I was having a great conversation over coffee with pianist David Restivo last December and we spent the afternoon talking all things drumming and drummers (Dave's also a great drummer!). Eventually Jack DeJohnette, Billy Hart and Joe Chambers became the hot topic of conversation and one theme that David emphasized in the context of these amazing drummers (and other jazz musicians) was the concept of musical storytelling. I think one can agree that the way great improvisors can develop an abstract yet compelling sort of musical narrative and development through the course of their solos is something real and something important (the opposite being just stringing together a series of unrelated phrases that individually might work but as a whole might not really lead anywhere or add up to much...)
Antonio Sanchez is one of my favourite storytellers on the drums and he's obviously given a lot of specific thought to developing ideas and musical narratives on the drum set. Check it out:
