Importance of being able to play jazz...

[Yussuf]

I'd recommend checking out the history of the drumset. You'll be much more rooted, when you start understanding the evolution of music and drumming from New Orleans through the swing era, bebop etc.. Check out the legendary Earl Palmer who is considered the father of rock'n'roll drumming, but who was a jazz drummer first. Practise different independence exercises for being a better drummer, but check out even more MUSIC to be a better musician.

[Matthijs Ament]

Amen to Yussuf!

I was in my teens playing and listening and 'living' punk rock. It was my second drum teacher who pointed at Jazz as being a 'must check out' for the sake of being a better grounded drummer. In those days there was no easy access to music trough internet so I went to the public library where you could rent CD's An uncle of mine had a radio jazz program in those days and all he said was; "start with Blakey, Roach and Buddy Rich"....'you'll be inspired ;-]" The first thing I listened to was the Jazz messengers and my love for Blakey and Horace Silver never left me since then. How can you not 'dig' Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis or Sarah Vaughan? It's beyond me. But you should never feel bad for your taste, it's all good. All I can say that studying Jazz made me a better human being, a better musician and a better drummer. It opened my heart, my mind, my ears and my instrumental skills. Later I found that the same goes for Afro Cuban and Brazilian music. 'Technically', salsa might even be harder to get down. Hence, Latin Jazz is an awesome challenge and it will make you better at your instrument, no matter what. Both Jazz and Latin I could not do without.

[electrizer]

How can you not 'dig' Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis or Sarah Vaughan?

I said I do 'dig' Miles Tried Herbie and it still has to 'get' me...

[Lucas Ives]

Have you listened to Hancock's Thrust (or Flood, for that matter)?

[electrizer]

Have you listened to Hancock's Thrust (or Flood, for that matter)?

Yes. Actual Proof is cool, as for the rest of them I think I need to grow up a bit

[V4Vinnie]

You don't need to play jazz in order to be called a real musician or a professional. Jazz is only other music style not a measuring rule of good musician or not. I play jazz, I graduated from a Conservatory in the jazz program but I'm in a rock band and I'm making a living out of it providing to my family. I like jazz but to a certain point, never the less is not a standard to be compare is not a starting point is not. I'm latin and I don't play latin, is in my blood but I don't like it, am I a worst musician because of that? hell no. Is just taste and passion what drives me to learn what I like and reject what I'm not attracted to. Yes is important to know the bascis just to get thru a gig but if you don't like it don't look at it as a standard that you're failing to accomplish. Don't be a fool and loose time in ursine something you know is not your true path in music.

My 2 cents...

[circh bustom]

I could be mistaken, but I do believe that the concept of the drum kit itself came out of jazz. While drums are the oldest instrument, each drum was usually played by a different individual trying to sound as one. The drumset is one individual trying to sound like many. Since the kit is directly linked to jazz heritage, jazz seems to be the benchmark. Even guys on the fringe of music always speak of combining "blah blah blah" with jazz to make it something new. While I somewhat disagree with the statement "if you can play jazz you can play anything", I mean Im sure Jeff Hamilton wouldn't sound bad on Virgil's kit, but why would you wanna see that, I feel there is a validity to it. At least in terms of western based music. I know that is kind of what Steve Smith says on his DVD, but he pretty much right. Most American music grew out of blues and jazz. I've been told to really get a feelfor latin based music, I need to study the clave, plus congueros and timbaleros of the past. To play a hybrid, or a fusion of latin music without understanding its roots would most likely leave me sounding like a blubbering idiot on the drums. To play American music well, it's not a stretch to say one should have a basic understanding of jazz. It is by no means a requirement, but guys schooled in jazz always seem to have a deeper well to grab from. Guys who went straight to rock let's say, seem to build on the same basic things their whole career. That is not meant to be a negative statement towards anyone who fits that, just an observation. Almost all the guys we seem to worship on here, the guys on the banner plus Gadd, Bonham, Dennis, Dicenso, etc all seem to be either rooted in jazz music itself, or you can at least tell that they have spent some time in the jazz idiom.
Personally, i'd like to hear what Steve, Todd and Gavin have to say about this topic.

[Jim Richman]

Jazz teaches you how to listen. Being able to play with an acoustic piano is a good way to get your control of dynamics. Jazz is a great idiom to study.

[electrizer]

Personally, i'd like to hear what Steve, Todd and Gavin have to say about this topic.

That would actually be very cool!

[Patrick Tiglao]

Jazz definately opened me up to LOTS of other music. This includes music I used to disregard as a youngster.....I dont know how to explain it but the "approach" you get from listening and playing jazz helps open you up and appreciate different things about music in general..