Why Steve Gadd Is The Grooviest Drummer In the World | Off Beat
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- Опубліковано 6 тра 2024
- Steve Gadd is an American session drummer who established himself as one of the best known and regarded drummers in the industry. He’s been active since the late 60s and has worked with some of the most famed and influential musicians across a multitude of genres. In this video, I try to highlight why he was so sought after as a session drummer and the intricacies of his playing style. If you have another drummer/musician you want me to do a video on, drop it as a comment below!
#stevegadd #steelydan #drumming
00:00 - Introduction
00:30 - Inspirations & Beginnings
01:00 - Deep Pockets
01:51 - Drumming Philosophy
03:47 - Stylistic Versatility
04:41 - Creativity & Composition
06:00 - Soloing
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My father was rock and roll drummer Sib Hashian, he would take me to New York city for boys trips every year growing up as we lived in a Boston suburb. One time, we were walking by the blue note and he saw Steve Gadd was playing that night. I had not heard of Steve yet but my dad was thrilled and we impromptu bought tickets for the show. He said Steve was one of his favorite drummers ever, hell, he even named my oldest sister Aja. Steve put on an amazing show, but at one point his cymbal lost tightness and fell way out of position. Afterwards my dad said that he regretted not jumping up there to fix it for him mid song, as he would have wanted a drum tech to do it for him if that had happened. Later on in life, I would fix my father’s drums and cymbals whenever necessary, mid song or mid set, as his roadie and drum tech. I never forgot what he said! RIP Sib and long live Steve Gadd!!
I saw your father play back in Dec. 1976. RIP to him.
The first "Boston"-Album is legacy. Thank you for sharing your story
Ahash31: I'm a keyboardist and loved your father's playing. He was in my all-time favorite band, Boston. Thank you for sharing that story at the Blue Note. His time was too short, but his legend lives on, and I know you miss him. I trust and hope that he (and you) knew/know the Lord...for time is short as you know.
I saw Sib with Boston when they played Anaheim Stadium in 1979.
Sammy Hagar opened, and he'd been opening for Boston on Boston's Don't Look Back tour.
Van Halen hit the stage next after jumping out of an airplane and landing in the field that used to be across the freeway from the stadium.
(It's now a parking lot for the Honda Center, which for a minute was the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim.)
Black Sabbath was the co-headliner, and they'd been getting blown off the stage every night by Van Halen.
Then Boston hit the stage, and the entire back wall was church pipes for the church pipe organ they rolled out for Tom Scholz to solo on/open the song "Smokin'" if memory serves.
There was an extended pipe organ solo on the song that sounded a bit Hammond B-3 or C-3 ish on first listen.
But it was rather something to see the whole pipe organ thing going on there.
And Sib was just wailing away on his kit.
I was so shocked when I learned he'd died of a heart attack.
While he was playing drums with his latest non-Boston band.
He went out doing what he loved, though.
Not too many of us can say that.
R.I.P. Sib.
And my deepest condolences for your loss.
Thanks for sharing a cool story about Sib and Steve.
Two cool guys.
Two cool drummers.
@@toddvandell85: Gosh, I could only wish I was at that concert. Did Boston sound good live then?
A video on Jeff Porcaro would be dope!
Agreed!!
Jeff Porcaro and Steve Gadd were 2 of the best ever.
Yesssss!!!
@@remoevans7847 and how many people have no idea who they are!? They weren’t flashy, just solid and great. That’s why they worked so much!
@@meachster4316 Exactly
I've recorded Steve in the studio before and the thing I was most impressed by was how musical he is and what a great listener he is.
The guitar player on the session was Dean Parks and I remember Dean was coming up with a rhythm part and almost immediately Steve responded with the coolest groove using brushes on the snare.
Steve has completely mastered his instrument by putting in all the hard work. He is foundational. He started by learning all the rudiments. When he needed to swing he learned how to swing. When he needed to be able to keep solid time he mastered that. The guy is a human metronome when he wants to be. I've never heard a drummer that has better time.
It's his discipline that has given him the freedom to create such incredible music.
Total down to earth human being as well.
nice to honor a great drummer who was an honor to the position
This is cool to read. I just saw another YT video on Dean Parks. He played in my brother's high school stage band back in the 60s and I remember watching him play sax. (My brother says he played guitar then, too, but I don't remember that. I was like 5, 6, and 7 years old..!) Anyway, how fortunate to get to record those two musical giants of the last 50 years.
