His drumming is so perfect. The story he tells is coursing through his soul and it just manifests itself into the most amazing drum solos, every time. Simply unparalleled expression
This artist is such a beautiful blend of world level chops/phrasing/sounds. I will begin studying from his book/DVD. It's now my new goal to attend one of his drum camps (in this country or Europe) sometime before I pass away. Being as I'm 58 I'd better get on it!
Come on, you make it sound as if you're old! Don't you know 50's is the new 40's :) Here's to a long (drumming and in general) prosperous life, cheers! -HP
Anytime I feel unmotivated I search "Benny Greb Playlist" and press play. Never fails to inspire me. It was a pleasure to watch, learn and meet you at the Toronto clinic a couple years back.
What can one say but that solo was ingenious. Excellent display of technique coupled with creativity. He kept the solo interesting for 18 minutes. No small feat in itself. This is the first time I listened to Benny Greb. I am now a fan for life. I'm in awe just like the Drum Professor. And btw Drum Professor, relatively speaking, you can cruise for the next 5 years as I am 63!
This is why he is my favorite drummer. He's got all the intangibles but it's his unique interpretation of rhythm that I love. Thanks for sharing your talent with us Benny.
@@RasputinPrime75 oh yeah. Marco was one of the first drummers I saw that really blew me away and showed me new heights of what drumming can be. I had a dvd of different performances and Marco was one of them. He was the best on that dvd by far in my opinion.
I have the utmost respect for drummers like Greb who don't just flamboyantly show chops constantly and firstly just lay down a groove. Of course he has some incredible chops, but if there's no groove then what's the point?
+Harry Rob Hextall man you dont find any groove in his playing? Either see a doctor soon or change the definition of groove for yourself. Think a little before you comment against a legend
+VishnuD Ghosh maybe you should think before replying to my comment. I was not referring to Benny- if you read my comment you will see I said he has incredible chops, and I agree he is a legend. I was merely saying that you can have chops for days but if you don't have groove, there's no point- unlike Greb, who has amazing groove. Perhaps consider your replies before acting petulantly.
I think this is the best drum solo I've ever seen (playing for 20 years). 18 minutes all-killer no filler. Very musical. Fun to watch. Independence. Just crazy.
There are a lot of good top notch drummer's out there. Greb is all about feel. Thomas Lang is another good one. Marco Minnemann is probably my favorite. Each of his limbs has a mind of its own. That man can throw down some mean polyrythms.
Yeah to this day I'm undecided on this, but still fairly sure that that wasn't really meant so much as a joke, but more like a 'dude gtfo with your unnecessary microphone, you're on camera, I'm soloing, and you're killing my creativity' comment disguised as a joke.
I love the way he puts such passion into what he does. He's able to try incredible things with the different sounds, as if he's never seen a kit before, but his immense skill allows him to use that experimentation as part of his flow. Truly inspiring.
hahahaha Benny is a friggin' GENIUS! I love the way he finds a way to incorporate every single little nuance into his drumming! It's incredible I mean the floor tom thing...plus the scratching of the cymbal with the tip of the stick - hilariously GENIUS! What can I say, one of my fav modern drummers no doubt!
The thing I love about Benny is that he makes use of every single thing on his kit. He does techniques and things on the toms and cymbals that I could never even think of.
Benny makes me think of 'where earth and drums meet'. He brings out rawness in a way that makes you want to be creative on a whole new level, and that's what I love about him, plus he's so down to earth while being so crazy gifted and well versed in so many directions. I own and love his Language DVD, and it will never stop challenging me.
Benny Greb knows his drum kit very well. Which may sound stupid, but he knows what he gets out of it. Every sound, feel etc. This is what makes him so good as well as his range of dynamics and hand-feet co-ordintion. Well Done Benny
I have been watching Greb for years. And I have figured it out...what makes him such a stand out. He is perhaps the best I have seen at letting YOU hear...what he is hearing in his head. The ability to fluently translate...the grooves, and the strikes he is thinking of. I really believe this. There are guys out there with more chops and maybe speed and limb independence...but Greb gets the message over so damn good. He is musical. Melodic in a percussion context.
