Rogers Drum Company Ad--Downbeat Magazine Part 2

This is the 2nd page of a double truck ad that appeared in Downbeat Magazine in the early 60's. The first page appeared in a my  blog dated December 22nd. These ads called attention to a 5 day percussion symposium that occurred in New York. Close to 2000 drummers attended.  Back in the day, these conferences were unusual. In fact, I don't recall anything quite like this.

But let's be honest. This ad was part of a massive promotional campaign to put the Rogers Drum Company on the map. Their number one endorser, Buddy Rich, was featured front and center. Other Drummers too shared the spotlight. These included Cozy Cole, Roy Burns, Jim Chapin, and Zutty Singleton.  As the reader can see, this page shows a great picture of Buddy Rich and Joe Morello discussing  some particular aspect of drumming. Joe Morello was Ludwig's number one endorser.  No doubt Ben Strauss and Henry Grossman, the driving forces behind Rogers, were as pleased as punch to have a representative from a major competitor show up at their promotional event.

The Rogers Drum Company never looked back after making its big splash in the early 60's. They were consistently aggressive and innovative concerning their drums and the marketing of them. The drums were not cheap. A 4 piece Rogers drum kit listed for about 200.00 more than a similar configured Ludwig or Slingerland kit. But, in this case. you got what you paid for.

Today, some 50 years after this ad appeared, Rogers Drums still hold their value. Collectors search them out, and drummers around the world still play them and swear by them. You couldn't ask for a better legacy.

The 1968 Downbeat Magazine Annual Drummers Poll

In addition to having an Annual Percussion Issue (See blog dated June 8th), Downbeat also published an issue with ratings for various musicians and their recordings. These popularity contests were somewhat skewed because the only votes that counted were those that were mailed in by readers who took the time to do so. Nowadays, a few clicks can get you almost anywhere in cyberspace, but back then, snail mail was the way to go.

Anyway, these polls covered all jazz musicians who played an appropriate instrument. Guitarists,pianists, horn players, drummers---you name it and there was a poll for it. The poll only applied to jazz and, in a few cases, pop musicians. There were no classical, country, or world musicians. There was even a category for Record of the Year. These polls were only for the readers of Downbeat. No critics or commentators were allowed to vote. There was a separate issue for a critics poll.

In any case, the poll you see pictured here is the drummers poll from 1968. It's self explanatory, but the number in parenthesis indicates the standings from the previous year's poll. No numbers in parenthesis indicates a new entry for the year.

The poll gives a snapshot, albeit a small one, of the popularity of jazz drummers in 1968. All the drummers on the list were active at the time, some more than others. The first 3 names were, as can be seen, interchangeable from the previous year. Elvin Jones had left John Coltrane and had his own trio. Buddy Rich had his big band. And Tony Williams had left Miles Davis and was in the process of creating his ground breaking group, the Tony Williams Lifetime. All had a unique style. All equally valid.

The rest of the top 10 is interesting. Roy Haynes is still playing brilliantly. A few weeks ago he appeared on the David Letterman show. Joe Morello recently passed on, but his legacy as a player and a teacher is secure. Grady Tate is still playing and, at the time, played with the some of biggest names in Jazz. Max Roach and Art Blakey are household names within the drumming community. If you're a drummer, and you're not familiar with them, you haven't been paying attention. And Ed Thigpen was a great brush player who also played with some of the biggest names in jazz.

The rest of the list is equally interesting. Perhaps it's here that many drummers would begin to quibble with the ratings. There were, and are, a number of Shelly Manne fans. They would insist the he belongs in the top 10. The same would hold true for Mel Lewis fans. For me, Louis Bellson and Papa Jo Jones should be rated higher. And Gene Krupa? His career was winding down at the time, but 15th? Jack DeJohnette was playing with Miles Davis, so perhaps he should have ended up higher in the ratings. Joe Cusatis was very underrated, but not so in this poll. He's gone on to write some fine drum books. And Chico Hamilton, I believe, continues to play.

Only 2 drummers with a legacy in rock drumming made the list, Ginger Baker with Cream and Mitch Mitchell with Jimi Hendrix. Both had backgrounds in jazz and r & b, so to refer to them as simply "rock " drummers, as some critics did at the time, is a disservice. They were the only two drummers from the pop music world to make the list. Neither Hal Blaine or Earl Palmer made it, although it's understandable since both toiled in relative obscurity cranking out hit record after hit record.

Both Milford Graves and Ed Blackwell were active in the Avant Garde jazz scene. Here, too, some of the more opinionated critics at the time, questioned their style and talent.

The last 3 drummers were all active in big bands. Rufus "Speedy" Jones, Sonny Payne, and Sam Woodyard all played either with Count Basie or Duke Ellington.

