The drums have been the powerhouse of many of the greatest groups in jazz history. Whilst the list of incredible players is seemingly endless, we’ve rounded up 32 of the most influencial and famous jazz drummers of all time for you to dissect…
From the early pioneers such as Max Roach and Art Blakey, through to modern jazz drum greats like Jeff “Tain” Watts and Brian Blade and even younger players keeping the scene alive today, stay tuned for a snapshot of some rhythmic greats.
From the very beginnings of jazz, rhythm has played an integral part of the music and, as such, drummers have always been at the forefront of its stylistic change.
There was Baby Dodds bringing New Orleans drumming to Chicago in the 1920s. Two decades later, Kenny Clarke was transferring time-keeping duties from the hi-hat to the more legato ride cymbal.
And, even later, Tony Williams’ drum kit provided Miles Davis’ Second Quintet with its drama and gear-shifts.
In short, drummers have a direct influence not only over the rhythms of the ensemble, but also tempo changes, form, dynamics, texture and the idiosyncratic ‘sound’ of the band.
Fast-forward to today and a jazz drummer is expected to be as much an instrumentalist, composer and bandleader as the next musician, and as likely to have albums and projects under their own names as they are to be a prolific sideman.
The list below comprises not only some of the most famous jazz drummers of all time, but also modern players stretching the instrument to its limit and keeping the tradition alive.
So here’s our pick of 32 of the best jazz drummers of all time which cover a range of styles and eras.
Of course, there are many more that could be added, old and new, so feel free to share your comments at the end…
32. Sid Catlett (born 1910)
Sidney ‘Big Sid’ Catlett’s short career spanned a time in jazz music history when musicians were raised on the styles of the 1910s and ’20s, were involved in the swing boom of the ’30s and then had to keep up or be discarded during the modernist innovations of the ’40s.
Catlett was one of the few within his peer group to adapt to the changes around him.
In the ’30s he performed regularly with jazz legend Louis Armstrong, with whom he would play until the end of the ’40s, as well as Don Redman, Fletcher Henderson, Benny Carter and Benny Goodman. In the following decade he appeared on some of Dizzy Gillespie’s most important recordings.
Much admired for his solid beat and swinging accompaniment, Sid Catlett was equally comfortable in big bands, small ensembles, New Orleans groups and bebop rhythm sections. An inescapable influence on those who followed, he was paid tribute affectionately by Max Roach in his solo ‘For Big Sid’.
Album highlight: Dizzy Gillespie – Groovin’ High (on ‘Salt Peanuts’ / ‘Hot House’)
31. Tyshawn Sorey (born 1980)
Tyshawn Sorey evades categorisation, incorporating elements of jazz, folk, drum & bass, free improvisation, and twentieth-century classical music into a style and approach unlike any other.
He has not only studied jazz performance formally, but also holds an MA and doctorate in composition, and in 2017 was awarded the MacArthur Fellowship (colloquially known as the ‘genius grant’).
Tyshawn Sorey regularly expands the traditional drum kit set-up to include orchestral and world-percussion instruments and has been known to conduct sections of his own compositions.
Having performed and recorded regularly with jazz visionaries such as Vijay Iyer, Steve Lehman, Anthony Braxton, Evan Parker and John Zorn, Sorey is clearly a far-sighted artist whose concept of music spans many levels.
His sound world is weird and wonderful: his latest album with violinist Jennifer Curtis Invisible Ritual (2020) is largely freely improvised and is an example of both modern drumming and modern music.
30. Papa Joe Jones (born 1911)
Jo Jones, referred to as ‘Papa’ to distinguish him from younger drummer ‘Philly’ Joe Jones, transformed the way the instrument was played and was a member of Count Basie’s famed ‘All-American Rhythm Section’ in the ’30s and ’40s.
Jones is credited with transferring time-keeping duties from the snare drum to the hi-hat at a time when jazz was developing a more legato approach, and he also pioneered the use of brushes.
His inimitable dancing swing kept him in the business for six decades, and he was idolised by his peers and those who came after him.
Known not only for his groove but also a volatile temperament, oral history tells us he humiliated a fledgling Charlie Parker by throwing a cymbal at the young saxophonist’s feet at a jam session.
Album Highlight: Jo Jones – The Jo Jones Special
29. Marcus Gilmore (born 1986)
Descended from jazz royalty, Marcus Gilmore is the grandson of the iconic ‘snap, crackle and pop’ Roy Haynes and nephew of Graham Haynes, co-founder of the influential 1980s M-Base Collective.
