WE WAnt thE FUNK!

Vic Firth Presents

A JOURNEY THROUGH THE HISTORY OF WITH AND

R&B DRUMMING Daniel Glass

JUMP BLUES/BOOGIE WOOGIE 1946 BACKBEAT SHUFFLE 1948 CHICAGO BLUES 1954
“Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens” Louis Jordan “Good Rockin’ Tonight” Wynonie Harris “(I’m Your) Hoochie Coochie Man” Muddy Waters
From: The Best of Louis Jordan From: Bloodshot Eyes: The Best of Wynonie Harris From: The Best of Chess Blues

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Eddie Byrd: Drums B.P.M. 150 Clarence “Bobby” Donaldson: Drums B.P.M. 150 Fred Below: Drums B.P.M. 73

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The jump sound was characterized by smooth, swinging shuffles that were often “Good Rockin’ Tonight” was one of the first recordings ever to feature heavy backbeats Chicago blues grooves like this one were stark and simple – often mimicking the guitar or
played with brushes. Notice that there is no backbeat on 2 and 4. from start to finish. Put some grease on this groove and lay it back! harmonica line rather than following a repetitive pattern like a shuffle.

BO DIDDLEY BEAT 1955 12/8 FEEL 1956 NEW ORLEANS R&B 1956
“Bo Diddley” Bo Diddley “Blueberry Hill” Fats Domino “I’m Walkin’” Fats Domino
From: Bo Diddley: His Best (Chess 50th Anniversary Collection) From: The Fats Domino Jukebox From: Backbeat: The World’s Greatest Rock ‘n Roll Drummer

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Clifton James: Drums B.P.M. 212 Earl Palmer: Drums B.P.M. 100 Earl Palmer: Drums B.P.M. 224

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This thunderous jungle groove strongly influenced the sound of early rock’n’roll The 12/8 feel dominated the sound of the 1950s and has gone on to be This super funky Earl Palmer groove captures the flavor of the New Orleans “second line”.
and has been used by everyone from Clapton and Springsteen to U2. one of the most enduring feels ever to come out of the blues.

PRIMA SHUFFLE 1956 BACK SHUFFLE (STUMBLE SHUFFLE) 1957 EARLY STRAIGHT 8th ROCK 1957
“Just a Gigolo/I Ain’t Got Nobody” Louis Prima “Farther Up the Road” Bobby “Blue” Bland “Lucille” Little Richard
From: Louis Prima: Capitol Collectors Series From: I Pity the Fool: The Duke Recordings, Vol. 1 From: The Georgia Peach

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Bobby Morris: Drums B.P.M. 126 Sonny Freeman: Drums B.P.M. 108 Earl Palmer: Drums B.P.M. 144
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This bouncy shuffle was at the heart of Louis Prima’s hit sound. When practicing it, This loping off-beat groove is often associated with Texas blues. Drumming legend Earl Palmer was the chief architect of rock drumming. By 1957, he
play the accents on the hi hat and keep the snare light and snappy. Sonny Freeman plays it beautifully on the intro and outro to this Bobby Bland hit. was laying down fully formed straight 8th grooves like this one.

FAUX LATIN 1959 DOUBLE TIME GOSPEL FEEL 1961 QUARTER NOTE SHUFFLE 1962
“What’d I Say” Ray Charles “Turn On Your Love Light” Bobby “Blue” Bland “Green Onions” Booker T. & the MGs
From: The Best of Ray Charles: The Atlantic Years From: Bobby Bland: The Duke Recordings, Vol. 2 From: Green Onions

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Milt Turner: Drums B.P.M. 176 John “Jabo” Starks: Drums B.P.M. 218 Al Jackson Jr.: Drums B.P.M. 134

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Early r&b made great use of Latin feels. This legendary groove This joyful, up tempo gospel groove has a feel that falls This song is featured on countless soundtracks and captures the essence of the 1960s.
heralded the birth of 1960s styles such as soul and boogaloo. somewhere between swung and straight eighths. “Green Onions” defines the Stax Records Memphis soul sound.