One of those rare talents, who could walk into a scrap yard and create the most fantastic rhythms & grooves wailing on beat up Mercs & BMs just brilliant
Benny has taking the 'dynamics' in a drum solo to another level. I liken it to the way the late great Jeff Porcaro grooved & the musical approach to every note he played, its infectious!! Plus I loved how he told the sound engineer to turn down the gate on the bass drum!! Awesome :)
Man, can you imagine the kind of pocket that would be created if this guy were to jam with Victor Wooten? I would be ecstatic to hear what those two do together.
Thanks to Dave Weckl to have shown the way : have the best possible technic to put it in the service of musicality, intelligence and creativeness of speech, fineness of nuances, fluidity and visual beauty of gestures and movements, perfect position of the body for a maximum of efficiency, correctness and precision of striking for a fabulous quality of sound. The result is called BENNY GREB and as Gavin Harrison or David Garibaldi, is part of the best and most precise drummers of the world. (And there, even percussionists must be jealous !)
interesting to read indeed, though I must correct you about the fact that David Garibaldi most certainly came before Mr. Weckl. Garibaldi's one of the earlier innovators!
Campbell Youngblood-Petersen You're completely right Campbell ! And if for a long time David Garibaldi is one of my favourite drummers, he's alas today also one of the least known among the "stars" of this instrument...
Wow...that is a VERY educated viewpoint. You are right on my friend. For the last 10 years my favorite drummer has been Dave W. But then five years ago I started appreciating Gavin H and now recently can't enough of Benny G. We think alike. thanks for your comment my friend!
As with everything he does, I think this is a great example of Benny telling a story through drums. I interpenetrated it as the emotions he has experienced throughout his life, the highs and lows, and at the end, when he uses his hands on the snare in a slow swing, almost like someone taking footsteps away from his be-loved kit, and uses the butt of his stick to mimic a closing door to his life's work. Or it's just a bad-ass fucking solo. Either way, this guy knows how to capture an audience.
What blows my mind is if you keep tempo from when he stops blowing in the hole of the drum to when he begins playing again, its right on the 1. FLAWLESS
Why is it that whatever benny greb plays is so appealing to my ears and seems that i can play that with enough practice. Some other terrific drummers play and it just look quite boring , lineal, i don't know is just that you don't feel like learning what they play. Greb's style is so good.
damn, that was one of the best drum solos i've ever seen! he's not just a drummer, he's an artist. i loved the solo from a technical, sonical and creative point of view, just tonname some aspects. he even managed to get some comedy into it by making funny faces :-D i'm looking forward to seing more videos of benny!
calvometal And as soon as you really start thinking about it, traditional grip doesn't make much sense. Because, who has ever seen a drummer who uses traditional grip on both hands?
Calvometal- That "old man" you're referring to was Buddy Rich. He was an asshole sometimes, and had a huge ego. But, he was superb jazz and big band drummer who began his career at age 3 in the early 1920s, up until his death in 1987. Most contemporary drummers are /we're influenced by him, and have played at his memorial concerts, including Dave Weckl, Vininie Colaiuta, Steve Smith, Neil Peart, Dennis Chambers, to name a few. Benny has respect for Buddy Rich as well, as do most contemporary drummers. Benny can very easily play traditional grip if he chose to, but mostly plays matched.
Benny Greb, Jojo Mayer, Tony Royster jr. My favourite drummers, they have everything a modern drummer needs, amazing for different reasons. Benny is a breath a fresh air, Mayer is the original (lets try something crazy) drummer, and Tony Royster is just a power-house that will keep getting quicker, u guys seen Tony's recent jazz solo? These 3 are just in a different class in my opinion. They all bring technicality, while keeping groove incorporated at it's maximum
true, he only need the concentration and dont having that guy chewing gum as if nothing was happenning there. Isnt nice to insult people but that guy was such an idiot. Either you set up the microphone for the f cowbell before the solo, or you dont ever...not in the middle of the solo and for worst taking all the time in the world.