@@DanielBarberMusic
Definitely one of the coolest sessions I've had the privilege to be a part of.
I had a teacher in high school, band director. One day during jazz band he got up, left the room, and came back with a tv cart and a couple tapes. A “Stuff” performance, the legendary Buddy Rich tribute with Dave Weckl and Vinnie Colaiuta, and he also pointed out how many classic tunes Gadd played on. He was basically like, "you all need to watch this and learn something." And we did 😂 Steve Gadd is a groove monster. The Aja drum solo outro is one of the most epic things in the history of recorded music as well
You're revealing your age. You're definitely younger than me. 😂 Yes. That footage broke the internet when it hit. We are all still learning from it.
@@houdinididiit just turned 30 last year! Still a young man I guess 😅
I’m still a bit baffled that Fagen and Becker did not mention Gadd in their Aja documentary.
I much prefer Weckl today. He was super young in the Rich tribute video.
You were LUCKY to have such an intelligent and caring teacher!
Pocket is a combination of knowing how the miniscule shifts in timing and dynamics give the deepest possible sense of groove. Literally a couple of miliseconds late or early on various hits, and very slight shifts in how hard you strike have incredible effect on the listener. In order to get there, you first have to be precise enough not to constantly be making errors in hit placement. After that, it’s 100% about feel. It’s in your soul, heart and head after you get to that level of skill.
I keep thinking about that. I have drums, but I do not consider myself a drummer. I have not put in the hours and hours necessary. But I really like drumming and fascinated by drumming, especially jazz drumming. I noticed when I try to play that what’s missing is that mechanical ability to play as cleanly as I feel the pulse. I just haven’t done enough work to synchronize my internal clock with my hands. And because we were talking about milliseconds, it’s entirely possible that those impulses and “decisions“ happen at a very, very deeply subconscious level. Although, I suppose you could say that’s true playing almost any instrument.
Great explanation, and so accurate, thanks.
@@JohnnyArtPavlou Yep. The conscious mind cannot play trap drums. It can do simpler instruments.
When I was in high school our teacher said the most important aspect of drumming is time. The high hat should never stop playing 2 and 4. You must listen to the bass player and get that groove. He used to make us play just with the bass until we got that groove going. Never heard of "the pocket" to describe a groove before. My idol was Shelly Mann as he was a time machine. He could play time with a groove and never slow or rush the beat. For many tracks, you can start the record get the groove, and then go to the end of the song and the time was exactly the same. In between there were out-of-time solos etc. but time was always respected as the most important thing. Also playing solos that were musical and not just a bunch of flashy technic. Steve thinks the way I always did and that is to be part of the equation and not be a soloist during the whole tune. The most amazing feeling is to be in that groove...it makes everything you want to do easier.
It's just so natural when you hear world class groove. It's like we all know how right it feels, but we need the best time keepers in humanity to remind us 😂
I've played for 50 years, groove drummer, rock drummer, and while Keith Moon is my hero drummers like Steve gadd are in a class by themselves. Steve Gadd is just phenomenal on steely Dan's Aka. Just an incredible drummer!
Steve Gadd is a genius. I reserve that word for very few musicians throughout history; Gadd has demonstrated genius in his craft over and over.
Yup...Gadd and Beck....pure Geniuses!
His career accolades and accomplishments are staggering almost intimidating
His drumming on Aja is heaven
The stuff he did with Steely Dan is unbelievably good.
He played on One song. On Aja. And maybe 1 on Gaucho, l forget.
The stuff he did with stuff the band is legendary!
Gadd is the absolute definition of ' the pocket "... I have always loved his playing..
Steve Gadd is the drummers drummer. He can play anything, for anyone, anywhere. Stuff was an awesome group and Steve Gadd took them several levels higher.
Never heard him on a metal, punk, or hardcore album.
I remember when i bought "winelight" by groover washington. By listening,i thought, man this grooving like hell. Then i opened the booklet and saw, drums: steve gadd, bass: marcus miller. There were no questions left. That man is a freaking legend. An amazing drummer.
Steve Gadd was on the "One More Car One More Rider" tour with Eric Clapton. Eric had some outstanding musicians on that tour. including Billy Preston, Steve Gadd, Andy Fairweather Low, Dave Sanchez, and Nathan East. in that performance he is playing the largest set of drums that I've ever seen, it was very impressive.
