Who Was The Best Jazz Drummer of All Time? 

I was so happy you included Max Roach. I'm not a drummer, but he's my guy. He played the whole kit. Loved his drumming....

Internet to English translation dictionary: Greatest = My favorite.

I have a lot of favorite jazz drummers, but it’s hard to argue with Tony Williams.

As you were going through the list I kept thinking, "There's no way this fool is gonna leave out Tony Williams, is there?" Well played sir, well played.

As soon as I saw the title I thought…Tony Williams. There are guys who become the favorites of a lotta various drummers and guys cop their licks along with the other drummers that they study…and their are drummers who fxxk up the matrix and EVERYONE runs to cop their style. Tony was that guy.

It's me, but only in my practice room when no one is listening

Your videos always helps me, as a non-drummer, to gain additional appreciate for the instrument and artists. Thanks!

My top 5 are : No. 5 , Jimmy Cobb , No. 4 , Max Roach , No. 3 , Tony Williams , No . 2 , Buddy Rich , and at No . 1 my jazz drumming idol when younger and still now at 44 years old is Art Blakey , The Jazz Messenger of all time !!

Love how structured the video is! Thanks Nate! Inspiring as always

A lot of great drummers with different styles. Gotta love it. I don't have a favorite but I see why so many drummers are in awe of Tony. It's like he's driving a motorcycle at 200 mph, no helmet and decides to pull out a Snickers bar and have a few bites, then tosses the wrapper after he finishes without losing any focus and arrives on time in record time.

Great stuff, Nate, as always. Liked your categories; liked your honorable mentions. Most of all, liked your recognition that at this elevated level of musical expression, it’s difficult-to-impossible to determine a “GOAT.” Thanks for acknowledging these giants in the art of jazz drumming!

When listening to Buddy Rich, I think, "Great technique. Predictable solo. sometimes monotonous." When listening to Sonny Payne I think. "Wow, what did he do. Wow, he did that? Wow, he brought out that brass phrase is a great way, wow, etc."

Excellent rundown of the Goats. Thanks Nate.🥁👍

Nice video. My only complaint is that Billy Cobham and Lenny White weren’t mentioned nor the evolution that became Jazz Fusion. Any of the drummers you mentioned could be the GOAT as you mentioned it’s all subjective. My personal favorites are Jo Jones & Billy Cobham.

Gotta say a name: Billy Higgins. I agree with your conclusion, and the video is very well done, but please,… Billy Higgins.

Yeah man, Tony was that dude. Something about how he keeps a pulse, cuts through it, uses subtle coordination technique, and keeps a straight spine on those fast tempos...not to say its unparalleled. But for his time period, and oh my goodness what he was doing with Eric Dolphy on Out To Lunch!...I feel you. Question: any good books out there on the history of Jazz drumming? I can see you've done extensive research. I'm on a journey about studying the history of rhythm. And think digging deeper to the roots of this will aid me greatly. Excellent video, as always.

Since I was a non-drummer when I grew up listening to jazz, my favorite drummers are just whoever played on the Mingus, Monk, Dolphy and Ornette Coleman music I love. To me, good jazz drumming is playing the jazz music people love to hear, so they are my goats :)

That’s so great! This whole video I was thinking - where is Tony?!?! I always dig your content sir. Great stuff

Great compilation and opinion , great guide to younger generations. Well done as always Nate !

Was about to shout 'where's Tonyyy??'. Great overview, very inspiring!

I’m next to ignorant of many of these artists. My dad grew up with probably 90% of these guys. So I forwarded your excellent video to him. I just bought a 7pc Tama SuperStar Classic. I’m about 5 weeks in as a complete newbie. I’m having a blast learning pretty much everything on the fly. At my age (not my fathers age) I grew up in Santa Maria with the 70’s funk/disco and the 80’s metal and of course Rush and backwards to Bonham etc. I am feeling so much creative radiance (even if I suck) as a newcomer to drums with maybe 3 beats and 2 paradiddles. I’m about to turn 55 and hope I can grow and capture a ton in that I missed drumming for all these years! Damn ! I dig your videos man 👍

Excellent and entertaining 🙌🏻

This is a great video. More than anything it made me remember how much I love this art form. I love all these dudes that came before us and I think appreciating all of them is possible. Also, Hutch is my personal goat, he was the first modern drummer I really started digging and he's the reason I now play music for a living.

