Rufus “Speedy” Jones earned his nickname while playing for the big bands of Count Basie and Duke Ellington. Rufus was never an overly subtle player; he could always be counted on to light a fire under other players. Rufus used the kit shown here when he played for Duke Ellington. It’s a 1970 Slingerland kit with two 14 x 22 bass drums, two 9 x 13 toms, a 16 x 16 floor tom, and a chrome over brass snare drum. The drums are finished in a White Marine Pearl wrap, and all the stands are original Slingerland models. Although Louie Bellson had pioneered the use of two bass drums in the late 1940s, it was still a rarity in big band performance in the 70s. But Rufus Jones made the most of them.