RIP Freddie Gruber

[Jay Alsman]

RIP... to a true drumming legend. Quite an accomplishment when your resume can say you taught VC, Weckl, Jojo and many many other greats of this generation...

I'm sure there are some pros here that also were fortunate enough to sit with him... Steve? Rodge? Gary H? Gavin? .... would love to hear some stories if anyone here got to sit down with Freddie.

[Matthijs Ament]

Sad news, but a life well lived.

I found this on wiki, surprised me. I didn't know he got concepts from Rich. ....'roommates'...haha, how cool is that?

"Gruber played with Charlie Parker, among many others. Making fast friends with his roommate, fellow drummer Buddy Rich, he observed Rich's "style, technique, and guts" over a long period and eventually based most of his teaching method on what he assimilated."

[MacMan]

I studied with Freddie for four years. RIP Freddie, love you Man.

[langmick]

RIP Freddie.

[Rhythmatist]

In some ways, he directly influenced all of us I'm sure...RIP Freddie.

[Julián Fernández]

RIP Freddie...

I studied with Freddie for four years. RIP Freddie, love you Man.

Would you share some stories about that time? That would be cool...

[Jeremy Smirnoff]

You know, I am not sure why that is, but there really isn't any footage of the man playing anywhere I am aware of. Surely all these people that have studied with him must have had enough respect for his own playing to undertake the effort. Sadly, I can't find any footage or recordings.

[tobiasralph]

R.I.P. Freddie. You will be missed.

[amoergosum]

I can't find any footage or recordings.

I just found this one >>>



Charlie Parker - Bird's Eyes, Vol. 15 (Philology (It) W 845-2)
Marty Bell, Don Ferrara, Neil Friez, Don Joseph, Jon Nielson, Al Porcino, Sonny Rich, Red Rodney (tp) Eddie Bert, Porky Cohen, Jimmy Knepper, Paul Selden (tb) Frank Orchard (vtb) Joe Maini, Charlie Parker (as) Al Cohn, Don Lanphere, Tommy Makagon, Zoot Sims (ts) Marty Flax, Bob Newman (bars) Harry Biss (p) Sam Herman (g) Buddy Jones (b) Phil Arabia, Freddie Gruber, Don Manning (d) Gene Roland (arr, cond)
Nola's Penthouse Sound Studios, NYC, April 3, 1950
Limehouse Blues
Down Home Blues
East Side, West Side

EAN / ISBN: 8013284084521

[Lucas Ives]

From talking about it with Dave over the years, a lot of the appeal had to do with Freddie's understanding of others' (BR, etc.) technique and the physics behind it, and Freddie's ability to convey that (albeit in a way that took some getting used to) ... not necessarily Freddie's own playing ability.

In sports, the best coaches are not necessarily the best athletes. Maybe that applies here too ... different skill set?