I’ve always believed Tony to be the greatest as well! I’ve noticed how often Tony would be referred to as , and spoken of as , the greatest in many interviews of my favorite jazz musicians. Most of my teachers and drumming friends think of Tony as the greatest as well. To me it always seemed like Tony was broadly understood to be the undisputed greatest of all time. Yet I’ve learned that many would argue that opinion. I’ve never seen Tony listed as number 1 in any poll or list of “the greatest” until seeing your video! Thanks for putting Tony right at the top of the list where I believe he truly belongs!

Max Roach is awesome, and he was inspiration for another awesome pioneer jazz drummer, Bill Bruford.

Thanks for the in depth analysis

Papa Jo is the one for me. A lot of the new,modern young jazz drummers are fantastic. Easily as good as their predecessors.❤️❤️❤️ An excellent video Nate. Really enjoyed it thanks you.

You were SPOT on,my friend! I once made a list of drummers,from earliest to the latest ones,and I managed to pick out all of the same drummers,that you did. I think the only one you didn’t mention was Chick Webb. I would love to get some more access to your drum channel & its resources. Great job,btw!

Well done. Every one has to honor Jo Jones, and the others that you mention. I wish you had mentioned Big Sid. i missd that very much. And, as any intelligent person would, you don't claim that your decision is, well, decisive. But Tony does deserve your encomium. He was very, very great. Very well done, as usual!

Regardless of whether or not one agrees with the list or its conclusions, this was fun to watch, learn, and be reminded of the players that built this domain. Well done!

One of your best historical videos.

Kenny Clarke's move to the ride cymbal might be the most influential instrumental thing in all of jazz/pop/rock music history.

This was so much fun!! Thank you. Hah!! I should have known from the image in your email that you'd be voting for Tony Williams. And thanks for all the love you gave to the real GOAT, Elvin Jones. Just sayin'! Peace, Todd Berg

The first time I heard 7 steps to heaven I was blown away.

How Frankie Dunlop is never mentioned is mind boggling!!

You made a great drummer documentary. You covered just about all of the people's favorites. Not many fans can feel left out. My personal favorite is Vernel Fournier. Great job covering so many terrific jazz drummers. Thank you 80/20!

First of all, GREAT video, in terms of content, production, and personality. I'm a new fan of your channel! I'm a pro guitarist, but I'm a HUGE fan of great jazz drummers and drumming. I've been incredibly lucky to have seen and sometimes met several of the drummers on this list - Max Roach, Kenny Clarke, Tony Williams, Buddy Rich, Roy Haynes, Jack DeJonnette, Jeff Watts. I doubt anyone's going to argue over your choice for the GOAT. I'll just drop in two names you didn't mention for more modern players who rank among the very best performances I've ever seen and heard - Terri Lynn Carrington and Chris Dave, both during performances at the Dakota Jazz Club when it was in St. Paul, MN in the early 2000's.

good job, thanks

Billy Cobham #1 on my list he's my goat of all drummers he did everything all drummers Cobham is on a totally different level check out all his CDs old and new Cobham is the man

Louis Bellson ( Duke Ellington) - Stan Levy ( Charlie Parker) are two of greatest jazz drummers 🥁 as well! It’s so hard to choose one over the other when there’s so many! Great job on your video brother!

All the drummers you mentioned are great. It’s like asking who is the best painter? All different styles but all innovative and contributors.

Great video. I definitely gravitate towards "The Revolutionaries". I've seen many of your videos about Tony and enjoyed them all. He's definitely my favorite as well. I could watch his solos for hours. There's a great podcast featured by Drum History Podcast and Paul Wells on RU-vid. It goes on in depth about how young he was when he would take solo trips to NY to hang out with Max Roach. Amazing stuff.

love the video, I don't disagree with your list, but the father of double bass drumming was pretty innovative and created/wrote/arranged one of the greatest drum solos of all time... Skin Deep...Louie Bellson....

Interesting video - Tony Williams is a the top in my book. I was truly blessed to have seen Buddy Rich play several times over the years and he was terrific but I also saw Billy Cobham several times and he blew my mind and he was out of this world! I was kind of surprised you didn’t mention him.

