email me with details thanks - this one is a collectors item for obvious reasons.
Buddy Rich - the speed & accuracy of this drummer is possibly unrivalled even today - check out his drum battles with an older Krupa - it's a pity this recording didn't take place when Krupa was the same age - but we all know this is impossible - or is it???
Dennis Taylor - Waitara, New Zealand ace big band / jazz drummer - his driving rythms powered the legendary Taranaki dance band "Colin King & The Harmonisers" for years. The best all around Kiwi drummer I've ever seen - by far. His natural rhythms & fills were unbeatable & the way he tuned his drums was another story altogether. I learned so much just listening to him when I was still at school.
Danny Barcelona - young Hawaiian drummer - he was about 19 years old when I saw him playing with "The Louis Armstrong All Stars" when they played at the Founders Theatre in Hamilton around 1962. Anyone that age had to be not only good but extraordinary to have played with Louis Armstrong, who was to me the best trumpet player that has ever lived. The Jimi Hendrix of trumpeters - what a Man. I ran away from school to see this concert & was suspended when I got back, but my beautiful Mother Rita Thomas stuck up for me & told me to go for it. I was 14 years old at the time & yes it was well worth it & would do the same again all over - no worries there. I even got all their autographs - I was standing right next to Louis Armstrong & can always remember the puzzled look on his face when I asked for his autograph. I've since been told by my great friend Ronald LaPread, bass giant for the USA funk/soul group "The Commodores", that a white boy that young would have seemed out of place at that time, but I'm sure Mr Armstrong liked it too.
Other Kiwi Drummers that I really liked:
Bruno Lawrence - the actor but to me was a far better drummer - before he took up acting that is, as I felt he didn't have the same drive after his attentions were turned. Great style & feel & always had the band grooving to his rhythms.
Trixi Willoughby - like Bruno, another very good friend of mine from the 60s - he'd often come in and jam with our Sydney band Harmul at the "Groovy Room" in the Cross during the heady Vietnam War - it was off limits to the US Servicemen on R & R but that made them even more determined to come in & have a real ball. I learned all about whiskey sour from these great guys & still have never been to parties like the ones these Americans hosted - simply incredible. Trixi & Bruno are long departed, but Trixi leaves a very talented daughter Kim who most Kiwi's will know as one of the fiery singers from "When the Cats Away" vocal group. Well done Trixi - another Kiwi drumming great.
Frank Gibson Snr & Jnr - both have done so much for NZ music - Frank Senior was a true pioneer & a lovely soul - another departed one that is missed. Frank Jnr like his father has exceptional skills, fills & feels & has played with some of the best jazz musos in the world today & still is.
Roger Sellers - anchor man that drove like a possessed man - I remember all the above playing at Nick Villard's Embers Club during the 60s. What a place & what a time to be alive - wow.....!!!
After our band would finish playing at The Galaxy on Custom St, we'd head for the Embers & have a ball. Happy Jack was always there selling the best after hours alcohol & must have made a fortune those days as pubs/bottle stores closed at 6:00 pm would you believe? This place jumped & had the best looking women there too - but we were there strictly for the music (yeah right) which went on till around 6:00 am the next morning - as these clubs should. Jazz at its best