Der schreibt Geschichten und malt mit eigenen Farben ... Und wenn er fertig ist hat er ein Gebilde aus Rhythmus was so schön zu hören ist, wie ein gutes Buch zu lesen...
Attn: MEINLcymbals, please re-title video to read: "Benny Greb doing every conceivable good thing that can be done with a regular drum set in 18 minutes".
I know so many of you will disagree. But this is the best solo I've ever seen and heard. It's the first solo where I watched all of it.
You should watch Matt Garstka's drum solo for his Vic Firth Spotlight, this comment reminded me of the first time seeing it haha
Agreed
ThatCheapDrummer one of the best definitely but you should watch Larnell Lewis’s solo playing “City Lights”.
Dude my thoughts exactly!
There are other better drum solos, but they are by Benny Greb as well.
Possibly one of the best groove focused drummers out there! Love me some Benny!
His drumming is so perfect. The story he tells is coursing through his soul and it just manifests itself into the most amazing drum solos, every time. Simply unparalleled expression
I can't think of a better way to describe his playing, beautifully said :)
Greb is all about feel. And that's what alot of bands looking for a drummer want, and knowing when to stay in the pocket.
This artist is such a beautiful blend of world level chops/phrasing/sounds. I will begin studying from his book/DVD. It's now my new goal to attend one of his drum camps (in this country or Europe) sometime before I pass away. Being as I'm 58 I'd better get on it!
Yeah man! Let's go!
Glenn Yoder I just bought his book/DVD set. It's excellent and I will spend a lot of time with it at least until being able to go in person.
I'm the same age,And you got years to go mate !
steven morley Now we're talkin.....Thanks for the reassurance. Plenty of time to work on my single strokes I guess! be well..
Come on, you make it sound as if you're old! Don't you know 50's is the new 40's :)
Here's to a long (drumming and in general) prosperous life, cheers!
-HP
Anytime I feel unmotivated I search "Benny Greb Playlist" and press play. Never fails to inspire me. It was a pleasure to watch, learn and meet you at the Toronto clinic a couple years back.
Been playing drums for 44 years...this was the most amazing solo I have ever seen...absolutely brilliant..
What can one say but that solo was ingenious. Excellent display of technique coupled with creativity. He kept the solo interesting for 18 minutes. No small feat in itself. This is the first time I listened to Benny Greb. I am now a fan for life. I'm in awe just like the Drum Professor. And btw Drum Professor, relatively speaking, you can cruise for the next 5 years as I am 63!
Cool. now you're talkin'.
This is why he is my favorite drummer. He's got all the intangibles but it's his unique interpretation of rhythm that I love. Thanks for sharing your talent with us Benny.
You ever watch Marco Minnemann? He's my favorite. But Greb is good too, he's all about feel.
@@RasputinPrime75 oh yeah. Marco was one of the first drummers I saw that really blew me away and showed me new heights of what drumming can be. I had a dvd of different performances and Marco was one of them. He was the best on that dvd by far in my opinion.
I have the utmost respect for drummers like Greb who don't just flamboyantly show chops constantly and firstly just lay down a groove. Of course he has some incredible chops, but if there's no groove then what's the point?
+Harry Rob Hextall man you dont find any groove in his playing? Either see a doctor soon or change the definition of groove for yourself. Think a little before you comment against a legend
+VishnuD Ghosh maybe you should think before replying to my comment. I was not referring to Benny- if you read my comment you will see I said he has incredible chops, and I agree he is a legend. I was merely saying that you can have chops for days but if you don't have groove, there's no point- unlike Greb, who has amazing groove. Perhaps consider your replies before acting petulantly.
lol i love when people severely misinterpret stuff and try to bring you down. i agree with you i hate the super choppy no groove solos
+VishnuD Ghosh maybe he didn't watched the whole vid?
thats comical
Benny makes art for you ears. This guy is a modern master.
I think this is the best drum solo I've ever seen (playing for 20 years). 18 minutes all-killer no filler. Very musical. Fun to watch. Independence. Just crazy.
