X8 Drums Blog

Modern jazz drumming is an evolution of the styles of drumming most noted in turn of the century (the 20th century) swing drumming, which was a combination of military drumming patterns, African drumming and European music. The main function of an early jazz drummer was to keep time for the rest of the instruments, much like the drummers in a marching band. Today’s jazz drummers, however, are known less for the ability to keep a rhythm or band intact, and more for the unique rhythms produced, …

There’s a certain vibe that can only come from jazz drumming: laid back, cool, maybe a little crazy, but in a different way than those other “crazy” styles of drumming. When most people picture jazz drumming, images of a sunglasses-clad drummer nodding away to a backbeat are pretty common. That backbeat itself is laid-back, cool… and a little different, too… especially when you realize that crazy cat drummer is using a brush instead of a drum stick on their hi-hat or swishing it around on …