That's an interesting list of drummers, I really don't have much dispute with any of the opinions you've put across. One name I would suggest as the answer to a slightly different question: who was the greatest drum prodigy of all time? I would suggest Tony Williams, who was not only so amazingly innovative but was innovative from such an early age. Given he was the youngest of Miles' "Second Great Quartet" it's an absolute travesty that he's no longer with us. One thing that was a cornerstone of his musicality was not just his sense of innovation, but his musical open-mindedness, right to the end.

I'm still rather new at this level of music history. Started as a kid with the 70's and 80's music first on the radio, then metal and prog, digging back further with each decade. I finally hit the basement in the last 10 years or so and especially in the last 6 with drum kit as central focus. Gene Krupa led the way back with research into the kit. To me he wasn't just the one who made drums popular, he worked with Ludwig and Slingerland to produce the first tunable tom toms that have been the basic drum design ever since. That said, thanks for continuing my education in music history beyond what I ever knew.

The Magnificent Seven of Jazz Drumming: Tony Williams Elvin Jones Philly Joe Jones Art Blakey Roy Haynes Kenny Clarke Max Roach If you’re number one is ANY of the names on this list it would be hard to argue. Although Jack DeJohnette should be there too of course! Done….

For me it was Morello. I remember e-mailing him, telling him I stopped my drumming because I couldn't master the art of 'independent coordination'. I also suggested that great drumming had stopped since the decline of jazz. He told me, I should tried harder and practiced more and told me fear not great drumming is very much alive and well. After I discovered Hudson Music's site I realized what Joe mean't! I never knew about Dave Weckl or Simon Phillips and my passion for 'MY' music, resurfaced stronger than ever.! Thanks for this vid, as it adds to my hunger for more.

Cool video. My personal favourites, that I also argue influence my rock drumming, are Gene Krupa and Max Roach. Gene for his style swung groove, Max for his hi hat sound and technique.

Really liked this one for all the historical context. Easy to know the names, but why they're important is the real juice.

Nate, I did enjoy the video. Goes without saying, you could have probably done a 12-hour video and still not have covered all the potential GOATS. Certainly knew something was up when you didn't mention Tony initially, and you certainly can't go wrong with him at the top of your list. Enjoyed it as always... 👍😗

awesome vid how lucky our we all amazing thanks

Yep, for me, its definitely Tony

Most polls say Art Blakey...and Buddy Rick next.

Very well done young man!!!! I took the rider with you and i have to say i agree with everyone you brought up but was thinking, as we all were, "Where's Tony???" And you my friend did not disappoint!!!! One personal favorite and often over looked but obviously was loved by Miles is Al Foster. Just had to bring that one up. Maybe not on the GOAT list but quite a formidable contender and worthy of an honorable mention. By the way, not a drummer, but i'm a guitar player who loves a great drummer.

Art Blakey hardly mentioned I disagree with

Great list! And, yes, Tony is king. He's our Michael Jordan. My personal favorite is Elvin, though. I hear something different each time I listen to his recordings. Alan Dawson needs a mention, too. He wasn't as well known as the other guys, but he did educate a good bit of them.

Louis Bellson

That was a great piece with some very cool footage that I've never seen before. I'm not a drummer but I'm a big fan of jazz (and jazz drummers) nonetheless. I have been privileged to have seen many of your "contenders" perform live i.e., Elvin, Jack, Tony, Max and Roy, as well as some of your "honorable mentions" (Eric Harland, Marcus Gilmore, Ben Riley, Rasheed Ali, etc.). I'm sure virtually all your viewers figured out it was going to be Tony Williams when you didn't include him with the other drummers that rose to prominence in the 1960s. I don't believe that there is a single "greatest of all time", but certainly no one is "better" or more influential than Tony Williams. Speaking of Tony Williams, two clips of Lifetime (T. Williams, J. McLaughlin, L. Young & J. Bruce) that were filmed for German TV in 1970 (but never broadcast) have recently been put on RU-vid. Here's a link to one of them, which is medley of several tunes, which are incorrectly titled. Enjoy: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-cNfy3Urhtsc.html Of course there are dozens of other great jazz drummers you didn't mention. I won't try to list them all; I'm sure you're familiar with them. There is one drummer in particular that I'm surprised you didn't include: Billy Cobham. He was very innovative and influential, particularly in the realm of jazz rock fusion.

