The best jazz drummers have always had the miraculous capability to transform any song through improvisation. Most jazz performers don’t prepare their solos. Instead, they improvise, using the rhythm and chords to create a unique melody, usually overtop a consistent bass line. In jazz, arguably the most technically difficult form of popular music, a drummer’s role can be more grueling than those in the fields of rock and pop.
In jazz’s infancy at the beginning of the 20th century, it was the drummers who gave jazz its heartbeat with an intoxicating, eminently danceable groove. But as the music evolved, its requirements changed.
Jazz drummers had to contribute to the music in other ways: by supporting and lifting the soloists, building tension and drama, supplying percussive color, and helping to invoke a mood or atmosphere.
Our Requirements To Make the List
We looked at several factors to build out this list of best jazz drummers today and in the past. First, we considered technical playing ability and their overall chops. This was essential to categorize them in terms of their expertise around the kit.
We picked these artists based on their incredible playing, association with famous acts, and influence on future generations. This could be their stature for teaching the craft or performing on massive albums that shaped music as a whole.
Best Jazz Drummers
1. Art Blakey
A multi-rhythmic percussion talent, Art Blakey was a one-man engine room who powered his long-running band, The Jazz Messengers, with a superior sense of swing and syncopation. Sitting atop this list of the best black jazz drummers of all time, he was a charismatic bandleader as well as a drummer; his trademark was the swelling press roll, which he used to inject a turbo-charged intensity into his driving hard bop grooves.
He played with some of the biggest names in jazz, including Miles Davis and John Coltrane.
Art Blakey contributed to this famous Cannonball Adderley album called Somethin’ Else (1958), with another rare sideman about to change the landscape of jazz: Miles Davis had already enlisted Cannonball to accentuate his quintet to a sextet. Davis’s cool-school aesthetic looms large, and Blakey’s drumming is more discreet than usual under his influence. The ensemble playing is refined and spacious, the tempos are relaxed and the moods reflective.
2. Louie Bellson
Christened by Duke Ellington as “not only the world’s greatest drummer…[but also] the world’s greatest musician,” Louie Bellson had excelled on drums since age three. At 15, he pioneered the double bass drum set-up, and two years later he triumphed over 40,000 drummers to win the Gene Krupa drumming contest.
Bellson performed on more than 200 albums as one of the most sought-after big band drummers, working with such greats as Duke Ellington (who recorded many of Bellson’s compositions), Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, etc.
Bellson was one of 36 musicians receiving the Living Jazz Legend Award from the Kennedy Center and one of three honored as ASCAP Jazz Living Legends by the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers.
Skin Deep is an album by Louis Bellson featuring performances recorded in 1953 and 1954 for the Norgran label. Ken Dryden gave a heartfelt review on Skin Deep stating, “Percussionistically Speaking” starts as a blues, then Bellson shows off his subtle brushwork before switching to sticks for a powerful solo.
The title track is Bellson’s best-known piece, written while he was briefly with Duke Ellington; this powerful big band version is as effective as his famous earlier version.
3. Max Roach
Max Roach was one of the most influential jazz drummers of all time. Max was one of the founding fathers of bebop, and his work with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie includes many of the most important recordings in jazz history (such as Miles Davis’ Birth of the Cool).
He was also a pioneer of solo drum compositions, and took jazz drumming to a new level with his nimble and creative playing (this video is just him on a hi-hat)! Many consider Roach to be the most versatile and innovative jazz drummer of all time.
Roach was also a talented composer, and his best-known composition is “Freedom Now Suite,” a musical statement against racial injustice. Throughout his career, Roach continued to push the boundaries of jazz drumming, and his influence can be heard in the music of generations of drummers who came after him.
“There Will Never Be Another You” is a jazz standard composed by Harry Warren and performed by the legendary drummer Max Roach. This 1958 recording is a soulful rendition of the classic song, featuring Roach’s unparalleled sense of rhythm and masterful drumming technique.
Roach’s drumming is precise and nuanced, providing a solid foundation for the other instruments while also adding depth and texture to the song.
4. Gene Krupa
Gene Krupa is considered one of the original innovators of the instrument itself, working with Slingerland and Zildjian to define how the modern drum set was put together.
His drum battles with Buddy Rich were legendary, and Krupa became one of the biggest household names of the 1920s even amongst non-musicians. Krupa was the godfather of the extended drum solo. He’s also considered one of the original innovators of the instrument itself, working with Slingerland and Zildjian to define how the modern drum set was put together.
