The jazz legend beats Led Zepellin’s John Bonham to the top spot
Buddy Rich – the greatest jazz drummer of all time – has been voted ‘the most influential drummer ever’ in a recent poll by Future’s Rhythm magazine.
The team at Rhythm magazine conducted the poll to determine the Top 100 Most Influential Drummers Ever by collecting votes from over 50 star drummers plus all of their contributors, and the full list can be seen in the February issue of the magazine.
Known for his virtuoso technique, power, and speed, Buddy Rich played with Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie and Louis Armstrong, as well as fronting his own successful big band. Immensely gifted, Rich could play with remarkable speed and dexterity despite the fact that he never received a formal lesson and refused to practice outside of his performances. According to jazz legend Gene Krupa, he was “the greatest drummer ever to have drawn breath.”
Unsurprisingly the top 10 features few ‘modern’ names, with The Beatles’ drummer Ringo Starr placed as the most influential living drummer and Stewart Copeland’s inspirational work with The Police as the most recent entry. The most surprising feature of the top 10 was perhaps that perennial drum poll winner John Bonham of Led Zeppelin did not top the chart!
The Top 10 drummers were:
1 Buddy Rich
2. John Bonham
3. Gene Krupa
4. Ringo Starr
5. Steve Gadd
6. Stewart Copeland
7. Tony Williams
8. Keith Moon
9. Elvin Jones
10. Billy Cobham
Phil Ascott, Editor of Rhythm magazine said:
“From Warren ‘Baby’ Dodds in the 1920s right through to today’s pioneers such as Jojo Mayer and Brann Dailor, the poll provides a fascinating overview of the development of drumming over the past century. Buddy deserves his place at the top for taking drumming to a whole new level of virtuosity. His hand speed and control were incredible and he was one of the greatest improvisers ever. He remains an inspiration for drummers of all ages and styles.”
The February issue also has a preview of the Hot New Gear For 2009, you can learn to play tracks by Led Zeppelin, Trivium and James Brown, and there are interviews with Thomas Lang and Elbow’s Richard Jupp.
The full list of Top 100 Most Influential Drummers Ever can be seen in issue 160 of Rhythm magazine goes on sale on the 20th January priced at £4.75.
For more information
Press information – contact Jen Campbell, Communications Executive, Future UK on 01225 732269 or jen.campbell@futurenet.co.uk
About Future
Future plc is an international special-interest media group with offices in the UK and US. Founded in 1985 with one magazine, today it creates over 180 special-interest publications, websites and events, with strong portfolios in the games, technology, music, film and active sectors including sports, automotive and crafts. Future exports, syndicates or licenses its publications to 90 countries internationally. The Company employs more than 1,200 people and is listed on the London Stock Exchange (symbol FUTR).
