Legendary drummer and teacher Freddie Gruber died in Los Angeles this past evening. Gruber was room mate and friend to the great Buddy Rich and one of the great jazz drummers. He was also one of the most influential drum instructors in the business.
Join me below the squiggle to learn a bit more about him....
Freddie Gruber was a jazz drummer and drum teacher. He came up in the New York be-bop scene, and played with Charlie Parker, among many others...
Joe Springer
Charlie Parker
Zoot Zims
Al Cohn
Red Rodney
Buddy DeFranco
Gruber came to the attention of the music industry in the pages of "Metronome" magazine in a 1947 article entitled "The Shape of Drums to Come." Noted jazz writer Barry Ulanov wrote, "Some of us have heard the playing of Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie and now, for the first time, a few of us have heard where the future of drumming must go."
Freddie worked around New York with various jazz groups and big bands, including Parker's. While he was on the road with Buddy DeFranco, reviewers took notice of a young drummer; one reviewer called Gruber "the Find of the Year."
By observing friend, roommate and fellow drummer Buddy Rich's "style, technique, and guts" over the years he eventually based most of his teaching method on what he learned.
Through the years Gruber became known as a drum teacher in the Los Angeles area, and his students have moved on to fill drum chairs in almost every genre of music. He trained such drum luminaries as Frank Zappa's Vinnie Colaiuta, Neil Peart of Rush, Steve Smith of Journey, former Chick Corea drummer Dave Weckl. Other students included...
Greg Bissonette
Danny Gottlieb
Peter Erskine
Anton Fig
Steve Smith
Adam Nussbaum
Kenny Aronoff
Richie Garcia
Clayton Cameron
Rod Morgenstein
Jim Keltner
John Guerin
Mike Baird
John Hernandez
Nick Vincent
Don Ellis
Carl Tassi
One of Gruber's teaching concepts is to "have the drum stick be an extension of one's hand." He taught that the drummer must follow through with the downward stroke, not stopping at the end of the curve, but letting the movement of the arm flow freely. He would also advise, "get out of your own way."
Gruber was called The Yoda of Drums or The Guru by his students. His zen-like method of teaching appealed to many. Drummer Neil Peart of Rush began studying with Freddie in 1996. He tells the story of their first session saying, "The first thing Freddie told me was to change my shoes. 'You don't drum in sneakers!'" Peart thought so much of Gruber that he had him appear in the documentary about Rush, Beyond The Lighted Stage (2010). Here's a brief piece with Freddie and Neil:
Of the pair's relationship, Carrie Nutall, Peart's wife said
Neil and his drum teacher, Freddie Gruber, they go back about 10 or 15 years; Neil kind of relearned his entire drumming technique. Well, Freddie -- who is a complete character, he's almost 80 years old -- his theory is to have all his students wear dance shoes while they drum, because their feet are dancing on the pedals.
On January 15th of this year he was honored by Zildjian cymbals. The daughters of the late Armand Zildjian (the founder), presented Freddie with an award for educational excellence throughout his lifetime.
Freddie Gruber died October 11, 2011 in Los Angeles after a long ailment. He was never married and had no children. But he will be mourned by musicians and music lovers everywhere. He was 84.
"I teach an approach to the drums based on natural principles. Breaking those principles creates stress. That means the person is going to be 'trying' forever, and 'trying' is never 'doing.'"
Here is a great article about Freddie Gruber.