It's important to remember this was a popularity poll. It's clearly a moment frozen in time. I'm sure anyone could find something to question. For example, where is Philly Joe Jones on this list? Also no Keith Moon? What about Dino Danelli? Bernard Purdie? Charlie Watts? Ziggy Modeliste? John Bonham? The list could go on and on. It should be pointed out that Downbeat was a jazz magazine. So perhaps that explains some of this. Drummers such as Billy Cobham, Steve Gadd, Neil Peart, Carl Palmer, Bill Bruford, and Simon Phillips were just starting to make their mark.

Their time was coming...

Downbeat Magazine-the Annual Percussion Issue

For many years, Downbeat was the magazine favored by jazz connoisseurs. On the other hand, there were some folks in the early 60's who thought it was a magazine for jazz snobs. But that's a story for another time. In any case, Downbeat published an Annual Percussion Issue. They also would publish an Annual Guitar issue, a Horn issue etc. The writers would focus on a particular instrument and analyze it in depth. There would be comment, interviews, and written musical examples.

The pictured cover is from the 1958 Annual Percussion Issue. As the reader can see, it's really quite eye catching and it features the great Max Roach. The magazine cost 35 cents. I was too young in 58 to buy it. Hell, I didn't even know it existed, but by the mid 60's, I was hopelessly hooked on drums, drummers, and drumming. I then started buying current issues and back issues.

What I found particularly informative, besides the interviews, was the analysis of drumming technique that graced the pages of the Percussion issue. One such article was written by Don DeMicheal in the March 30th 1961 Percussion Issue. It was called, " The Evolution of the Drum Solo." This article was a treasure trove of information. Mr DeMicheal analyzed the styles of 12 drummers. These included Baby Dodds, Chick Webb, Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Cozy Cole, Sid Catlett, Philly Joe Jones, Kenny Clarke, Max Roach, Shelly Manne, Frank Isola, and Art Blakey. He referenced recordings of each player. For example, with Big Sid Catlett, he transcribed the complete 12 bar solo from a tune called 1-2-3 Blues which Sid recorded in 1946.

In other sections of the article, Mr. DeMicheal compared and contrasted the styles of all the drummers. For me, to read, listen to, and compare the styles of say, Buddy Rich vs Chick Webb vs Gene Krupa vs Big Sid Catlett was absolutely captivating.

Nowadays, there are numerous publications that deal with jazz drumming, rock drumming, funk drumming, etc. There's so much information and so many publications that it's quite mind boggling. But for a young drummer in the mid 1960's, that was not the case. The Downbeat Annual Percussion Issue filled a void.

The 21st Annual Chicago Vintage Drum Show

This coming weekend, May 21st and 22nd, marks the return of the Annual Chicago Vintage Drum Show. It's held at the Kane County FairGrounds, which is approximately 35 miles Southwest of downtown Chicago. Admission is 15.oo. This is THE premier vintage drum convention in the United States. You will not find more vintage drums under one roof anywhere else on the continent.

This is the 21st year for the convention. I remember its first few years. Initially, it was just a gathering of drum geeks who sold or traded drums and hardware. The location moved around and sometimes it was a one day event, sometimes two. There were no drum clinics and the event was ignored by current Drum Companies. In fact, there was a certain snobbishness directed at the event and at event attendees.

Things have changed in 21 years. The event has grown in size and stature. The Ludwig Drum Company, the Gretsch Drum Company, and the Yamaha Drum Company all have booths at the show. The list of small custom Drum Manufacturers is most impressive. These include Paul Mason and his Tempus Drum Company, Ronn Dunnett of Dunnett Custom Drums and the George Way Drum Company, the Craviotto Drum Company, the Joyful Noise Drum Company, and the Palmetto Drum Company. Even Stick and Cymbal companies are represented. These include Zildjian and Sabian Cymbals and Regal Tip sticks.

This influx of current manufacturers has changed the environment for the better. Indeed, the show is advertised as the Chicago Drum Show. The "vintage" word has been dropped. But make no mistake. This is vintage drum heaven. There is a good sized consignment section. Steve Maxwell, one of the most respected vintage collectors, has a booth for his wares. Bun E. Carlos, the drummer for Cheap Trick, sells vintage gear at his booth. Guitar Center, the big box music retailer, sells used stock from its local stores. And there are a number of small respected retailers like Skins and Tins Drum Shop who sell vintage drums, cymbals, and hardware.

Last, but not least, there are a number of Drum Clinics given throughout the two day event. This year's clinicians include J.R. Robinson, Clayton Cameron, Bryan Hitt, Johnny Rabb, Jane Boxall, Les DeMerle, Daniel Glass, and Cora and Josh Dunham.

As you can well imagine, the show attracts visitors from throughout the world. Drummers, drum collectors, drum geeks, drum manufacturers, even (gasp!!!) guitarists---all can be found wandering the aisles. It's a collection of characters, a real slice of humanity. As they used to say in the 60's, "It's bitchin." Or to put it another way---Be There or be Square.

The Leedy and Ludwig Broadway New Era Snare Drum

In 1950, the Conn Musical Instruments Company, owner of both the Leedy and Ludwig Drum lines decided to combine the two under one nameplate. Both lines were nearly identical, except for slight differences in strainers and lugs, and both came off the same production line. To the cost conscious Conn executives, it simply made good economic sense. Thus, the Leedy and Ludwig Drum Company became a reality.

