Give the Drummer Some
Great Podcast from Red Bull Radio
by Tim Lake
Earlier this year Red Bull Radio aired a four part mini series called "Give The Drummer Some", a title derived from James Brown's "Funky Drummer".
The format was interesting, with host J-Zone sitting at one drumset and his guest sitting at another, they discussed music and drumming, with each guest demonstrating some of the grooves they played live in the studio.
Focusing on Funk and Soul with touch of jazz, the drummers featured in the podcast were some of great drummers playing today - Bernard Purdie, Questlove, Mike Clark and Greg Errico. Each episode is a musical education packed with inspiration for any aspiring jazz drummer.
Unfortunately the episodes are no longer available on the Red Bull Radio site, however, they are available on mixcloud. Below are the links to each episode as well as a link to the original podcast page with the track listing, which is essential!
Questlove
One of the most famous and respected drummers working today. He came to prominence with the hi-hop group the Roots, and has played with the likes of Eyrka Badu and D'Angelo. In the podcast he talks about coming up with that drum'n'bass groove and how to play sloppy!
Bernard Purdie
Often called the most recorded drummer in the world. Purdie has laid it down for Aretha Frankling, James Brown and Steely Dan, to name a few. In the podcast he talks about why he had a sign made for recording sessions and breaks down the famous "Purdie Shuffle".
Mike Clark
Perhaps based known for his work on Herbie Hancock's "Thrust" record, Clark is a versatitle jazz drummer playing everything from funk, to blues, to jazz. His playing on the track "God Made Me Funky" has been sampled endlessly. In the podcast he also tells the story behind "Actual Proof".
Greg Errico
Errico was the original drummer for the great funk group Sly and the Family Stone. His unflashy grooves underpins much of their early music and has been sampled by many reknowned hip-hop artists since. He also toured with Weather Report.