Mark Egan is one of the most highly regarded bassists in the history of electric jazz. Performing and recording with many of the prominent drummers of our time—a short list would include Steve Gadd, Jack DeJohnette, Vinnie Colaiuta, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Steve Jordan, Billy Cobham, and Dave Weckl—he’s gained rare insight into the thought processes of our instrument’s most advanced practitioners. We asked Egan to comment on what he feels are the masters’ common elements. Mark: I think to be a great drummer it takes the dedication to study the techniques and feels of the great lineage of drummers and incorporate these ideas into your own sensibilities and styles of playing. It takes a very serious commitment of study and practice. The common element that I have experienced with all these great drummers is their sense of groove, time feel, and conceptual flexibility. They all express the time feel in […]

February 2013 Issue