I don’t necessarily categorize GOATs in music but my favorites that I always come back to is Roy and Tony.

What's your opinion on the best rock drummers and what you like about them?

Great video Nate ! I'm maybe inclined to say that my favorite might be Elvin Jones, I love post bop and tjose triplets he plays

Superb video, as someone who has been a fan of Jazz and jazz history since the late 60s, it's hard to find content like this that doesn't make me want to run out of the room screaming. You have a great historical and technical knowledge, contextual sense, and dare I say it, taste. I don't like Best Of discussions much as in the end it's our subjective tastes that will always edge one out over another, but I can say my favorites are Elvin Jones, Papa Jo Jones, Max Roach, Tony Wiliams, and a few who never make the lists because they are not technical monsters or famous, but they are lyrical and musical and original in a way I love : Billy Higgins, Ed Thigpen, and the criminally underrated Danny Richmond, as examples. I must say that I'm a bit disappointed Philly Joe Jones didn't make the list, his contribution is immense and he was such a tasteful and swinging cat. Baby Dodds was probably the greatest innovator, when you think about it, but there's not a lot recorded and era is so far back near the birth of the genre that his contribution is largely forgotten pr ignored.

I was so anxious that you weren’t putting Brian Blade up for GOAT consideration. Thank goodness he came in at the end.

Mr.CHICK WEBB DID IT BEFORE THEM ALL. read his story!

Great synopsis! What caused the dents in your rack tom head?

I was fortunate enough to have taken lessons from Bob Moses. He's on the very first Pat Metheny album with Jaco. His drum set method book, "Drum Wisdom," is the best drumming book for intermediate/advanced drummers I've ever seen.

It was in 1937-38 when Kenny Clarke when on tour in Europe with Edgar Hayes that he finally had the freedom to really develop his bepop style. He said this in an oral history program

I'd say it's between Tony and Papa Jo, who was a phenom. The last and the first, so to speak. Tony was a bit of a Mozart, when you hear how good he was at 17 playing on ESP. Such mature playing already. Really enjoyed the rundown :)

Nice show and you make a very good case for Tony Williams as GOAT, in particular becuase he made such a mark in both swinging jazz type drumming and more rock oriented fusion. One could say pretty much the same about Jack DeJohnette though, who also is maybe the most recorded jazz drummer ever. I worked at a record store in the early 90s, and chances were good that any CD one randomly picked up from that time, and few decades earlier, you would find him on drums. And he's also a very good composer (I might rate him a bit better than TW for that). I would argue that a couple of lesser known names are some of the most amazing as far as raw skill and advanced concepts go. I'd put Alan Dawson (a clip with him trading fours with Sonny Rollins is the single most impressive drumming clip I know of on RU-vid). And then there's Ralph Peterson who I was lucky to see live a few times and was as awe inspiring as anyone I've seen and I've seen quite a few of the greats (and was a very good composer as well) For contempray folks, I'd give the nod to Brian Blade as his style is so recognizable, and he exploits the dynamic potential of the drum kit more than about anyone else. He is both the most subtle and the most explosive drummer out there. Though I can think of a few others who I like better as far as timekeeping, I feel that no one has topped Max Roach as far as soloing goes. His solos were the most coherent, most melodic of any that I've heard...

Great overview. Re: Tony...why no mention of Alan Dawson?

Tony Williams, spectacular, beyond innovative, totally unique and groundbreaking, but, big BUT, not as influential, because he was SO good, no one can really do what he did nearly as effectively.

