Here's a clip of vibraphonist Terry Gibbs leading a great big band featuring Jeff Hamilton on drums performing Tiny Kahn's composition "Father Kickerbopper":
Tiny Kahn was a great bebop drummer who died tragically at a young age (and he certainly was not "tiny" !) but whose influence remains significant, even today. Mel Lewis cited Kahn as a significant influence during his upbringing and he was also a prolific composer and arranger. In fact, many sources claim that it was Tiny Kahn that wrote the bebop anthem "Donna Lee" NOT Charlie Parker or Miles Davis as commonly thought (!)
My favorite Tiny Kahn album would have to be "Stan Getz at Storyville". Check out Kahn's ride cymbal variations on those fast numbers. Some of that ride cymbal playing predates Tony Williams by like ten years !
It is interesting to speculate on Tiny's influence on Roy Haynes, too. Recordings of Haynes in the same time period (1951)reveal glimmers of the Haynes yet to come, but Roy is still bottom heavy compared to the dancing, unfettered feel of Tiny's cymbal rhythms and comping patterns.
ReplyDelete