It therefore comes as no surprise that he has worked with musicians at the forefront of modern music such as Vijay Iyer, Steve Coleman and Ambrose Akinmusire.
His technical prowess on the drums allows him to treat the instrument melodically (musically satisfying sequences of notes), harmonically (combinations of sounds in rhythmic unison) and polyphonically (the layering of two or more melodies).
Often using ‘matched grip’ (where the left hand holds the stick in the same way as the right), he has the freedom to play not only across the drums fluently but also adjust the tone of the drums by how long the stick is in contact with the head.
Listen to Walter Smith III & Matthew Stevens’s In Common (2018) and hear for yourself!
28. Dottie Dodgion (born 1929)
Born Dorothy Rosalie Giaimo and raised in California, Dottie Dodgion started out as a singer, working with legendary jazz bassist Charles Mingus whilst still a teenager.
It wasn’t until her early 20s that she took up drums and made that the focus of the rest of her career.
After moving to New York in the early 60s, she played with a range of established artists, including Benny Goodman, Tony Bennett, Eddie Gomez and George Mraz.
Her long-running collaboration with Marian McPartland was crystallised in late 1970s when they formed an all-female jazz group (alongside saxophonist Vi Redd, guitarist Mary Osborne and bassist Lynn Milano).
Despite being one of the oldest jazz drummers on this list, Dodgion only passed away recently, in September 2021, and her fascinating life story can be discovered in more details through her autobiography The Lady Swings: Memoirs of a Jazz Drummer.
27. Alan Dawson (born 1929)
The teacher of Tony Williams was always going to have his own playing career overshadowed, but this says more about the jazz press than Alan Dawson’s abilities.
A cursory listening of Dawson’s extensive recorded catalogue reveals a balance of precise execution and bubbly looseness desirable in a post-bop drummer. It’s clear he has mastered the fundamentals, but this does not hinder his creativity.
Alongside his busy playing and recording schedule, Alan Dawson’s contributions to jazz drum set pedagogy made him a magnet for those who went on to have illustrious careers of their own and has been documented by former students.
Album Highlight: Dexter Gordon – The Panther
26. Shelly Manne (born 1920)
Although closely associated with the West Coast jazz of the ’50s, Shelly Manne actually started his career in New York in the late ’30s. In the following decade he performed with beboppers Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker as well as cool-schoolers Lennie Tristano and Lee Konitz and became more widely known by his work with the Woody Herman and Stan Kenton big bands.
Manne’s move to California in the early ’50s led to new opportunities, such as leading his own band and running a venue. He became heavily involved with the soundtrack industry, weaving together musical styles and drummer/percussionist roles which in turn informed his jazz playing.
Shelly Manne’s understated style put the music at the centre of the listener’s experience, and he was admired for his melodic approach. His swing was intense without being overbearing, and he was a favourite of singers and horn players alike.
Album Highlight: Ornette Coleman – Tomorrow Is The Question
25. Eric Harland (born 1976)
Well known as a fierce technician and master of odd time-signatures, Eric Harland studied at the Manhattan School of Music at the recommendation of Wynton Marsalis.
His discography shows that his talent is endorsed not only by jazz legends such as Charles Lloyd, Dave Holland and McCoy Tyner, but also cutting-edge modernists like Kurt Rosenwinkel, Walter Smith III and Chris Potter.
As a leader, Harland has released three albums, the latest of which 13th Floor (2018) is well worth a listen. Incorporating irregular metres and fusion jazz grooves, the drumming here takes no prisoners.
24. Roy Haynes (born 1925)
Once described by Thelonious Monk as “an eight ball right in the side pocket,” legendary American jazz drummer Roy Haynes has a career spanning almost 70 years.
Well into the 21st Century, he provides a direct line back into jazz history, having performed with the real legends: Louis Armstrong, Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Sarah Vaughan , Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, Lennie Tristano, Stan Getz and many more.
Constantly evolving, touring and recording, he described his music very simply: hard swing.
Album Highlight: The Amazing Bud Powell
23. Viola Smith (born 1912)
One of the earliest well-known female jazz musicians, Viola Smith (originally Viola Schmitz) emerged in the late 1920s playing the popular swing orchestra music of the day.
She spent a large portion of this early part of her career touring with an all-female band featuring her sisters, called the Schmitz Sisters Family Orchestra.
She moved to New York City in the early 1940s where she established a reputation as a technically gifted drummer and played, amongst others, with greats including Ella Fitzgerald.
Not just a great drummer, Smith as also an early advocate of gender equality in jazz, writing an article entitled “Give Girl Musicians a Break” for Downbeat magazine in 1942 which in which she argued that “instead of replacing [war-drafted