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
Chicago drummer
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
Heroes #18: Carleton Coon (1893-32)
“Coon smiled behind the drums, twirling the sticks like a magician” - Joe Popper KEY RECORDINGS:With COON-SANDERS ORIGINAL NIGHTHAWKS ORCHESTRA, 1921-29 Some would contend that today's Hero, Carleton Coon, cannot honestly be called a jazz titan: like several other members of our Pantheon including Tony Sbarbaro and Sonny Greer, he performed and recorded exclusively with … Continue reading Heroes #18: Carleton Coon (1893-32)
Heroes #16: Anton Lada, 1890-1944
KEY RECORDINGS: with THE LOUISIANA FIVE, 1919 Today’s Hero was initially slightly further down my list than number 16, but during the last few months I’ve been doing some intensive research for another project in which he plays a prominent role (more about that below!), so it made sense to write this article now whilst … Continue reading Heroes #16: Anton Lada, 1890-1944
Heroes #15: Gene Krupa, 1909-1973
“Krupa’s drums went through us like a triple bourbon.” – Eddie Condon KEY RECORDINGS: With FRANK TESCHEMACHER / RED McKENZIE / EDDIE CONDON and GANG 1927-9 (The Chicagoans / Chicago Rhythm Kings / Jungle Kings / Condon Quartet, etc. etc.) With THELMA TERRY AND HER PLAY BOYS, 1928 With RED NICHOLS / MIFF MOLE and … Continue reading Heroes #15: Gene Krupa, 1909-1973
Heroes #14: Andrew Hilaire, 1899-1935
“Andrew Hilaire: the perfect drummer for Jelly Roll Morton. Time, taste, technique - all superb.” - Hal Smith KEY RECORDINGS: With 'DOC' COOK (COOK & HIS DREAMLAND ORCHESTRA / COOKIE'S GINGERSNAPS / COOK & HIS 14 DOCTORS OF SYNCOPATION), 1924-28 With JELLY ROLL MORTON’S RED HOT PEPPERS, 1926 At the dawn of the recording industry, … Continue reading Heroes #14: Andrew Hilaire, 1899-1935
Heroes #12: Alfred ‘Tubby’ Hall, 1895-1945
'I got my press roll from [...] Tubby Hall'– Baby Dodds KEY RECORDINGS:[?] With DOC COOK & HIS DREAMLAND ORCHESTRA, 1924With LOUIS ARMSTRONG & HIS ORCHESTRA, dir. CARROLL DICKERSON, 1927-31 Addressing the early life and work of Alfred ‘Tubby’ Hall, hard on the heels of having finished introducing our previous Hero – Mr. Stan King - is … Continue reading Heroes #12: Alfred ‘Tubby’ Hall, 1895-1945
Heroes #7: Ben Pollack, 1903-1971
“Now there was a drummer, one of the finest who ever lived.” – Jimmy McPartland KEY RECORDINGS:With THE NEW ORLEANS RHYTHM KINGS [NORK], 1923With THE STOMP SIX, 1925BEN POLLACK & HIS CALIFORNIANS/ HIS PARK CENTRAL ORCHESTRA, 1926-30With BENNIE GOODMAN & HIS BOYS, 1928With IRVING MILLS [small groups under many aliases], 1928-30 When the name Ben … Continue reading Heroes #7: Ben Pollack, 1903-1971
Drums In The Twenties 