For the ridiculously enjoyable solo on Take Five Joe Morello and although more jazz fusion I have to give a mention to Billy Cobham now in his eighties and for looking the happiest behind a set of drums whilst playing some great stuff Papa Joe Jones. I was watching an old Sinatra film recently which brings Shelly Manne to mind but tomorrow I could be listening to Lenny White, Steve Smith, Vinnie C or Steve Gadd and change my mind again and Chick Corea was mentioned in the video which brings to mind Dave Weckl who when younger won every drumming accolade going.

connie kaye /big sid catlett/ shadow wilson/ davey tough /kaiser marshall/ art taylor

Hmm..pretty well done…and I would agree with your conclusion

M.r Tony Williams, mr Max Roach, mr Art Blakey, mr Elvin Jones, and mr Brian Blade

I may be butchering Miles quote, but y'all get it.... "The first time I heard him, I knew that Tony Williams was the baddest motherfucker to ever play a set of drums" That's enough right there to make me say, "yeah, that checks out"

Certainly a good faith effort. I was a bit disappointed that Ralph Peterson didn't get a mention. But so many, and so little time...

Easy: Buddy Rich. That´s why there are lots of B. Rich tribute concerts.

Tony Williams, period end of paragraph.

Herlin Riley is my favorite! Herlin swings, swaggers, and grooves like nobody's business!

Great vid but Art Blakey being an honorable mention is insane. One of the founders of Bebop drumming.

Called it 😅 great overview! definitely too many greats to name without missing a lot or going into subcategories. papa jo is def my guy tho

I am 'floating' with Elvin Jones and Roy Haynes.

Max Roach : Solo on Sonny Rollins, Album Saxophone Colossus, ( appx, 1956 )Track : Blue Seven. Anyway, Peace to all.

I feel like the things you said Haynes added could also be said of Elvin Jones. Jones’ triplets move me like none other.

Yeah loved the whole video, some names I've heard and others not. Billy Cobham did come to mind while watching, although he may be considered fusion I suppose. I've always admired Tony Williams though, excellent choice

Too easy; a toss up between Max Roach and Art Blakey. I know personally because I saw them both in concert. Max when he was married to Abby Lincoln at a place called "The Aqua Lounge" on 52nd street in West Philly. That was in the 60's. I also saw Blakey at "The Showboat" in South Philly around the same time frame. Years later, I saw Blakey in Chicago at "The Jazz Showcase " which was then in the Blackstone hotel downtown. Max's work with Clifford Brown, are you kidding me? Max and Blakey are it for me....!!

Enjoyed the video. Very well done. Williams would be my pick. I think Blakey deserved more than a hat tip. I guess you wouldn't consider Billy Cobham a jazz drummer? He's right there with Willams for me.

Dave Weckl . Ele é um dos mais longevos , mais sofisticados , mais ecléticos , tocava com peso e força , leveza e detalhes , muitos tipos de kits , criativo , elegante . Dennis Chambvers também é um grande no jazz e jazz rock

No Herlin Riley? he played on many of Winton Marsalas' recordings and I didn't hear his name mentioned

Aloha great inspiration thank you for sharing! Ed Blackwell Billy Higgins higher level , you know ! You are really great at what you do ! 🌈

Side note as drummer player, teacher, freaking fanatic THAT SAW EVERYONE LIVE FOR 57YRS..... YES Tony is king But THE greatest jazz drummer I ever saw was TED HAWK R.I.P. from LA. If anyone here remembers him please say amen. He was a freakishly great jazz drummer.

I agree with the Tony Williams crown, and I thought a guy who could have been mentioned in the video was Billy Cobham.

There is no best, only different. Tony 🙌🏻

an honorable mention for Idris Muhammad (Leo Morris), please.

Honorable mentions: Airto Moreita and Lenny White for the fusion contributions. I would say

I came out of the womb listening to Jo Jones and Sonny Payne.. literally. ALL drummers mentioned are my favorites. Buddy was my number 1 because of his solos and that freaking freak of a land hand! But as it happens, listening evolves. Yeah, soloing and technique is what gets us excited, but you have to go beyond that. Style, swing, taste, dynamics and genre. Joe Morello is a GOAT because of how he was able to take odd time signatures and make it cool and popular....worthy enough to put a record in a juke box! One of my other favorites is Grady Tate. His playing was tasty and swung hard. Listen to most of Wes Montgomery's A&M recordings THEN listen to Wes and Jimmy Smith's The Dynamic Duo album. I honestly don't think there is a GOAT because of the VAST contributions to the drumming world. Today it's Tony Williams. Tomorrow, Elvin...next day, Billy Higgins. For me, they are ALL Greatest of ALL Time! Well done!!!

Great video. Also al foster…. Did u say Tony Williams?

…there he is!