Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
I've been saying for many years that Vinnie Colaiuta is the single best drummer in the world, something I imagine most drummers would agree with. This is not to take anything away from the many incredible drummers in the world, but I just think Vinnie can play better in more styles than anyone else. His technique is absolutely flawless and he manages to integrate perfectly into a song while doing things that he makes look so easy that you have no idea how incredibly difficult they are to do. The song Seven Days is a perfect example. The first video is the song as he plays it. The second is an instructional video from another drummer (who is also damn good) explaining how Vinnie does what he does. You might even want to watch them in reverse order so you can hear the "simple" version explained, then hear it live with all the little flares that Vinnie does within that difficult structure.
Comments
Wow. I definitely need to catch up on who's who in music nowadays. While I looked up Vinnie's work through YouTube videos, I happened upon his live stuff with Jeff Beck, one of my favorite musicians ever. In-fucking-credible work like Scatterbrain. Thanks for this, Ed.
Posted by: trog69 | September 27, 2009 10:03 AM
Vince Colaiuta: Genius drummer...
...but the dude is an enormous fundegelical!*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFm7jC3ERGc
*(Note: Like Francis Collins, this doesn't diminish his ability to to his work spectacularly well).
However, I do think that (atheist) Neil Peart is on par with Vinnie!
Posted by: Carboarah | September 27, 2009 10:19 AM
Ed,
I agree with Vinnie, but I think there would be a three person tie between Vinnie, Terry Bozzio, and Chad Wackerman. Although, Jimmy Carl Black, and Ansley Dunbar should also be considered very good. Being a Zappa drummer required that you be able to mix time signatures and styles on the fly and at any given moment.
Posted by: M | September 27, 2009 10:24 AM
For my money, no one beats Tony Williams. Here's "Frelon Brun" off of Miles Davis' Filles de Kilimanjaro. Williams' performance on this track is absolutely astonishing.
Posted by: BG | September 27, 2009 11:12 AM
Best drummer?
Neil Peart from Rush.
Posted by: Eamon | September 27, 2009 11:40 AM
Steve Gadd = most recorded drummer in history for a reason
Posted by: JR | September 27, 2009 11:46 AM
"For my money, no one beats Tony Williams."
Agree. I had heard him live doing a 20 minute solo that was not an exercise in technique, but a musical piece in its own right.
Second to Tony for me is Ginger Baker.
Posted by: peter | September 27, 2009 12:48 PM
I grew up virtually worshiping Neil Peart, as did pretty much anyone who grew up and played drums in the 70s and 80s. He certainly belongs in any pantheon of the greatest rock drummers. But as I've gotten older, other drummers have sort of pushed him down my list a bit. All of this is subjective, of course; there really is no "best drummer in the world." Everyone's style is unique and has to be judged within the framework of the songs (frankly, solos don't do much for me).
The other guy that just blows me away to listen to is Carter Beauford from the Dave Matthews Band. His style is all about being smooth and seamless, and because he plays open handed it's almost impossible to reproduce what he does.
Posted by: Ed Brayton | September 27, 2009 1:24 PM
Zappa had his best sound with him in the band
Posted by: mikka | September 27, 2009 3:02 PM
So Ed, you gotta be a drummer. Very cool. Are you actively playing? Best drummer...depends on the kind of music. Maybe favorite is better. Yea, Vinnie C is outrageous. Buddy Rich made it a show, then Louis Bellson had the most beautiful ride rhythm, while Ed Shaughnessy kicks a big band in the ass. From Seven Steps to his solo work, Tony rocked us all in jazz, a generation earlier, Philly Joe did it. Earl Palmer showed us old farts how to play rock n' roll, and Ringo and Charlie proved you didn't need to be a tech wizard to drive the Beatles and Stones. One of the best, a survivor from the early days of rock n' roll, still active to this day - saw him play just last night in Utica, NY - is the legendary Levon Helm. (That's right, The Band.) Nobody, absolutely nobody, lays down a bluesy shuffle rock n' roll groove like Levon. Go see him.
Just 2 cents worth of opinion from an old fart drummer. Thanks for posting on drumming. And I really dig your other blog postings too. I'm a retired science teacher.
Posted by: Vince | September 27, 2009 3:08 PM
Terry Bozzio for the win. Plus, his drumset shows how much further ahead creatively he is in the world of drumming - his drums are tuned in scales so he can play melodies on the drums!
Posted by: Matt | September 27, 2009 4:55 PM
I'm tempted to agree with ya Ed. We've talked about Vinnie before. He certainly has his strengths, but I don't think that it's possible to declare a single drummer as better than all the rest.
A lot of people have named Terry Bozzio (who is incomparable live and a really nice guy to boot).
I'm throwing in for Donati, Purdie, Mayer and a few others (as well as Colaiuta, of course), though I think I've borrowed more licks from Vinnie than anyone else.
Thanks for the videos.
Posted by: Bachalon | September 27, 2009 5:20 PM
Danny Carey is another good drummer worth mentioning.
Posted by: Michael from Idaho | September 27, 2009 9:43 PM
"A (guitar) soloist choosing to work in this odd style ultimately winds up as a hostage -- he can go only as far into the 'experimental zones' as his rhythm section will allow him to go. The problem lies in the polyrhythms. The chances of finding a drummer, a bass player and a keyboard player who can conceive of those polyrhythms -- let alone identify them fast enough to play a complementary figure on the moment, are not good. (The grand prize goes to Vinnie Colaiuta, the drummer for the band in 1978 and '79.)" -- Frank Zappa, The Real Frank Zappa Book
Posted by: devolution | September 27, 2009 10:20 PM
Also: Billy Cobham.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLvYoUmtiBs
Posted by: devolution | September 27, 2009 10:26 PM
My money's on Brann Dailor.
Posted by: haelduksf | September 28, 2009 10:12 AM
There's Max Roach. And the rest are just names from the phone book for me. Among the larger set of percussionists of which drummers are a subset, Trilok Gurtu and Zakir Hussain leave the likes of Vinnie and Neal looking like schoolkids. When I want to listen to rhythm I turn to Indian classical music, and jazz drummers. Now you can unleash all that thing about opinions and those who them.
Posted by: kaa | September 28, 2009 11:45 AM
"I agree with Vinnie, but I think there would be a three person tie between Vinnie, Terry Bozzio, and Chad Wackerman."
Precisely. Peart is flashy and fun to watch, but as a drummer I can honestly say that he's nowhere near the level of these three. And there's one thing Peart just can't do: subtle.
Peart attempting this song? It'd be a train wreck.
Posted by: swelk | September 29, 2009 3:07 PM
Kaa, I LOVE Roach. It's a shame he's gone. My favorite album of his is "Money Jungle" a little heard collaboration between him, Mingus and Ellington. Also, he's the only percussionist to ever be awarded a MacArthur fellowship.
I don't know how I missed him, but thanks for the reminder.
Posted by: Bachalon | September 29, 2009 9:40 PM