Yet another new kind of article today for Drums In The Twenties - a travelogue of sorts. In the last week of April of 2022, I and my colleagues in Alex Mendham's Orchestra were lucky enough to undertake the gig of a lifetime – a week-long residency playing in the grand ballroom of the Queen … Continue reading Library #9: Vintage Drum Adventures In The Land Of Jazz, May 2022
1920s Drums
Library #8: Drums In The Twenties On The Map: Chicago
Today, another first from DITT: we're going to take a break from listening for once, and go all cartological instead. In the course of writing about our Heroes, an important question I've tried always to bear in mind is the dissemination of musical ideas from drummer to drummer. It's vital to consider, when discussing a … Continue reading Library #8: Drums In The Twenties On The Map: Chicago
Heroes #19: Johnny Wells, 1899-1965
“There were a lot of terrific drummers in Chicago in those days, [like] Johnny Wells…” - Sid Catlett KEY RECORDINGS:With JIMMIE NOONE's APEX CLUB ORCHESTRA, 1928-9With ALEX HILL, 1929 The 1920s drumming Hero we'll be meeting today is yet another musician who rarely seems to merit a mention in what we might call the 'mainstream' … Continue reading Heroes #19: Johnny Wells, 1899-1965
Instruments #8: The Chinese Cymbal, c.1920s
Today's article is the third and last of a three-part series examining cymbals and cymbal-playing in 1920s jazz. In Instruments #6 and Instruments #7, we've already had a look at two period examples of Turkish-style cymbals from my small collection, learned a bit about their manufacture and development, and heard how some of our 'Twenties … Continue reading Instruments #8: The Chinese Cymbal, c.1920s
Instruments #3: The ‘Snapper’-style Snare Drum, early 1920s
Before I start today’s article, an admission. When I was first planning ‘Drums In The Twenties’, one concern was that I didn’t want it to become solely an outlet for thinly-disguised bragging about vintage drum gear – something by which the internet is already well served. Speaking honestly, I don’t really have that much interest … Continue reading Instruments #3: The ‘Snapper’-style Snare Drum, early 1920s
Library #5: Where Are All The Heroines?
The 1920s drumming Heroes we’ve met so far, whilst all Americans, represent a quite diverse demographic. Some, such as Zutty Singleton and Baby Dodds, grew up in working-class neighbourhoods in the South, their grandparents likely to have been born enlaved. Others, like Vic Berton, were raised in the North in comfortable, even opulent, surroundings - … Continue reading Library #5: Where Are All The Heroines?
Library #2: ‘The Bassist’s Perspective’: Pops Foster on Drums in the ‘Twenties
The great New Orleans bass player George 'Pops' Foster (1892-1969) played with almost every great black jazz artist in the 'twenties at some point or other, including King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Kid Ory, 'Red' Allen, Sidney Bechet, Luis Russell and many others.He also left an autobiography rich in detail and humour, a … Continue reading Library #2: ‘The Bassist’s Perspective’: Pops Foster on Drums in the ‘Twenties
Instruments #1: The Barry ‘Collapsible’ Bass Drum, c.1919
I’m going to kick off this series of articles about drum equipment from the ‘twenties - and more specifically those few period instruments I’ve managed to find or make, and use day to day - with the one piece of kit which has had the biggest impact on my working life and which always causes … Continue reading Instruments #1: The Barry ‘Collapsible’ Bass Drum, c.1919
Library #1: ‘Drums In The ‘Twenties’ : The Dodds Interview
‘Drums In The ‘Twenties’ Transcript of Warren 'Baby' Dodds interviewed by Frederic Ramsey Jr. for Folkways Records in 1946 BABY DODDS: “…I should say, I’ve been through - actually from drum pad… to solos. Now that’s all the way, that takes every bit of it. From drum pad is where you start; no drum, no … Continue reading Library #1: ‘Drums In The ‘Twenties’ : The Dodds Interview
Heroes #6: William ‘Sonny’ Greer, 1895-1982
“We were a pretty wild bunch in those days, myself in particular” – Sonny Greer KEY RECORDINGS: With DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS KENTUCKY CLUB ORCH. / WASHINGTONIANS, 1924-30 Some of the great drummers of the ‘twenties gained their reputations as journeymen, able to slot seamlessly into a wide variety of musical ensembles and consequently to … Continue reading Heroes #6: William ‘Sonny’ Greer, 1895-1982
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