Go see a Terry Bozzio show.
He's in there, somewhere, I swear! We met him after the show, and got a peek...he has like 20 cable operated pedals controlling numerous things.
Shouts out DW, "LOL you think I can afford this set? No, so, thanks DW!"
I can't forget the day I was able to shake his hand, congratulating him on his fantastic performance with Chick Corea's Leprechaun band at the Blue Note in New York. He's my idol.
I wore that album out in college, still love every tune on it. That must've been amazing to hear that music live....
his take on Simon’s “50 Ways” is his best work, imo; perfection
I love 'late in the evening'
He's excellent on that album. However, have you heard him on Chick Corea's album, My Spanish Heart, in particular the track, Spanish Fantast Pt 2, or Steely Dan's album, Aja?
the song of simon is so horrible. the drum part gadd wrote so genial. unfortunately for the wrong song.
Glad for Gadd. Great rhythmic drummer. Enhanced so many artists work. Love the groove.
I love it when I find interesting videos about someone I never heard of who was extremely important to the music industry. Very cool!!! 👍👍👍
my favorite drummer of all time, dude is a wizard on the drum kit 🙏🏼
what about simon philips. You like gadd more than phillips?
i sure do. In Gadd I Trust.
Revolver magazine just interviewed a drummer on his best albums for metal favs, and I made the comment about how my favorite drum performance ever was Josh Freese on A Perfect Circle album thirteenth step, where I highly encouraged young drummers to listen to at least the first three songs on that album. He was perfectly in sync with the music, and he wasn't doing anything overly flashy or unnecessary. It came across like instead of showing off his own chops, he was trying to maximize the sound of each song. I never realized that what I was referring to was groove. Very cool. The fact that this came across my feed means UA-cam's algorithm is getting really advanced, or it's just a happy coincidence.
During his solo, look at the accuracy of the stick marks on his heads! I don’t know if I’ve ever seen someone so accurate.
Gavin Harrison has wear marks the size of quarters on his drum heads
Steve Gadd is my favorite drummer. I really like that you put a lot of songs in here that he played on. There were lots that I have never heard. Thanks!
There's a great Gadd playlist on Spotify with tons of tracks that he drums on.... that opened my eyes to a lot of the pop stuff I wasn't aware he'd played on!
Billy Cobham!
Would love to do a video on him!
A video on Bernard Purdie would be awesome!
This was so good! Especially the part at the end where you add the visual count of his 4-8 bar approach to soloing, that just made it all so clear. Great video! Looking forward to seeing more like it!
The first time I heard SG live was during a concert with Chick Cirea and friends.
To me it was a breathtaking experience. For every musician such a great experience since his presence on stage is a true miracle. SG is still with us and I hope the best for him to give his outstanding musicianship to this crazy world. ❤
I always loved Steve's playing A LOT and I mean A LOT... I remember when I was 15 I first heard him on the Paul Simon's live album an he blew me away! It was the end of the album for me and I had to know where else did this guy play! Then loving jazz... wasn't too difficult to find him. As a pianist, Steve is the dream drummer to have by your side! Unique, really....
Exceptional analysis. Been trying to figure out exactly what it was that I loved so much about Gadd's drumming for years. This is a good start. Good work.
Excellent description of SG and his approach to drumming and music in general. Ought to be shared and watched by anyone studying drumming or could do with a new approach to drumming. Thanks so much for putting this video together.
That was an awesome review of Steve Gadd. Thanks for sharing this. 👍
Mick Taylor of SWEET was another great example of how the game of drumming is a learning curve, watching and listening to others ply their own techniques to create their “groove”. 👍🇨🇦
Drumming is like oxygen.
Great video. Thank you. Steve Gadd is a living legend. Love his work.
What a freaking excellent video. I mean, everything from the topic to the production is just delightful 🙂
Originally heard Roof Garden by Al Jarreau when I was two and three yrs old in the early days of cassettes. The paradiddle fill during the verse knocked me out. I was hooked. It seemed to my young ear a recurring drummer appeared in a bunch of my parents music collection through the yrs. One day around ten yrs old I noticed the names of the musicians in the liner notes of records. This man's name was everywhere just as I suspected. I knew he was a Christ right there. Gadd, Frank Zappa, Michael, Beatles, TOOL, Prince and Stevie Wonder have been my biggest musical inspirations. Steve would just be a sideman with these artists but he's up there with the greatest of the great musical artists in my humble opinion. Oh my Gadd!
