What's the Best Album by a Drummer?

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Vistalite Black

Vistalite Black

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I can think of plenty of bad solo albums by drummers (here's looking at you, Keith Moon), but what drummer put out a great solo or or apart-from-the-main-band album with great drumming (on which he or she played drums)?

I think we're open to all genres here, but let's not entertain famous drummers who left the drum throne to sing or play guitar (ie. Dave Grohl).

Please note that we're looking for great drumming ... As much as we all enjoy the songs "It's No Fun Being an Illegal Alien" or "The No No Song," I'm not sure they qualify from a drumming standpoint. If there are great drumming albums by those superstars that most of us haven't heard, let's include those.
 
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Billy Cobham's Spetrum album is really good.

My first exposure to fusion was Billy Cobham's "A Funky Thide of Sings" in my Dad's record collection. That album blew me away. For me, it's that one.

I have to say though that today, I really love the stuff that Mark Guiliana is putting out. The Jersey album from his jazz quartet is seriously good, and not just his drumming.
 
Simon Phillips - Protocol. He played all of the instruments on that first one.


and here's a live version where he had some help.

 
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Anyone remember Herman Rarebell of Scorpions solo record? Had a video for Wipe Out that influenced me not for the drumming though lol... won't post the video you can youtube it. Seriously though I can't think of any that I've enjoyed. I love Steve Smith's drumming but don't care for his work with Vital Information, there's some Jazz Legacy stuff but it's live not sure that counts here.
 
In addition to Spectrum I would add Billy Cobham “Warning”. Lenny White’s “Present Tense”. Phil Collins “Hello, I must be going” and of course “Face Value”...there are others but these come to mind at the moment.
 
Agreed on Simon Phillips. I love all his solo releases.

Chad Wackerman has some very, very good stuff too. I have “The View”, but have listened to all of them and they’re all very good.
 
Great mentions above! How about:
Dave Weckl - Master Plan
Marco Minnemann - Contraire de la Chanson
Johnny Vidacovich - Mystery Street
Jeff Sipe - Jeff Sipe Trio
Cindy Blackman - Works on Canvas
Stanton Moore - Conversations
 
The problem with albums by drummers, especially in the jazz genre, is that they tend to focus on the playing end of things at the expense of decent songs. That said, my favorite album by a drummer is Dirt Farmer by Levon Helm.
 
Cozy Powell -
Over The Top
TILT

Cobham -
A Funky Thide Of Sings
Shabazz
Spectrum
Inner Conflicts
Life & Times
Crosswinds
Warning
Billy's Best Hits
Cobham/George Duke band Live in Europe


Tony Williams -
Believe It!
Million Dollar Legs

Bruford -
Feels Good to Me
Gradually Going Tornado
This!


Roger Taylor-
Fun In Space was Roger's only solo rekkid that I'm aware of. It's been uploaded on youtube in it's entirety. Not particularly a favorite album but I kinda liked this 2 minute ditty.....

 
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shilohjim said:
The problem with albums by drummers, especially in the jazz genre, is that they tend to focus on the playing end of things at the expense of decent songs.
Click to expand...
Erm... no.

Jack DeJohnette, Paul Motian, Elvin Jones, Nate Smith, Mark Guiliana, Kendrick Scott, Will Calhoun... the list is endless really.
The days of those "drum battle" albums from the 60s are long gone.
 
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