John Kirby

Modern Drummer is the world’s most widely read drum magazine, is dedicated entirely to the art of drumming and caters to the needs of amateur, semi-pro, and professional drummers.

O’Neil Spencer: Show Drumming’s Shooting Star

Solidly rooted in the Sid Catlett school of drumming was O’Neil Spencer, a somewhat lesser-known player who nonetheless had a significant effect on the musicians he played with and the drummers who heard him. Spencer was born in Cedarville, Ohio,…

Jun 7, 2010

Cliff Leeman: The Embodiment Of Tasteful Drumming

“I try to play behind the soloist. I’d rather play a four-bar chase chorus with a horn, something with different tones and sounds, than get into a rudimental solo,” said Cliff Leeman, one of jazz drumming’s most tasteful artists. Never…

Mar 24, 2010