Best drum recordings?

[sergio]

have just ordered latest Tohpati disk (Tribal Dance) with Haslip and Wackerman. Expecting a lot from CW on this one, as well as from JH and the axeman himself...

[ProgUK]

Love Keith Carlock with Rudder.
Also i second Simon Phillips with Protocol II.
Anything on Steely Dan's Aja and Gaucho.
Richard Bailey on the Middleton/Ahwai album "Another Sleeper".
Narada Michael Waldren on "Garden of Love Light".
Pekka Pohjola's "Pewit".

[rcarlberg]

my absolute favorite drum recording ever: Elvin Jones as captured by Rudy Van Gelder on the 1964 John Coltrane album 'Crescent'. Perhaps not what you're after?

Actually no, this is EXACTLY what I'm after. I don't have "Crescent" on CD but I have several other Tranes from that period with Elvin, and you're right, excellent sound. Also Herbie Hancock ("Succotash") and Dexter Gordon ("One Flight Up") and others. RVG is reliable.

Question: why was Rudy Van Gelder (and Alfred Lion and Francis Wolff) able to get absolutely great drum recordings in 1959-1964 -- but today's engineers in their multi-million dollar modern studios fifty years later cannot?

[rcarlberg]

Pekka Pohjola's "Pewit"

Oh my goodness yes, I'd forgotten what a great dynamic album this is! The drums aren't really featured, and the kick drum is tubby (sounds like Tupperware...) but the overall recording is full of nice contrasts.

Another one your suggestion made me pull out again is Isildurs Bane "Mind Vol.1" -- nice too!

[man2god]

Always loved the great drum sounds on the the '70's Focus albums. Just so direct, natural, and upfront in the mix. The first Heart album had great 'direct' drumming in the mix also.

[Udi Koomran]

I can appreciate "naturalistic" drums sounds but honestly rock music usually calls for a different approach were control of balance tone and dynamics is needed to make the drums blend in with loud distorted guitars and fat basses
Its all an illusion or phantom
One of my favorite engineers is Andy Wallace - Slayer Sapultura Rage against the Machine Helment and countless others
As mentioned Walter Quintus is another extraordinary engineer ( all Digital recordings btw) Trilok Gurtu , Dark , Polytown
Jan Eric Kongshaug of ECM fame
I also love Univers Zero's Danile Denis drums always sound superb listen to Implosions and Live amazing tones

[sergio]

agreed, it all hinges on great engineering/production a lot. Thought Rob Aubrey to be one of the top guys, but then he stuffed up latest IQ-Road record. Drums are dead flat and unengaging, no bass kick at all... seems like wholelotta bottom end is missing. Enjoying Lizard-Master & M as we speak. What a bliss

[arabicadabra]

Nick D'Virgilio on SNOW by Spock's Beard

[Shadow]

Dennis Chambers has three cds as well as the Pearl four song ep. I don't remember what they sound like but would think the drum recording would be pretty good.

[sergio]

how about that squeaky bass pedal on Zepps Since I've Been Lovin U... attention to detail, eh

[MJBrady]

Thomas Lang - Mediator
Virgil Donati - In This Life
Sam Aliano - 2001 - Emalgamation
Illegal Aliens - 1998 - The Green Mindbomb(Minnemann)
Husband Mondesir Bros Collaboration
Holmes, Rodney - Twelve months of October
Holmes jr. Wendell - Above it all (2011)
Schrenk, Conrad Extravaganza - Save The Robots(Thomas Lang)
Fragile(Japanese Fusion band with Kozo Suganama_
Impact Fuze - Moscow(Damien Schmitt)
The Code - Figli di Baia/self titled (Paul DeLong)
Special Experiment Hungarian fusion band, feat Ádám Markó - Drums
Felix Lehrmann's Rimjob - Felix Lehrmann's Rimjob (2011)

Based on your Weckl comments, these have those qualities, great style and sound, with excellent accompaniment.