There are a lot of good top notch drummer's out there. Greb is all about feel. Thomas Lang is another good one. Marco Minnemann is probably my favorite. Each of his limbs has a mind of its own. That man can throw down some mean polyrythms.
61 people didn't like the "i don't need a microphone for the cowbell" joke.
i say '''''fuck u"
Yeah to this day I'm undecided on this, but still fairly sure that that wasn't really meant so much as a joke, but more like a 'dude gtfo with your unnecessary microphone, you're on camera, I'm soloing, and you're killing my creativity' comment disguised as a joke.
Amazing, I love when you watch a drummer play and can just feel their soul through the instrument. This solo is beautiful!
An expressive genius, without the need of much. He's on another level a drummer- exploring musicality beyond the beat itself.
I love the sound of his drums. Perfect tuning ...and playing, of course. Goose bumps.
I love the way he puts such passion into what he does. He's able to try incredible things with the different sounds, as if he's never seen a kit before, but his immense skill allows him to use that experimentation as part of his flow. Truly inspiring.
Dat floor tom. Sounds better than my bass drum
Percius Mercius thats Sonor drums for ya 🤗
A coated bottom head with some cotton wool inside the drum ;-)
What a huge artist! One of the best solos from history! A totally storytelling with all parts of the drum
hahahaha Benny is a friggin' GENIUS! I love the way he finds a way to incorporate every single little nuance into his drumming! It's incredible I mean the floor tom thing...plus the scratching of the cymbal with the tip of the stick - hilariously GENIUS!
What can I say, one of my fav modern drummers no doubt!
The thing I love about Benny is that he makes use of every single thing on his kit. He does techniques and things on the toms and cymbals that I could never even think of.
Simply put, the most beautiful Drum sound ever! And of course one of the most musical/tasteful players out there.
Every time I watch Benny solo I am always waiting for him to play his signature groove. He is such an awesome drummer.
Benny makes me think of 'where earth and drums meet'. He brings out rawness in a way that makes you want to be creative on a whole new level, and that's what I love about him, plus he's so down to earth while being so crazy gifted and well versed in so many directions. I own and love his Language DVD, and it will never stop challenging me.
By far the most creative solo I have seen in my life.
thanks to Benny, the floor tom was resuscitated and lives a full life
This is one of a the best drum solos I have seen. I have seen a lot but this is outstanding.
Benny Greb knows his drum kit very well. Which may sound stupid, but he knows what he gets out of it. Every sound, feel etc. This is what makes him so good as well as his range of dynamics and hand-feet co-ordintion. Well Done Benny
I have been watching Greb for years. And I have figured it out...what makes him such a stand out. He is perhaps the best I have seen at letting YOU hear...what he is hearing in his head. The ability to fluently translate...the grooves, and the strikes he is thinking of. I really believe this. There are guys out there with more chops and maybe speed and limb independence...but Greb gets the message over so damn good. He is musical. Melodic in a percussion context.
Absolutely fantastic solo, such a nice blend of grooves and carefully layed out fills.
He has so much style. He's never to much and when he goes in he gets right back out and keeps on with the groove. Very solid.
Probably the best Drum Solo I've ever heard.
I find something new every time I watch this. Benny Greb is a master of his domain.
I love the way Greb set a pattern then break it. And there's always some new trick in this solo. Congrats!
Christ this man's art is ridiculous. he's incredible. ive never heard a more dynamic drum solo before.
That's the best that kits ever had!!! Hahaha no one makes love to a kit like Benny! ;-)
here is EVERYTHING.
Such a cool video. His interaction with the sound engineers shows his true knowledge of his craft.
The dancing hi-hat made me happy. Hahaha.
Yes!
Lmao
One of those rare talents, who could walk into a scrap yard and create the most fantastic rhythms & grooves wailing on beat up Mercs & BMs just brilliant
I really don't see how it gets any better than this.
Everything that transitions into that groove at 2:16 is SO sick! This is my new inspiration.
