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Albert “Tootie” Heath was a persistent drummer and jazz educator for more than 60 years. He passed away this year at 88.
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Drummer, composer and producer Harvey Mason Sr. is as versatile as any musician could ask for, working on some of the most notable recordings in the past 50 years.
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Louis Hayes is regarded as one of the great hard bop drummers in jazz. He recorded on key records in the '50s and '60s and led his own bands for most of the next 50 years.
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A member of the supergroup The Cookers, Billy Hart's drumming spans many decades and genres, from swinging hard bop to funky grooves and beyond.
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Highly influential drummer and composer Billy Cobham came on the jazz scene in the '60s working with Hubert Laws, Miles Davis and the Mahavishnu Orchestra before launching his solo career.
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Drummer Roy Haynes has not only shared the stage with legendary jazz figures over the decades, but contributed mightily to stylistic developments in the genre. He turned 99 this year.
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Alan White, the longtime drummer for progressive rock pioneers Yes who also played on projects with John Lennon and George Harrison, has died. He was 72. White’s death was announced on his Facebook page by his family. The post said he died at his Seattle-area home on Thursday after a brief illness.
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Drummer Dottie Dodgion died on Sept. 17, six days short of her 92nd birthday. Her story of a life in jazz is harrowing, funny and inspiring.
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Veteran jazz masters "Killer" Ray Appleton and Barry Altschul have issued fine new albums this year. Both in their early 70s, it's clear they draw from extensive experience. So how might that translate to making music that's fun to listen to?