Habe die Black Uhuru Anthology eingelegt und „Party Next Door“ läuft in Schleife. Gedanklich vor mir der Sommer und ein Simmons Drumset im Sunset-Finish…
>>Sly and Robbie with Black Uhuru became a rarified thing: a pure union of street and beat. Using unusual drum tunings and radical space-bass leads, they would arrange on the spot-stop Michael and say, „sing that there, move that line there. Feel better like that.“
And then finish in one take.
An anderer Stelle stelle des Internets (in FB), listete gestern Raphael Landauer unter der Frage WHO DO YOU GUYS CONSIDER TO BE THE GREATEST REGGAE DRUMMER OF ALL TIME? Andy Bassfords Fav-Trommler auf. Läuft auf ein entspanntes Wochenende raus.
>>These lists drive me crazy.
Most important historically is Lloyd Knibb.
Most influential career worldwide is probably a toss up between Carly [Carlton Barrett] and Sly [Dunbar]. Though if you limit it to the last 30 years, you have to put Clevie [Cleveland ‚Clevie‘ Browne] in there too. Most consistently innovative over time is Sly, hands down. He’s like Picasso.
Most creative and adventurous? Winston Grennan.
Most fun to watch? Kirk Bennett/Ruption.
Most consistent? Paul Douglas/Mikey Boo/Desi Jones/Karl Wright.
Drummers who make you want to play just by hitting the snare drum to get a level? Style [Lincoln Valentine ‘Style’ Scott] and Santa [Carlton „Santa“ Davis].
Best technician? Calvin McKenzie.
Best live drummers who didn’t record much? Calvin, Devon Richardson, and Desi Gaynor.
(TBF I don’t know enough about the 90s/00s live drummers who were on the recording sidelines due to the drum machine to properly credit them.)
Most historically underrated? Paul Douglas.
Who’s best? What does that mean? I can talk all day about what these guys did, what their strengths and limitations were, and how and why what they did was important. But I can’t say any one of them is the best. I remember asking Dean Fraser about Grennan’s actual importance versus Grennan’s opinion of his own importance. His answer: “He was the Sly of his day.” That’s an informative and balanced opinion, confirmed by a lot of what I’ve learned since. Tells us much more than his ranking on a list.<<