[sergio]

Lately I've been searching for good drum recordings, and finding them curiously rare. Dave Weckl's band is really well recorded, as is Steve Smith's Vital Information -- but neither features the drums quite as much as I'd like(!). Curt Cress Clan is a monster showcase for bass + drums, but the recording is 39 years old now and shows its age. Dave Brubeck's "Time Out" and "Time Further Out" (1959 & 1961 respectively) are even older, but surprisingly Joe Morello's drum recordings are actually better than almost anything contemporary I've heard (less compression!) I have the Sheffield Labs "Track Record / Drum Record" which are decent-enough recordings, but they're just demo recordings -- not really meant for listening. Esbjörn Svensson Trio (E.S.T.) has some lovely recording of piano, upright bass & drums but not really the driving dynamic powerhouse drumming I'm seeking.

Tony Williams? Art Blakey? Max Roach? Where should I be looking?

Steve Smith sounds even better on GHS material. GHS-3 is my absolute fav.

[Reid]

I recently picked up several Elvin Jones Japanese Blue Note CDs, and they sound great!

Brand X-Unorthodox Behaviour w/ Phil Collins
Roy Haynes-Out Of The Afternoon



Art Blakey-Night In Tunisia



Max Roach-Drums Unlimited

[Reid]

Michael Brecker w/ Jack DeJohnette



Bass Desires

[rcarlberg]

Trilok Gurtu - Usfret

Yes!

I also love Univers Zero's Daniel Denis drums always sound superb listen to Implosions and Live amazing tones

God yes!

John McLaughlin Trio

Duly ordered

a double CD entitled Drum Workshop 30th Anniversary Collection

No luck finding it

Zappa's 'Hot Rats'

Maybe it's just my version (1987 Ryko remix) but the drums are laughably bad. Sound like they were recorded from the studio next door! Everything else on the disc sounds wonderful -- go figure.

Here are some other good 'uns I've found:
* Chick Corea - My Spanish Heart
* Gloria Estefan - Mi Tierra
* Crazy Backwards Alphabet
* Luis Delgado - El hechizo de Babilonia & El Sueno de Al-Zaqqaq
* Glen Velez - Assyrian Rose & Seven Heaven (Walter Quintus recordings)
* Roland Vazquez - Tides of Time, No Separate Love, Further Dance

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

I really think Lenny's Venusian Summer and especially RTF's Romantic Warrior have the Drum sound recorded exquisitely

[edit]

a couple more:
Horacee Arnold - Tales of the Exonerated Flea

Bad Brains - I Against I (Earl Hudson kicks butt on this and it is crisp and clean!)

[Reid]

Chester Thompson on drums.

[ProgUK]

L, agree with you on Lenny white and RTF. Gotta dig out my Horacee!

[Bake 1]

A few that sound pretty #@!^** real and come to mind immediately:
Jerry Grannelli / Another Place
Pierre Favre / Portrait
Anders Jormin / 3 Sol Salutes
Max Roach / Pictures In A Frame
...also may want to check out the Frith/Laswell/Hayward - Massacre Live At Meltdown

[gallen1964]

Funnily enough although Carl Palmers steel kit was used on BSS it's the Works1 and the left over cuts for Vol 2, where the recorded drums, especially the toms really stand out. Bullfrog and Close but not Touching being great examples.

[Gorillclub]

neurosis times of grace ( ...albini indeed ) . it sounds as if the band are in your living room .

[revporl]

Alan White on Big Generator.

Everything else is puny!

[Larry Canary]

* Chick Corea - My Spanish Heart

This is where I first heard Steve Gadd. Excellent choice!

[Gladiator1634]

Always like the sound of Jeff Porcaro on Larry Carlton's Room 335 album.

[rcarlberg]

I can appreciate "naturalistic" drums sounds but honestly rock music usually calls for a different approach

I wonder when this fashion changed? When did we stop recording music in the studio to make it sound like it sounds live -- and why?

I wonder if this has anything to do with why live concert sound is universally crap these days?

Why nobody remembers what instruments really sound like, without all the processing?