Krupa’s dynamism is evident on “Don’t Be That Way” from the Carnegie Hall album; his performance starts subtly but then he drops in some explosive bass drum accents and adds short, machine-gun-like snare drum breaks, taking the song up several gears.
5. Buddy Rich
Buddy Rich was a jazz drummer known for his incredible technique and speed. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1917 and began playing drums when he was just 18 months old. His father, who was also a musician, encouraged him to pursue his talents, and by the age of four Buddy was already appearing on stage.
Renowned for his speed, power, and primal sense of swing, Buddy would show off his exemplary technique by indulging in extended drum solos, which were the precursor of those found in rock music.
Buddy Rich went on to have a successful career as a solo artist and bandleader, and he recorded many popular albums. He died in 1987, but his legacy as one of the greatest jazz drummers of all time lives on.
He’s been honored all over the media and pop culture. In 2017, the Palm Springs Walk of Stars awarded Buddy his own Star. Buddy was also named No. 15 in Rolling Stone magazine’s 100 Greatest Drummers of All Time.
In Quiet Please, his timekeeping is predominantly on the snare drum, moving to a closed hi-hat only to accompany Jimmy Dorsey’s clarinet solo. This suggests an allegiance more with the tradition of Gene Krupa and Chick Webb than the more modern legato cymbal playing of Jo Jones and Sid Catlett. In Not So Quiet Please Rich exhibits a wide range of colors and timbres and uses the different tom-tom pitches to play melodically
6. Viola Smith
Smith was a groundbreaking pioneer for female drummers, appearing on the Ed Sullivan Show five times during her heyday in the ‘40s and ’50s. She was called “the female Gene Krupa,” and her exciting solos and unconventional drum kit made her a national sensation (she used 13 toms, with a couple at shoulder height).
She lived up to the age of 107, inspiring drummers everywhere to grab a pair of sticks and play drums. Viola Smith, who played a giant 12-piece drum kit and was billed as the “fastest female drummer in the world”
Her showcase piece was “The Snake Charmer,” in which she performed drumming pyrotechnics on a 12-piece drum set. The Coquettes evolved from the remnants of Smith’s Wisconsin family’s all-female band, in which she was one of eight musical sisters.
7. Dave Tough
Dave Tough was one of the most important drummers of the Dixieland era, playing with Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, and most famously, Woody Herman’s big band. He had a remarkably understated playing style and reportedly hated taking drum solos, preferring a more traditional and supportive role.
Despite suffering from epilepsy and dying very young (41), he left an important legacy in the history of jazz. Dizzy Gillespie once said, “Dave never got in the way; he didn’t overplay. What we need today are a few more Dave Toughs.”
The song Twilight in Turkey features the immaculate Dave Tough with Tommy Dorsey & Clambake 7 where Dave Tough shines and amazes us all.
8. Steve Gadd
Steve Gadd’s contribution to the field of jazz drumming is remarkable. His collaborations with jazz legends such as Chick Corea and Al Jarreau have showcased his ability to maneuver complex jazz compositions with finesse and creativity.
Gadd’s signature drumming style, characterized by his subtle ghost notes, nuanced dynamics, and mastery of various percussion instruments, has made him a revered figure among drummers and musicians worldwide.
Gadd’s beat is at its best in Chick Corea’s Lenore. This delicious slice of syncopation relies on an inverted paradiddle played between the closed hi-hat, snare, kick, and floor tom.
As with so many Gadd moments, the genius doesn’t lie in complexity, but rather, in applying simple concepts in original ways. Lenore is pacy and off-beat enough to create interest, but still ’normal’ enough to nod your head to.
9. Tony Williams
Tony Williams was one of the most impactful jazz drummers of all time. His approach was characterized by a light touch and a focus on groove rather than flash or firepower. This allowed him to create a new kind of rhythmic conversation that was more about interaction and dialogue than soloing or showboating.
Emergency was the debut of Williams’ Lifetime project and a tremendously influential recording featuring organist Larry Young and guitarist John McLaughlin. The track balances nearly uncontrollable manic energy with comparatively quiet bluesy interludes and its distorted, violent mix makes the record sound loud even at moderate volumes.
