Best Drummers of All Time: Jazz edition

A professional drum set arranged for a jazz drummer to perform on stage or in a studio setting.

Share this post: 

DRUMMING ESSENTIALS COURSE

With the Drum Coach Essentials course you will learn the basics of drums in a big way!

Jazz, with its intricate rhythms and nuanced performances, has given rise to some of the best drummers of all time. This article celebrates these icons, exploring their styles, preferred gear, and contributions that continue to inspire.

Embed from Getty Images

Band: Icon of the Buddy Rich Big Band

Style & Contribution: Rich’s unmatched speed, power, and technique made him a drumming legend. His aggressive yet smooth execution of complex solos, like those in “West Side Story Medley,” showcases his virtuosic skill.

Preferred Gear: Favored Slingerland drums for their dynamic range and Zildjian cymbals for their crisp sound, enhancing his explosive performances.

Must-hear tracks: “West Side Story Medley,” “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy,” “Channel One Suite”

Aspiring to greatness on the drums? Let Drum Coach show you how, with only 5 minutes of fun, daily practice. Watch your drumming transform swiftly!

Embed from Getty Images

Band: Pillar of the Charlie Parker Quintet

Style & Contribution: Roach revolutionized bebop drumming with his melodic approach, emphasizing musicality over mere rhythm keeping. His work in “Drums Unlimited” is a testament to using drums for melody and narrative.

Preferred Gear: Chose Gretsch drums for their rich tones and Zildjian cymbals for their versatility, complementing his innovative style.

Must-hear tracks: “Joy Spring,” “Drums Unlimited,” “The Drum Also Waltzes”

Embed from Getty Images

Band: Heartbeat of Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers

Style & Contribution: Blakey’s powerful, groove-oriented style fueled the hard bop movement. His use of the press roll in “A Night in Tunisia” highlighted his dynamic playing.

Preferred Gear: Opted for Gretsch drums for their deep, warm sound that matched his emphatic playing style, and Zildjian cymbals for their reliability.

Must-hear tracks: “Moanin’,” “A Night in Tunisia,” “Free For All”

Elevate Your Drumming Skills with Drum Notes. Ready to transform how you write, share, and explore drum notes? Download Drum Notes, the Grammy Academy awarded music app, and join a vibrant community of drummers and percussionists. With Drum Notes, you have access to:

🎶 Over 150,000 drum samples and percussive rhythms.
📝 Tools to create and share your drum beats effortlessly.
💡 Inspiration and tips from master drummers across all genres.

Embed from Getty Images

Band: Rhythmic Force behind the John Coltrane Quartet

Style & Contribution: Jones introduced a polyrhythmic, free-flowing style, as heard in “Resolution,” that pushed the boundaries of jazz drumming into new territories.

Preferred Gear: Selected Ludwig drums for their ability to produce both powerful and nuanced tones, essential for his innovative techniques.

Must-hear tracks: “A Love Supreme (Resolution),” “Three Card Molly,” “The Drum Thing”

Band: Innovator in the Miles Davis Quintet

Style & Contribution: Williams was known for his fiery intensity and revolutionary approach to jazz drumming, blending speed with a delicate sense of touch in “Nefertiti.”

Preferred Gear: Used Gretsch and later Drum Workshop (DW) drums for their superior craftsmanship and Zildjian cymbals for their distinctive sound, which suited his complex playing style.

Must-hear tracks: “Nefertiti,” “Agitation,” “Emergency!”

Want to unlock your full drumming potential? Drum Coach is your gateway to excellence with our 5min practice. Get started today!

For aspiring drummers, understanding these legends’ approaches offers a roadmap to developing one’s style. Their choice of gear, often selected for its ability to convey their unique sound and complement their playing style, underscores the importance of finding the right instruments for your musical voice.

Emulating the techniques and styles of these best drummers of all time can significantly enhance your skills. By practicing their iconic tracks, drummers can explore different rhythms, learn to express musicality through drums, and understand the symbiotic relationship between drummer and band.

The best drummers of all time in the jazz edition have left an indelible mark on the music world, inspiring generations of musicians with their groundbreaking techniques, unique sounds, and dynamic performances. By delving into their legacies, today’s drummers can draw endless inspiration and continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible in jazz and beyond.

Ready to elevate your drumming skills? Start your journey to greatness with Drum Coach! Dive into our Drumming Essentials course designed for beginners. With Drumming Essentials course you get:

🥁 5 minutes of fun, daily exercises.
🎵 A beginner-friendly approach to improve steadily.
💡 Engaging lessons that make learning easy and effective.

Get ready to take your drumming to the next level. Get expert tips on coordination, drumming techniques, improvisation and more in the post titled “Charting Your Drumming Journey”. / Written by: Raul Rodrigues: CEO of UpBeat Studio, Drummer, Music School Director and Mariano Steimberg: Drum Professor at Berklee College of Music, Valencia Campus.

Drum Coach offers drumming exercises tailored for at all levels.
With Drum Coach you get:

Drums lessons crafted by Mariano Steimberg, professional drummer, and professor at Berklee Collegeof Music.

Unlock over 500 drum exercises and rudiments.

ARE YOU READY TO PLAY DRUMS?

RELATED
ARTICLES

Meet the iconic drummers behind Samba-Reggae’s unforgettable beats. Dive into the lives, styles, and hits of the best drummers of all time in this captivating genre.
Discover the incredible journey of João da Baiana, a percussion pioneer whose rhythms shaped samba. From humble beginnings to legendary status, his percussion mastery left an indelible mark on Brazilian music.
Discover the best drummers of all time in the world of Samba. From their iconic bands to signature styles, explore the legends who’ve shaped the rhythm of Brazil.

GET FREE GROOVY CONTENT TO INSPIRE AND IMPROVE YOUR DRUMMING

GET FREE GROOVY CONTENT TO INSPIRE AND IMPROVE YOUR DRUMMING