The order no longer matters that much as I round out my top 10 or 11. I'll probably keep going with my "honorable mentions" after I finish. This is Art Blakey, a uniquely powerful drummer. I get a headache after listening to the Blakey shuffle for an hour or so, but there's no denying his force and influence. He has a great Afro-Cuban polyrhythmic feel. Listen to him with the early group that had Lou Donaldson and Clifford Brown "Live at Birdland."

Blakey, along with Tony Williams, were influences on



Cindy Blackman, a fantastically musical drummer on my honorable mention list. You might have seen her drumming on t.v. behind Lenny Kravitz, but she is actually a jazz drummer who leads her own group.