The
Big Bands dominate the Jazz of this time, playing in the
Duke
Ellington already engraved anthology tracks with his Big Band and Sonny Greer
at the drums.
"Ball
rooms" to the public dance. This is the "Swing"
and "Middle Jazz" period.
The
Jazz continued to travel and the Count Basie Orchestra, while arriving to New
York, marked the apogee of this period, with the one who is considered as the
father of the modern drums :
•Jo
Jones.
Drummers as Sid Catlett prepared the
ground for the drums of the 40's. By the importance of his role in the orchestra,
the drummer became emancipated and started to occupy the in front of the scene.
Certain
musicians produce themselves in small formation, as Benny Goodman, but the hour
is at the dance before the dark days of the war that will ring the toll of the
era of the Big Bands, even if some a, such those of Duke Ellington and Count
Basie, will survive the death of their creators.
The
drums must be powerful, accurate and effective to "propel" the orchestra.
The technique thus developped, this is the era of Gene Krupa's "shows-solos"
in Benny Goodman's orchestra.
The
drums considerably evolved during this period : a floor tom granted to the small
tom was added, the woodblocks and the Chinese cymbal were progressively adandoned,
and the ride cymbal began being used to play the rhythmic with the right hand.
