Alan Dawson solo on "Oleo" (1965)

The great Alan Dawson soloing on "Oleo" in 1965, with Sonny Rollins and NHOP on bass.

[@HarryJoiner]

I never understood why this guy doesn’t get mentioned more often in those “who’s the greatest drummer ever” conversations.

[@shanegriffin2215]

I got to see this incredible performer at a clinic in Maine years ago. He had driven up from his home in Massachusetts. And he proceeded to give a jaw dropping performance. Such a kind gentleman. And, funny as well! At some point, he was talking about a certain student that was taking a lesson that day with him, and the student was complaining about the tensioning on Alan's bass drum pedal. He was having trouble playing the bass drum pattern. To which Alan replied, " Next time, BYOP. " Which translates, bring your own pedal. I died laughing at that one! If you could have seen the look on Alan's face when he told us that! Priceless!😂🤣

[@dylangatenby9928]

Alan was one of the best jazz drummers around and still is. Also like Charles Mingus' drummer Danny Richmond. So many greats Buddy, Morello, Krupa, Lewis, Bellson, Papa Jo, Elvin, Roach and all the rest of the greats. Also not to forget Shaughnessy!!

[@buckyfields9254]

Mr. Dawson has a light and precise touch on the drums. Kind of crisp and tight.

[@rayszymarek2920]

Watch listen pay attention this is a master drummer who shows the world the meaning of a drum solo. Love Love those bass drum interjections he puts into his drumming. enjoy this.

[@yldztozu3565]

Just one word...Animal😮

[@tomcarr4630]

Masterful!!!

[@dylangatenby9928]

Alan was a truly brilliant jazz drummer.

[@andyweis5194]

Alan Dawson changed my life the years I studied with him. I learned SO much from him and I continue the cycle of passing his techniques on to my students. Something that NOBODY mentions is that he was also a great legit snare drummer and also taught me a lot about advanced classical snare drumming. He was also a consummate vibraphone player. As a musician, he had the whole package. Incredibly dedicated, talented and wise. As a person, he was a really wonderful and nice person.

[@pneumatic00]

Andy, the night you came & sat in with the Steve band in Lafayette was really a treat. I'm not sure I thanked you at the time, but the band just freakin' launched under your hand, best it's ever sounded. Al, guitar. (the green one)

[@luiszuluaga6575]

Smooth as butter 🥁😃🧈

[@joecaroselli5858]

A beautifully, well trained drummer. So clean and crisp, precise--without being mechanical or wooden. He played with such class and style! And he was a tremendous instructor. I just love Alan Dawson!

[@PeekaPeep]

One of my ALL-TIME favorite drummers of any genre (other ones being Roy Haynes, Billy Higgins, James Gadson, Tony Allen, Brian Downey, David Garibaldi, Al Jackson Jr., Steve Ferrone, Cozy Powell, Phil Ehart, Cindy Blackman, and Philip "Fish" Fisher). Dawson's playing is so crisp, refined, and articulate yet so full of life and meaning-a pro's pro. His work with the late, great Texas tenor Booker Ervin's quartet (which also featured pianist Jacki Byard and bassist Richard Davis) is literally the stuff of legend. I agree, had he taught less and toured more his name would've eventually become well-known across the jazz world at the very least. However, I like to believe he truly loved passing on his vast knowledge to the younger generation a whole lot more in the end (RIP).

[@michaelhayes6887]

all drums come from Alan. It was an honor to study with him. But the drummers he produced is totally under appreciated. Why? It is time to say every major drummer since 1960 to 1990 who had a career and was successful was a product of Alan Dawson. Pure And simple. Why is that not recognized? Peace, Mike.

[@SidLaw500]

This guy is brilliant!

[@251jazzy]

50 years ago and still killing!

[@jpfulginiti]

I truly love this man.

[@colourfulwithaU]

Yes. I've been working on a research paper comparing the works of Alan and Tony, and most of what I've been focusing on has been their method of accompanying (ride cymbal phrasing, role of the hihat, accompanist or equal conversation partner, etc), and the contrasts there are interesting, too. I've noticed that Alan relies a lot more on the triplet grid in swinging and comping, where tony pushes the upbeats way to the back of the beat. Interesting stuff...

[@alexg4284]

Totally agree! Tony uses a really short skip beat. Sounds wicked, adds a bit more tension in my opinion!

[@alexg4284]

Is your paper published anywhere that I could read it?

[@TheRealUncleBeef]

I would really love to see the full performance this sequence is from

[@leardrum1137]

He should've been way more popular

[@alexg4284]

It's criminal

[@ElfPrincessHarley]

Listen to (young) Tony soloing at roughly this tempo (for instance "Seven Steps To Heaven") and you'll hear very similar phrasing and orchestration. IMO Tony's style changed later on: his playing got more muscular and he moved from a little bop kit to a huge kit.

[@fess04]

articulate, swinging,...............very deep

[@alecinquantacinque172]

Really ... still killing!

[@zqa12swx]

Wow. Alan is handling business!

[@Taikomaniac]

you can can hear some of the solo composition approach rubbed on Tony W

[@tokyosoulstew]

Wow, I can clearly see how Tony Williams got his chops from him. Their solos are identical!!

[@doozle5132]

A lot of subtlety and restraint there but it still swings...

[@UtsiZimring]

Great!!!

[@jaylahernandez5337]

It’s most Definitely Sonnymoon for two !! But killin

[@grassetjean-pierre9167]

Wow !

[@camsteele5124]

Oh man!!!

[@AMIR-nw8co]

Ahhhhhhh

[@ScottMartinD]

I wonder if he ever had a drum-off with Buddy?

[@pegrueneis]

teacher of t. Williams......

[@TheEleatic]

How good do you have to be to play with Sonny Rollins? This good.

[@colourfulwithaU]

That's a great observation. Would you mind citing some specific examples of Tony doing something Dawson-esque?

[@ld654321]

Sure sounds like SR is starting to play "sonny moon for two", not "oleo". Ifs like to hear the rest of the tune.

[@Brofabbro]

it is sonnymoon for two

[@nicklangmusic]

Paul Kuznetsov after it a while it is, but he clearly plays the rhythm of “Oleo” in this solo, and he’s playing a lot of 8 bar phrases.

[@anthonyh8041]

The song they're playing is Sonnymoon for two not Oleo.

[@SimonHLucas]

If you listen closely and sing the melody of Oleo, you will hear Alan's solo is completely based of the melody of Oleo.

[@TimMetz]

They started out playing Oleo. It looks like Sonny pulled a fast one on the rest of the band by going into Sonnymoon for Two. Check out the full concert here. It's killing' kzbin.info/www/bejne/r5mQp2qKdrCBnq8m47s

[@jamchappell3305]

oh yeah jazz drums