What do you think is the greatest rhythm section of all time? Or your top two or three? Specifically I'm interested in what the best bass-drum hookups are. What makes them great?
(my personal favorites are Ron Carter and Tony Williams, Oscar Peterson and Ray Brown, Charlie Haden and Billy Higgens) I like your choices, especially Ron Carter and Tony Williams. What they do on Herbie Hancock 's Maiden Voyage album is incomparable to anything before or since. The playing on that album is truly art, not just songs.
I really like Charlie Haden too, there's a trio album of Joe Henderson's called The Montreal Tapes. It has Joe, Charlie, and Al Foster. Great stuff.
For me, the mid 1960's jazz is in a class by itself. My favorite players are from that era. The Blue Note recording musicians are my favorite, mostly. they all played on each other's albums. I'll list some albums that they are on because you might want to check out these albums (being that our tastes overlap). The albums that I am listing are the albums that I listen to a lot. It took me a lot of searching around and buying cds that I didn't like to find these albums. I hop I can save you the trouble that I went through. If you like Ron Carter and Tony Williams from Mile's albums, and Haden and Higgins on Ornettes Coleman's albums you definitely have the potential to like the albums I am listing here.
My absolute favorite rhythm section is the musicians who played on Booker Ervin's 1960's recordings.
Jaki Byard-piano
Richard Davis-bass
Alan Dawson-drums.
The Booker albums called The Freedom Book, and The Space Book are great for hearing these guys play together. They are like one person with six arms. Its more than just a group of great musicians, its amazing music. Booker Ervin was a true original. Never got his dues, mostly because he moved to Europe.
Richard Davis and Tony Williams play great together too. For them, the more adventurous, the better. Eric Dolhy's Out to Lunch, and Andrew Hill's Point of Departure albums both have these two making the album real interesting for the horn players to create over.
Reggie Workman is famous for being in Coltrane's band. On Wayne Shorter's album, Adam's Apple he is joined with Joe Chambers on drums. Chambers doesn't show crazy skills on that album but he is so interesting to listen to, playing just what the song needs. Herbie Hancock plays really great on that album too.
Another great Wayne Shorter album with Chambers on drums is The All Seeing Eye. Ron Carter on bass, and Herbie on piano.
More great albums with Chambers and Carter are; Bobby Hutcherson's Components and Sam Rivers album Contours (also with Herbie). Amazing music.
The John Coltrane's "Classic Quartet" deserves every little bit of credit they get.
McCoy Tyner-piano
Reggie Workman-bass
Elvin Jones-drums
They also play on Wayne Shorter's albums, sometimes with Ron carter on bass instead. There is a Grant Green album called Matador with McCoy, Elvin, and Bob Cranshaw. That is another album of the rhythm section sounding like a one minded, six armed musician. I would not have guessed it.
The 1964 Charles Mingus Sextet was....I can't even say. Under Mingus's leadership and groundbreaking song writing these guys were a force of nature. Recently, a 1964 concert tape was discovered in his widow's attic. Its now a cd called Cornell 1964.
Jaki Byard-piano
Mingus-bass
Dannie Richmond- drums ( Mingus's only drummer for the lat 15 years, or so, of Mingus's life). The music on this album even put Mingus in a good mood on stage. That didn't happen often. Its one of my favorite albums that I have ever heard. Mingus and Richmond are in their own category and there is nothing to say about how "good" they are.
You can find accurate reviews of all these albums at http://wc05.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=am... know that album reviews usually suck, but these are really right on.
I hope a didn't ramble on to much, and maybe even assisted you a little. How about Art Blakey? (I don't know who played bass with him.) Earth Wind and Fire, Chicago My top two :) Thelonious Monk, Jaco Pastorius, Don't know if they ever played together but what a great combination!! that's a tough one....but.......my vote goes to Tony Williams and Ron Carter when they teamed up with Miles, many moons ago.
Just a little trivia........Carter is a virtuoso on Cello as well !!
A "tip o the hat" to Dart Swinger too for mentioning Blakey. For the record.....when he formed the Messengers in the 50's Blakey's bassist was Curly Russell....not to bad of a rhythm section either. Oscar Peterson ,Ray Brown and Herb Ellis.You wouldn't notice they had no drums.I would include Count Basie piano Freddie Green Guitar Joe Jones Drums and Walter Page Bass as the greatest of all time. I'd have to say Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones in Coltrane's "classic" Quartet, and Ron Carter & Tony WIlliams in Miles' band were about the best from that era. In the 70's & 80's, I think Anthony Jackson and Steve Gadd were absolutely amazing in Al DiMeola's band. Also, Mark Egan & Danny Gottlieb hooked up in the Pat Metheny Group and continued their partnership in Elements and Mark's phenomenal trio CD As We Speak, with John Abercrombie that came out last year. I'm also a HUGE fan of Reggie Washington and Gene Lake in Steve Coleman's Five Elements and Chris Wood & Billy Martin of Medeski Martin & Wood. Howard Rumsey on bass and Stan Leevie (sp) on drums. Lighthouse All Stars back in the day. Fond memories in Hermosa Beach. I would say paul chambers, red garland, and philly joe jones. Keith Jarrett, Cecil McBee, Jack Dejohnett the Charles Lloyd rhythm section
Wayne Shorter rhythm section Brian Blades, Danilo Perez, John Patitucci
The Group Sphere Kenny Barron, Buster Williams, Victor Lewis sax Gary Bartz
The new Zawinul cd Brown Street
Victor Bailey
Alex Acuna
Nathaniel Townsley
Return To Forever
Stanley Clarke
Lenny White
Al De Meola
Chick Corea |
