Who’s the drummer...

[bonefamily]

A slight hiatus from drumming, but back in the saddle (throne).

My memory is toast in my old(er) age. There is a drummer/percussionist (jazz/world) that went through a transformation of minimizing the drum kit from a full kit to nothing but a cymbal, and then started adding a piece here and there again - but still settling on a very minimalist kit. Please refresh my again memory, what was his name? I Remember him being bald and sunglasses, lol. Who is this drummer? Thanks.

 

[Griener]

Leon Parker

Leon Parker - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[bonefamily]

Ding, ding, ding - we have a winner!!! But, thanks! That’s the name I was looking for

 

[multijd]

The Trouble With Leon: Drum Rebel Loses Control

In the early 90’s, the jazz world was snapping out of its fixation on the Young Lions, with their instrumental technique and nice looks, and realizing, to its embarrassment, it had no good an…

www.google.com

 

[Mackermanesq]

I think he played a bass drum, snare and hi hat when I saw him with the Borneo Horns

 

[nomsgmusic]

I don't have much else to add about Leon, except that I saw him many times and always dug his playing and his spirit. I will also ask, what ever happened to him? I haven't seen his name around for years.

The linked article was from 1999 (21 years ago) as well.

I also had the exact same Sabian Brilliant 18" HH Flat as him (sounded the same too) for a long time, eventually I sold it. Second to the Paiste 602 flats, that was the best sounding flat that I ever heard.

BUT... Here's why I responded.

I think he played a bass drum, snare and hi hat when I saw him with the Borneo Horns

Mackerman you saw Leon with the Borneo Horns, how cool!!!! I saw them twice, once with Leroy Clouden, and once with Steve Jordan, both were great. The one with Steve was pretty memorable, because it was one of the first times that I had seen him live, and his COOL FACTOR was OFF THE CHARTS!!!

Also, both Jordan and Clouden also played BD, SD, HH on that gig. That seems to be the "prerequisite" for that gig. You might also like to know that Dennis Chambers played a few of their tunes (with them) on his "Planet Groove" CD, he killed those tunes too. I have the Borneo Horns record too, I love that music.

Mackerman where did you see them with Leon, and when?

Leroy Clouden is a NYC legend, and mentor to many. He also played on the soundtrack to Savion's "Bring in da Noise, Bring in da Funk," and KILLED it!!!!! We met and talked at a Paiste day at SIR years ago, good guy too.

Anyway, pretty cool to see (in a roundabout way) Leroy Clouden, Borneo Horns, and Leon Parker, all brought up in a thread. Does anyone else have any stories about any of the three?

MSG