Charlie Watts' Favorite Drummers

Chet Falzerano has written a fascinating book about Charlie Watts’ favorite drummers, who might come as a surprise to Stones fans and many rock drummers, because it turns out that the drummer for the greatest (oldest?) rock band in the world is also a jazz drummer, and his drumming heroes are both jazz and rock drummers. Charlie has his own traditional swing band in England. Not too many realize that Watts was playing jazz gigs when the Stones hired him. He studied the masters and crafted his unique and simple Stones drumming style and feel not by mistake, but by understanding and respecting the achievements and styles of those who had gone before him. 

We already know Chet is a superb writer but this particular book is one of those that will sit on your night stand for many weeks. Charlie Watts is a private man of few words. His avoidance of interviews and not wanting to talk about himself, his drumming or the Stones is legendary. But one thing Charlie did have a good bit to talk about over the years were HIS favorite drummers. So, without an interview with Charlie, Chet has taken Charlie’s quotes from nearly fifty years of interviews by other writers and fleshed each chapter out with his own scholarly knowledge. Each chapter is a gem. This book should be required reading for any drum set course in college.

There are twenty six very famous drummers profiled in this book who span the twentieth century and the entire history of modern drum set drumming: Chico Hamilton, Phil Seamen, Kenny Clark, Davey Tough, Big Sid Catlett, Papa Jo Jones, Max Roach, Roy Haynes, Art Blakey, shelly Manne, Jake Hanna, Mickey Roker, Billy Higgins, Art Taylor, Elvin Jones, Joe Morello, Paul Motion, Dannie Richmond, Philly Joe Jones, Tony Williams, Billy Cobham, Ginger Baker, Jerry Allison, Earl Phillips, Al Jackson JR. and Jim Keltner. Thanks for writing such a comprehensive, educational and very entertaining book, Chet.

Published by Centerstream and distributed by Hal Leonard. Buy at Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/1574243381?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&ref_=aga_p_pl_ge_title