1965 1967
MOTOWN GROOVE
“I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)” Four Tops
From: Four Tops: Second Album
SYNCOPATED 8th NOTE GROOVE
“Memphis Soul Stew” King Curtis
From: Atlantic Rhythm & Blues 1947-1974 Vol. 7
GEt YOUr GrOOvE On!
Richard “Pistol” Allen: Drums B.P.M. 127
> > > > > > > >
Gene Chrisman: Drums B.P.M. 112

> > > > > > With the sticks that the groove masters play!
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This quintessential driving quarter note groove dominated the airwaves Many of the great r&b grooves of the ‘60s came out of Memphis. This one is played by Gene
in the 1960s and graced many Motown hits. Chrisman, a veteran of the Memphis recording scene and one funky southern gentlemen.

Jeff Davis SDAV

SYNCOPATED 8th NOTE FUNK 1967 SYNCOPATED 8th NOTE FUNK 1970 Steve Gadd SSG
“Cold Sweat” James Brown “Super Bad Parts 1 & 2” James Brown
From: Cold Sweat From: James Brown: Super Bad

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Clyde Stubblefield: Drums B.P.M. 111 John “Jabo” Starks: Drums B.P.M. 125
> > > > David Garibaldi JM

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Omar Hakim SOH
All of James Brown’s drummers had a unique gift for funky syncopation that undoubtedly This is one of the few funk grooves where the snare is actually playing on beat one of the bar.
changed the world. This song features one of the most famous drum breaks in recorded history. Jabo emulated a famous tap dancer’s rhythm for the song’s unique beat.

Gerald Heyward SGH

PHILADELPHIA SOUL GROOVE 1972 ONE HAND 16th NOTE GROOVE 1972 Steve Jordan SJOR
“Could It Be I’m Falling In Love” The Spinners “Use Me” Bill Withers
From: Spinners From: Still Bill
Earl Young: Drums B.P.M. 102
> > > > > > o o o
James Gadson: Drums B.P.M. 77
> > > > Harvey Mason SHM

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Aaron Spears SAS
This groove was part of a ‘70s sound known as Philly soul. It brought into popularity the This is one of the most unique and funky one-handed 16th note grooves of
hugely fat backbeat on beat four by simultaneously hitting the snare and floor tom. all time – played by the Godfather of Groove, James Gadson.

8th NOTE FUNK GROOVE 1974 LINEAR 8th / 16th NOTE FUNK 1975 FUNKY NEW ORLEANS MARCH 1975
“Chameleon” Herbie Hancock and the Headhunters “Ebony Jam” Tower of Power “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” Paul Simon
From: Herbie Hancock: Headhunters From: In the Slot From: Still Crazy After All These Years

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Harvey Mason: Drums B.P.M. 100 David Garibaldi: Drums B.P.M. 112 Steve Gadd: Drums B.P.M. 101

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This landmark song introduced a funky backbeat displacement, creating a skip Through his seminal work with Tower of Power, drummer David Garibaldi pushed the This is one of the most famous drum grooves of this century – often imitated but never
feeling in the groove that forever changed modern fusion drumming. boundaries of what was done with rhythm with his unique linear approach to funk. duplicated. Legendary drummer Steve Gadd created a masterpiece with this march-like beat.

8th NOTE FUNK GROOVE 1978 GO GO GROOVE 1978

“Got To Be Real” Cheryl Lynn “Bustin’ Loose” Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers
From: Soul Hits of the ‘70s: Didn’t I Blow Your Mind, Vol. 20 From: Bustin’ Loose

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Ricky Wellman: Drums B.P.M. 110
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James Gadson: Drums B.P.M. 115
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This song brought into mass popularity the go go sound which came from the
The funk clavé and one of the greatest dance anthems of all time.
Washington D.C./ Baltimore area and helped to usher in modern hip hop.

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