Great video, thank you 🥁
Very good sample of Dr. Gadd's 4 or 8 bar phrasing at the end of the video.
I always had issues when soloing until I learned this concept.
I use it now . Thank you for posting and thank Dr. Steve Kendal Gadd for being my Virtual Drum Sifu.
Back in the 70's, 'Aja' made me know his name, ..'We belong together', from Rickie Lee Jones' album, 'Pirates' proved it wasn't a one-off! Damn, this man is good!
Fist time i got introduced to Gadd was when I heard “samba song” by chick Corea. My drum teacher showed it to me and I was just captivated every second of it. Excellent drummer!! Great video!
the reason Gadd grooves so much is because he plays deep in the pocket, behind the beat. he also tunes his snare down to give it a full, deep, old school marching feel. Its as if hes combining a second line, rudimental, parade drum line with a funk drummer.
Quit acting like you know, the pocket isn’t behind the beat the pocket is the beat
@@ultimatedriversofmachinery call it what you want, he plays behind the beat
@@ultimatedriversofmachinery The beat is not what the drummer plays. The beat is in everyone's mind. The drummer might play on the beat, or behind it, or ahead of it.
Have always LOVED Gadd's drumming!
This video is soooo good! Detailed and a great snapshot of what makes him the drummer he is. Thank you.
Great doc video. Very well presented and compiled. Excellent watch
Great article lad, been a fan of Steve since 75, it was all a mystery in Ireland because of no net or even pictures of stephen.well done.
Deep pockets!!! I was introduced to Steve Gadd when I heard him on Bob James’s ‘One mint Julep’. I was blown away by the drumming and quickly checked the album cover for the identity of the drummer! The rest as they say is history… I have followed him since although I’d like to think I’m a bassist.Thanks Steve!
That was Andy Newmark. Not Gadd.
this is content i have been so starved of, thank you sir for the amazing video!
What an awesome video summary of the great Gadd
Always loved his playing on Stanley Clarke's "Quiet Afternoon".
Steve Gadd's drumming is God like. Glad I seen him live with the Steve Gadd Band!
One of the greats… plus a wonderful human being.
Yeah man, very well done of putting that compilation of Gadd greatness together.
Definitely a unique, creative, and highly-skilled drumming legend!
Great video, keep em coming!
I’ll never forget when I met him at about 13 years old and he told me he wanted to hear me play on stage one day. He must be a nice guy to many kids, I’m sure.
Seems to conform with his drum philosophy, he wants ppl to enjoy his music more than he wants ppl to be impressed by it.
Which is a nice life lesson imho, it seems many ppl mistakenly think that if they can impress ppl then they will be admired and liked, while I think it is much more effective if you can make ppl enjoy and feel good about themselves. I've definitely fallen into that erroneous way of thinking on more than one occasion I'm afraid. Though it is a bit of a simplification, there is of course more to it than that.
Steve Gadd, Simon Phillips and others are a small group of drummers with humility and sincerity mean what they say and encourage other drummers no matter their skill level to do more and be creative, unlike a few I've met who are condescending pricks.
Thanks...just what i was looking for! I was watching Rick Beato interviewing Steve Lukather and he had mentioned Steve Gadd. Your video gave me just the info i was looking for...thanks!
Great video, thank you 🥁
Excellent!
Dr. STEVE GADD!!!
All grate drummers have a signature groove, style that everybody can pick out, it's their soul feeling and interpreting the music translating into a beat, rhythm, a groove that moves your spirit
Steve Gadd is just awesome. His pocket is on another level. Big boss .
This presentation is awesome! Subscribed!
Both that Birthday show with the Weckl and Calouita and the PAS clinic with Alex Acuna were my BIBLES growing up and playing - I played out that birthday show drum solo on my VHS so good.
Awesome video. Thanks
In the Weckl, Colaiuta, Gadd solo, Gadd is absolutely my favorite. His part is creative, skillful, and it creates an emotional response in me when I listen.
Very helpful thank you!
I’ve been trying to understand song structure, and hearing how Steve goes about 4 and 8 bar phrasing has made this a lot easier to think about!
+1 for Porcaro. Thank you for this!
Steve is my favorite drummer of all time. I totally enjoyed this video and I appreciate it. And I saw Steve when he was on tour with Clapton. He had David Sancious and Billy Preston on keyboards. I had some 10 power Leica binoculars and pretty much never took my eyes off of Steve. 👍🏻
Right on !
