School of Rock
Random article All articles A–Z
2 languages

Ed Blackwell

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Ed Blackwell was an American jazz drummer, born in 1929 in New Orleans. He grew up in a family with many musical traditions and with connections in the city's record business. He learned to read music and the basics of drumming from Wilbur Hogan, played in his school's drum band and only began on a drum kit at nineteen, when he got his first paid gig. In 1949 he played in the Jonson Brothers Band, with jump blues, rhythm and blues and shuffle. In 1951 he moved to Los Angeles, where he got to know Ornette Coleman.

Music and breakthrough

His early style came from the second line rhythms of New Orleans and from the bebop of Kenny Clarke and Max Roach. Around 1960 he became a member of Ornette Coleman's quartet, after taking Billy Higgins's place during a residency at the Five Spot Café in New York. That was the period of the free jazz with which he is most closely associated. Later he played in the group Old and New Dreams, after which the 1979 album is named, and made records of his own, such as Tune In from 1969 and El Corazón from 1982. Transit from 1987 and Crystal Fire from 1992 belong there too. He died in 1992.

Influence

Even in free jazz Blackwell kept his playing structured. He used recurring motifs, which makes his drumming sound almost song-like. In this way he brought the rhythms of New Orleans into the avant-garde, and showed that free jazz and tradition are not separate from each other.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to a recording of Ed Blackwell with Ornette Coleman and follow only the drums. Can you hear how the rhythm sometimes almost becomes a melody, even though the tempo is not fixed?

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.

Categories: Artists