Benny has taking the 'dynamics' in a drum solo to another level. I liken it to the way the late great Jeff Porcaro grooved & the musical approach to every note he played, its infectious!! Plus I loved how he told the sound engineer to turn down the gate on the bass drum!! Awesome :)
He seriously has the deepest pocket I am hearing today.
Man I wish he goes back to this drum set-up here. I love how open his cymbals sound and let splashes be splashes and crashes be crashes.
I love his storytelling. Drum is drum. Music is music. Not circus. Not technique. This guy shows it.
I just love the way he incorperates every single voice he possibly can into his drumming
very creative and original idea for a solo, a super shock hands come up!
holy shit... innovative, fresh, total independence, .... I'm floored
Man what a badass! The way he closed out that solo was perfect!
I'm always so amazed with how genius Greb is.
Man, can you imagine the kind of pocket that would be created if this guy were to jam with Victor Wooten? I would be ecstatic to hear what those two do together.
Out of all the people... Victor Wooten :(
I think with mr. Frank Itt is an awesome kombo 😉😎 And Chris Hargreaves does a great job 👏
Such talent he always gives us something amazing. Great minds think a like a drum with those shoes too!
Thanks to Dave Weckl to have shown the way : have the best possible technic to put it in the service of musicality, intelligence and creativeness of speech, fineness of nuances, fluidity and visual beauty of gestures and movements, perfect position of the body for a maximum of efficiency, correctness and precision of striking for a fabulous quality of sound. The result is called BENNY GREB and as Gavin Harrison or David Garibaldi, is part of the best and most precise drummers of the world. (And there, even percussionists must be jealous !)
That was quite a handful to read, but in a nice way. :)
beefslap Sorry beefslap but I'm also talkative when I speak...that when I write ! (And thanks for your comment !) ;-)
interesting to read indeed, though I must correct you about the fact that David Garibaldi most certainly came before Mr. Weckl. Garibaldi's one of the earlier innovators!
Campbell Youngblood-Petersen You're completely right Campbell ! And if for a long time David Garibaldi is one of my favourite drummers, he's alas today also one of the least known among the "stars" of this instrument...
Wow...that is a VERY educated viewpoint. You are right on my friend. For the last 10 years my favorite drummer has been Dave W. But then five years ago I started appreciating Gavin H and now recently can't enough of Benny G. We think alike. thanks for your comment my friend!
Amazing.... The use of the kit... Unbelievable 👏👏👏👏
Groove and total control over the kit. Greb is a great specimen of what a drummer should work towards. Groove on greb!
As with everything he does, I think this is a great example of Benny telling a story through drums. I interpenetrated it as the emotions he has experienced throughout his life, the highs and lows, and at the end, when he uses his hands on the snare in a slow swing, almost like someone taking footsteps away from his be-loved kit, and uses the butt of his stick to mimic a closing door to his life's work.
Or it's just a bad-ass fucking solo. Either way, this guy knows how to capture an audience.
Sir, you deserve more upvotes! :0
He sitted as a drummer and raised as a legend.
You are the poet of drums, Benny Greb.
I just love his stroke. It seems that he is gripping the sticks ever so lightly.
What blows my mind is if you keep tempo from when he stops blowing in the hole of the drum to when he begins playing again, its right on the 1. FLAWLESS
Never noticed that! He even resets where his throne is sitting in time. Nice spot!
That's how you do it. I'm going to have to come listen again because my brains melted a bit right now
Why is it that whatever benny greb plays is so appealing to my ears and seems that i can play that with enough practice. Some other terrific drummers play and it just look quite boring , lineal, i don't know is just that you don't feel like learning what they play. Greb's style is so good.
damn, that was one of the best drum solos i've ever seen! he's not just a drummer, he's an artist. i loved the solo from a technical, sonical and creative point of view, just tonname some aspects. he even managed to get some comedy into it by making funny faces :-D
i'm looking forward to seing more videos of benny!
78 people need a microphone for the cowbell.
Genial esse Benny greb monstro eita pegaaaa toop lembra-se bateras unidos jamais serão vencidos 🥁.
I was hoping he wouldn't pick up the sticks again. That hand solo was beautiful.
