Ed Thigpen 1998

A wonderfully musical drum solo today from the master Ed Thigpen (circa. 1998), demonstrating the sonic potential of the drum set by means of using his hands, brushes and sticks.



I have a couple of personal Ed Thigpen stories to share, the first being an encounter I had with him at the IAJE Conference in Anaheim, California in 1995. I was wandering through the exhibit hall and Ed was holding court at the Remo booth, seated behind a snare drum with a pair of brushes. I had a recently purchased his wonderful brush book "The Sound of Brushes" so I gathered some courage, told him how much I admired his drumming and then politely asked if he could demonstrate his basic brush stroke (as shown in his book). He very enthusiastically obliged and then asked me to play it back for him. I got through about four measures of time and he smiled and nodded his head but then all of a sudden out of nowhere Dave Weckl walked by us. Ed exclaimed "Hey Dave!", took off in his direction and, well, that was the end of that!

I also purchased a used 20" inch Sabian Ed Thigpen Signature Flat Ride at the Drum Bazar in Montreal about twenty years ago or so. Unfortunately I didn't use it very much and ended up trading it in somewhere for something else (I don't even remember what...) However, that was a really nice cymbal and I regret letting that one go. Oh well...