A contemporary equivalent (that is to say, of a younger generation) that comes to mind is Nate Smith. The man has chops for days but plays _the_ simplest grooves most of the time, and does so with an insane feel that few contemporary drummers can match.
agree!
And Nate typically plays only with a snare, high hat and bass drum. That’s it! He’s truly brilliant
I could not agree more. About 1 minute in I thought about Nate as a modern “recipient” of the descriptors this narrator was expressing.
Great analysis.
Great vid🔥
I had the honour of meeting Steve a few years back and he was one of the most gentlemanly and genuine people I've had the pleasure to meet.
All these great drummers you are all referencing( and Jeff is one of my favourites) Steve gadd paved the way for all of them .
Thanks for mentioning Stuff, that band needs more attention!
Great video. Steve Gadd's simplicity is genius!! If you can, please cover Ash Soan. He seems to have a similar philosophy of keeping it simple, but there is that subtle richness to his playing...nice grooves and that awesome swing to his playing.
Not a drum connoisseur or anything remotely similar. I only know the name steve gadd because he played heaps on Janis ian records. There were tracks there where the drums by him (again this is from someone who doesn't know a whit about drumming) made the songs or certain strains of the song more effective and in some cases very poignant. Which is, to me, less about technical mastery (which he obviously has in spades) and more about getting the very essence of the song that no quantification can define. (He obviously has loads of this too).
Never knew drums could do that. So when I saw this suggested video with the name steve gadd on it, I immediately clicked. Just to give props to this outstanding musician. Great job to the uploader. Thanks for the time and the effort and the analysis that went into this piece. Very much appreciated.
When the groove meets Steve!🎉❤❤❤
I first encountered Steve's work on Aja as a budding bass player in the mid 70's, was in awe. He was my #1 drummer until I heard Vinnie Colaiuta on Sting's Seven Days track...they've been tied for first ever since🤙
👏dude this was awesome. Glad to hear about this guy. I’ve heard a cpl songs with him in it and didn’t even know.
Super interesting. Great content!
Really appreciated, thanks for watching!
I'm a guitar player, what am I doing here? Ah, groove. You got me!
I met him at a drum symposium about 15 years ago…cool dude
His performance on "Feel The Night" by Lee Ritenour is masterful.
Yes!!!
That whole album is drumming bible. So many great grooves and moments
solid as a rock but unpredictable. Gadd is an out of the box groove establish drummer. In MYHO he's a major BEAST!
informative piece!
I used to watch the drum shed between the three GOATs religiously and as a kid always thought the Gadd sections were underwhelming... Now that I'm older, his solo phrases in that video are so much more satisfying and amazing to listen to. Incredibly refined and tasteful
My drum teacher started working me through the Steve Gadd book when I was about thirteen. Lucky me ;)
The legend!
One of the grooviest and greatest, amazing musician. But don't forget Bernard Purdie, Jeff Porcaro, Steve Jordan, Omar Hakim, Dennis Chambers, James Gadson, James Brown's funky drummers, David Garibaldi, Zig Modelliste... thankfully the art of groove has many masters and even more students.
On Point! Yes! Steve Gadd Harvey Mason Ringo Starr. My Three Favorites growing up as a drummer. Thanks for the video!😄
I saw Steve live in concert with James Taylor in Nov. 2022 in Germany. What the hell!? He is ONE_KICK_ASS drummer! I loved it!
Steve Gadd + Ron Carter is my favorite rhythm lineup. Specifically the sessions with Paul Desmond and Chet Baker.
Had the pleasure to meet him at PASIC 2012. Can’t believe it was over a decade ago.
Steve Gadd's drumming makes the listener feel good!
Thanks!
Great video. I grew up in a small apartment and drums weren't an option. I do love to listen though, and Steve is one of my favs.
Thanks a lot! Listen to Gadd on Schooldays with Stanley Clarke.
If I liked it I should leave a comment?
I loved it! I didn't want it to end. Great video and I'm definitely subscribing. ✌️👍
Easily one of the top 10 best and more influential drummers in history. And a true musical talent.
I always thought he was such a fantastic drummer until I learned to play left handed being a right handed rock, country and jazz drummer, then I could play some of his music, he always played so very tasteful in the 60's and in to the 70's, WOW.