Groove + technique + outside the box creativity = the perfect drum solo by Benny Greb!! (notice i left out chops - wasn't needed!)
secret sauce : phrasing :)
I cannot get enough of his floortom haha
Remember the old man saying match grip is wrong...well I guess it is not
calvometal
And as soon as you really start thinking about it, traditional grip doesn't make much sense. Because, who has ever seen a drummer who uses traditional grip on both hands?
Just a daft, lingering throwback to the angled mechanics of marching drums. That's it.
Calvometal- That "old man" you're referring to was Buddy Rich. He was an asshole sometimes, and had a huge ego. But, he was superb jazz and big band drummer who began his career at age 3 in the early 1920s, up until his death in 1987. Most contemporary drummers are /we're influenced by him, and have played at his memorial concerts, including Dave Weckl, Vininie Colaiuta, Steve Smith, Neil Peart, Dennis Chambers, to name a few. Benny has respect for Buddy Rich as well, as do most contemporary drummers. Benny can very easily play traditional grip if he chose to, but mostly plays matched.
The only,.... and i mean only,...... grip that is incorrect is the one that makes a hand hurt.
This guy is in total control even of the audio engineering guys. I loved that finger nail scratch tom fill.
king of the grooves.incredible solo
Benny Greb, Jojo Mayer, Tony Royster jr. My favourite drummers, they have everything a modern drummer needs, amazing for different reasons. Benny is a breath a fresh air, Mayer is the original (lets try something crazy) drummer, and Tony Royster is just a power-house that will keep getting quicker, u guys seen Tony's recent jazz solo? These 3 are just in a different class in my opinion. They all bring technicality, while keeping groove incorporated at it's maximum
he's gotta be the most creative drummer on the planet ?
A REAL DRUMMER DOESN'T NEED A MICROPHONE FOR A COWBELL !! :D
true, he only need the concentration and dont having that guy chewing gum as if nothing was happenning there. Isnt nice to insult people but that guy was such an idiot. Either you set up the microphone for the f cowbell before the solo, or you dont ever...not in the middle of the solo and for worst taking all the time in the world.
@@JUANREVI , I had to stand right in front of Jack DeJohnette and fix his hi hat clutch during a solo!
I love you benny greb you are my number one favourite drummer of all time
J.C same here!
Der schreibt Geschichten und malt mit eigenen Farben ... Und wenn er fertig ist hat er ein Gebilde aus Rhythmus was so schön zu hören ist, wie ein gutes Buch zu lesen...
One of my favorite Benny performances. The audio sound quality and playing is awesomeeee
That hand percussion blew me away!
WaaaaaaaaaaW !!! This guy is CRAZYYYY !!!!! that drove me totally maaaad !!! Awesome stuff !
That fill he does from 4:46 to 4:49 is so fucking awesome. When he choke the splash and hits the ride by itself it sounds so cool!!!!!
Attn: MEINLcymbals, please re-title video to read: "Benny Greb doing every conceivable good thing that can be done with a regular drum set in 18 minutes".
that low floor tom sounds so huge
he needs to release a signature floor tom
SOME SERIOUS SHIT OCCURS IN THIS VIDEO.
7:25 one of the many serious shits
All the while his hats are keeping the same, steady tempo. Amazing drummer. I aspire to be like you Mr. Greb.
Absolute Great Solo!
All I can say is Wow!!! Bravo Maestro!!
Favorite drummer right here. Ugh. My god.
Bennys gotta be one of the coolest guys on earth!
He gets full points for using as many sounds and tricks that he needs to make things interesting.
I love that 16" floor tom...very nice
Most musical drum solo in the world
It goes to show the fun u can have playing drums with just ur hands & not necessarily sticks all the time...
even bennys hi-hat starts to groovin.. just amazing
Bennyy greeb. Un gran musico de los mejores. Sin palabras.
This man is a genius!
This man is Too much.
Great chops but even greater "drum faces"
Absolutely brilliant!
I'm still waiting on that Benny Greb Signature Tom series.
This man is my drumming idol