The swing era was slightly past its heyday in the 1950s. Yes, Big Bands still toured, but Be-bop was the hot new thing. Drum Companies attempted to cash in with new drums and new slogans---anything to make an aspiring drummer part with his hard earned cash. At the same time, many drummers, perhaps inspired by the new progressive jazz sound, started to turn to smaller drum kits and snare drums.

The 4 x 14 Snare drum had been around since the 1920s, but in the late 40s early 50s, the Gretsch Drum Company, created the 4 x 14 Max Roach Snare Drum. According to Gretsch, this was the snare drum for hip drummers. The 4 x 14 offered " greater articulation , clarity, and faster response."

Soon, every other Drum Company in America followed suit. WFL Drums offered the Buddy Rich 4 x 14 and 3 x 13 Be Bop model. Slingerland Drums introduced its Bop model in 1948.. And in 1950, Leedy and Ludwig offered the snare drum pictured above.

The Leedy and Ludwig Broadway New Era Snare drum has 16 side by side beavertail lugs, double flanged hoops, and the Pioneer strainer. The drum came with either chrome or nickel plating. This beauty is chrome plated. Like most of the Leedy drums of the period, the craftmanship is second to none.

The Leedy and Ludwig Drum Company closed their doors in the mid 50s. But the 4 x 14 BeBop model lived on in the inventory of other companies. The name was simply changed as the 1950s merged into the 60s. Camco Drums had its 3 x 13 Jazz model. Gretsch Drums had its Progressive Jazz model. Ludwig changed the name of its 4 x 14 to the Downbeat model and the 3 x 13 to the Piccolo model. Interestingly enough, the Rogers Drum Company offered a 4 x 13 single tension model known as the Classmate, which was a student model snare drum. In the early 70s, Slingerland named its 4 x 14 the Buddy Rich model.

Today, nearly every Drum Company offers a 4 x 14 Snare Drum in its catalog. Drummers play these drums in a variety of settings. No longer is the 4 x 14 considered mainly a Jazz model. Indeed, my Leedy and Ludwig Broadway New Era 4 x 14 was played by a drummer in a Rock a Billy band before I purchased it.

Phil Seaman

I remember going to the Cellar in Arlington Heights, Illinois as a young lad to see Cream. I liked Ginger Baker and I so enjoyed the band. Subsequently, I would grab any article that I saw in a magazine that talked about the group. Ginger talked about his idol, Phil Seaman and I set about finding out all that I could about him. There was very little available in the States, but in 1972, Phil joined Ginger in the group AIR FORCE. A double live LP was issued of the group. Both drummers play marvelously on the record.
Some years after that, I purchased a book entitled, PLAY LIKE ELVIS--How British Musicians bought the American Dream by Mo Foster. In it, the author relates a number of humorous stories about Phil during his playing days. The book is a good read and I recommend it, if you can find a copy.
In any case, I began to search out more information about Phil. He had a varied career, playing everything from theater shows ( West Side Story), jazz groups ( Tubby Hayes), and Rock groups (Air Force). His playing was forceful, yet flowing.
In Ginger Bakers Drum tutor, Phil is quoted and Ginger offers some quite useful rudimental exercises that he picked up from him. Again, if you can find a copy, buy it.
Phil passed away in 1972 at the age of 46. Search him out....he was a great player

2010 Chicago Vintage Drum Show

This last weekend I attended the 20th anniversary of the Chicago Vintage Drum show. There were more exhibitors than ever and the show was truly first rate. I decided not to have a booth, but I exhibited at the Drum Experts Slingerland display booth that presented its history to the hundreds of drummers that attended. They accomplished this in spades.

Perhaps the best part of the whole show was getting together with old friends and fellow drum collectors. Paul Mason, the owner of Tempus Drums, was his usual jovial self. Ronn Dunnett, the owner of Dunnett Custom Drums, seemed to be everywhere...taking pictures, talking up his drum line, and hinting at new projects he's working on.

Terry Hawkins, the owner of Skins and Tins Drum Shop in down state Illinois, brought his usual fine collection of vintage drums for sale. In fact, my only purchase was done with him. He had a very fine Paiste 602 ride cymbal that, for my tastes, was perfect. Even over the din of many drummers banging away on various drums, that cymbal cut through. I looked at many snare drums and drum kits, but decided against buying anything else.

There was a Premier piccolo drum and a Slingerland Buddy Rich piccolo that sparked my interest, but I didn't buy either one. Perhaps next time... Joe Morello, the great jazz drummer with Dave Brubeck, was scheduled to put on a clinic, but canceled due to health concerns. The other clincians that were there, particularly Danny Seraphine from CTA, put on a great show. And finally, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the Asian and European buyers who attended. These gentlemen were in a buying frenzy. They knew what they wanted and had the cash to buy. And buy they did. All in all, it was a fabulous weekend.