10. Chuck Webb
Webb was one of the most significant drummers of the Big Band era. He moved to New York City six years later and began leading his band in Harlem. Webb and his band became the house band at the Savory Ballroom. He became known as one of the best band leaders and drummers of the new Swing style of music.
Drumming legend Buddy Rich claimed that Webb’s technique and performances as heavily influential on Rich’s drumming and recounted Webb as “the daddy of them all.” Webb was also deemed the “King of Swing.” Some of his best-known songs are “Harlem Congo,” “Strumpin’ At the Savoy,” “Hallelujah,” and “Undecided.”
Webb overcame tremendous adversity, using a 28-inch bass drum to power his band, which also featured a young singer named Ella Fitzgerald. His fiery playing paved the way for drummers like Rich, Gene Krupa, and Louis Bellson, all of whom cited him as a major influence on their playing.
Chick Webb shows absolute mastery of the craft in Harlem Congo. This is from The Smithsonian Collection / Big Band Jazz (From the Beginnings to the Fifties) Volume ll a four-CD set. Recorded November 1, 1937.
11. Shelly Manne
Shelly Manne was one of the originators of the West Coast or “cool jazz” sound in the ‘40s and ‘50s, playing with groundbreaking bandleader Stan Kenton’s orchestra. Manne was versatile, also working with bebop stars Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker as well as backing Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Mel Tormé. He also recorded on a ton of Hollywood film soundtracks like The Pink Panther, West Side Story, and My Fair Lady.
The West Coast Sound is an album by drummer Shelly Manne’s group Shelly Manne & His Men, recorded at sessions in 1953 and 1955 and released on the Contemporary label. The album features Manne’s first recordings for Contemporary from 1953—eight tracks originally released on a 10-inch album—along with an additional four tracks from 1955.
12. Mark Guiliana
Mark and his boundary-shattering creativity and brilliant playing confirm that he deserves to be here. From his duo with pianist Brad Meldhau (Mehliana) to his genre-defining performance on David Bowie’s final album Blackstar, Guiliana has burst forward as a leader of the new generation of artists building on traditions of the past to push jazz forward.
Guiliana’s new album “MARK”, represents an extensive voyage into his creative depths. On the record, Mark performs solo on a wide array of devices; you can hear his quintessential grooves intermixed with intriguing percussive soundscapes, sublime tapestries of synthesizers, and fragments of the spoken word.
13. Roy Haynes
With a career spanning over seven decades, Haynes stands as one of the greatest jazz drummers. His remarkable talent and versatility have allowed him to adapt and thrive in various jazz styles, from bebop to avant-garde, making him a respected and influential figure in the genre.
Haynes’ career boasts an impressive list of collaborations with some of the most celebrated jazz musicians in history, including Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, and Chick Corea. His drumming is characterized by its flawless groove, finesse, and remarkable ability to adapt to different musical contexts.
The Busman’s Holiday is one of the best albums of Roy Haynes where he displays his multifaceted skills much to the amazement of all his fans alike.
14. Sonny Payne
Between 1954 and 1965, Payne held the much-coveted drum seat in Count Basie’s big band and brought a profound sense of rhythmic swagger, drama, and vigor to the jazz aristocrat’s music.
Payne brought serious showmanship, dynamics, and musicality to the drum chair of this hugely popular big band. Basie called him the “spark plug” of the group, and he earned the respect and attention of peers like Louis Bellson and Elvin Jones who remarked that “he just made that band come alive.”
Sonny Pay appeared on Basie’s classic 50s album April In Paris was a huge hit. Count Basie plays organ and piano, and the rhythm section of Eddie Jones on bass and Sonny Payne drive the whole album with restrained intensity.
15. Terrie Lyne Carrington
The world of jazz drumming is mostly an all-male preserve, but the Grammy-winning Carrington – who can play both jazz and R&B with élan – offers a compelling exception to this rule, more than earning her place among the best jazz drummers – female or male.
Terri Lyne Carrington is a 2021 NEA Jazz Master, a 2019 Doris Duke Artist, and a three-time Grammy Award-winning drummer, composer, producer, and educator.
Terri Lyne Carrington + Social Science, released their debut album, Waiting Game, in 2019, addressing social issues including mass incarceration, police brutality, homophobia, the rights of indigenous peoples, political imprisonment, and gender equity. The album was nominated for a 2020 Grammy Award and won the 2020 Edison Award.