Lionel Hampton
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.
Freddie Gruber
Right up until his passing on October 11, Freddie Gruber was a source of deep and important knowledge for many top drummers. This piece from the January 1996 issue of Modern Drummer, by one of his most accomplished students,…
Jason "Malletman" Taylor Blog
Hello, MD readers! My name is Jason “Malletman” Taylor. I’m a vibraphonist and protégé of the late, legendary Lionel Hampton. “Hamp” taught me how to swing my thing on vibes! As we begin 2010, I’m feeling reflective and want to…
Jason "Malletman" Taylor Blog
Hello, MD readers! My name is Jason “Malletman” Taylor. I’m a vibraphonist and protégé of the late, legendary Lionel Hampton. “Hamp” taught me how to swing my thing on vibes! As we begin 2010, I’m feeling reflective and want to…
William "Cozy" Cole: The Father Of Coordinated Independence
Cozy Cole, an incredibly adept player, was strongly rooted in the rudimental style, but he contributed much to jazz drumming. One of the first players to develop his own brand of hand and foot coordination, he mastered the technique thoroughly,…
"Papa" Jo Jones: Drumming’s Fearsome Father Figure
It’s been said that modern drumming made its first step towards maturity when Jo Jones arrived in New York in 1936 with the Count Basie band. Within a few years, “Papa” Jo became the idol of hundreds of drummers across…