Sonny Payne w/Harry James Sept 1970 "Apples" drum solo

Рет қаралды 61,314

5 жыл бұрын

When Buddy Rich left the Harry James Band in 1966, Harry James used several other drummers to try and fill the drum chair.
Some of the drummers were Louis Bellson, Paul Humphrey, Sol Gubin, Charlie Persip and Tony DeNicola.
In December of 1966, Harry scored a big plus, when he hired Sonny Payne to be the band drummer.
Sonny Payne was the final piece in Harry's decade long quest of getting a Basie-feel to his already swinging band.
Everything Sonny Payne touched rocked hard.
Sonny went in and out of the Harry James Orchestra from Dec 1966-Dec 1978.
He died January 29, 1979 days before he was scheduled to join Harry for an Eastern tour. Harry James personally paid Payne's medical bills and funeral costs.
Sonny Payne was known for his showmanship, especially his stick throwing.
He often dropped a stick, and in this solo he drops a drumstick at 7:10, which Harry James deftly picks up and tosses back to Sonny.

Пікірлер: 131

@ProfessorSwing 4 жыл бұрын

My very favorite big band drummer!!! I once downed a bottle of wine with him at a Harry James gig. He was going to come to my house and give me a drum lesson, but then he died soon thereafter. Wonderfully nice & very hip, cool guy! He did not like playing dances. Much preferred night clubs, where people sat down & really listened.

@francisbryanclavinclavain7203 Жыл бұрын

A 😢Ty by m I’m 😅p A am he

@francisbryanclavinclavain7203 Жыл бұрын

P.M. and 😅

@robertcarli1969 Жыл бұрын

@@francisbryanclavinclavain7203 ????

@joshlicht1359 4 жыл бұрын

Found myself here after watching a Steve Jordan interview....via a few other stops on the way.....enjoying the journey. Man Sonny Payne was one heavy cat, that's some serious phrasing and groove. What a super drummer!! Sheesh.

@michaelhutchinson9413 Ай бұрын

As a young music educator in the early’70’s I attended a jazz clinic with Sonny as the clinician. He was accessible and a very nice, humble man. I treasure an 8x10 black & white glossy photograph that he signed with the caption:”Best of luck from one brother to another “. RIP Sonny, Keep on swinging 😎

@joejackson3668 3 жыл бұрын

Awesome playing every bit as good as buddy and the rest of the top drummers

@karlplaysdrums Жыл бұрын

I've seen this guy a million times and I still can't believe how incredibly good he was...

@U2WB Жыл бұрын

One of the greatest big band drummers of all time. A hero of mine.

@roybeckerman9253 4 жыл бұрын

Definitely in the top 5 of the drummers of the past.

@bulgarincho 2 жыл бұрын

Today I discovered about the existance of this great man, Sonny, thank you.

@michaelhutchinson9413 Ай бұрын

Very formal back in the day. Playing on a sweltering stage in a button down dress shirt and necktie and coat! But totally focused on his performance!

@jesham7627 10 күн бұрын

Sonny Payne was so phenomenal, that he was the only drummer that could replace Papa Joe Jones once he retired from the Count Basie Band!

@simba30 3 жыл бұрын

Truly one of the great drummers in the Buddy Rich league , he was amazing with Count Basie as well.🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

@dennisgockman6042 Жыл бұрын

Sonny was an inspiration for the late John Bonham. What gifts these men possessed. Iron sharpens iron.

@anthonydecruz178 22 күн бұрын

Sonny Payne was a great drummer and showman, I saw several times when he was with Count Basie. The only criticism I have is that in the 60's whenever an artist was doing a solo, the producers always cut to a close up of the artist's face, whereas I wanted to see them play!!!

@babyshambler Жыл бұрын

Absolutely phenomenal! Wow. What a drummer.

@johnastrup1549 2 жыл бұрын

One of Great drummer Basie drummer Sonny Payne 🥁⭐🇺🇲

@broadpath7184 2 ай бұрын

Every drummer is different, and once you get to a certain level, it's all nuanced and subjective - but IMHO, he's my favorite big band drummer - I just really enjoy him, and smile and say 'damn!' everytime I listen.

@jerryferko8309 Жыл бұрын

really !!!!!!!!!!!! AMAZING !!!!!!!! not just sonny .....the whole crew ................. thanks chuck .......

@ChuckParDueMusic Жыл бұрын

You're welcome!

@phabel59 4 жыл бұрын

I was exceptionally fortunate to see them live!

@drummersinger5324 2 жыл бұрын

Stick control peeps. If you can't play snare drum you aren't a drummer. This dude has two great trained hands you can hear every note loud or soft. Bad ass as it gets

@paradiddle16 Жыл бұрын

He was not only an amazing player but some real funny showmanship there. I love it when he hits the microphones at 3:15

@perfektno 4 ай бұрын

Amazing...so soft and powerful

@dinodeluca6210 5 жыл бұрын

A most swinging and underrated drumming legend....I thought Sonny fit Harry's band better than anyone else. I also loved him with Count Basie. This is the perfect chart to showcase his talent.

@ChuckParDueMusic 5 жыл бұрын

Sonny was the best overall drummer Harry ever had.

@dinodeluca6210 5 жыл бұрын

@@ChuckParDueMusic I agree 100%..you could also see the love that Harry had for him in his eyes when he introduced him. Too bad he died so young...even his father, Chris Columbus, outlived him by over 20 years!

@robertcarli1969 Жыл бұрын

@@dinodeluca6210 No way. Listen to 1966 "Live at the Riverboat" with Louie Bellson.

@williamfeilhauer2667 Жыл бұрын

Sonny fit Harry's band better than buddy rich. Sonny was much more musical and a heck of a nice guy.

@williamfeilhauer2667 Жыл бұрын

@@ChuckParDueMusic fantastic job with these videos Chuck.

@OldmanNix 11 ай бұрын

Greyson got me to check this out. I never even knew this guy. Gonna go on a rabbithole dive today. This is excellent.

@hotlanta35 8 ай бұрын

I like those hihats

@MegaLJ3 Жыл бұрын

I worked opposite Sonny when he was Harry James in Lake Tahoe at Harrah's Club.. Because there wasn't enugh time between shows to switch out drum sets, had the opportunity to play his drums.

@charlestea3642 2 жыл бұрын

He's still the greatest of all time!

@iternityhuman1782 Жыл бұрын

Wow what a master hats off to you Sonny Payne.

@SKragseth 2 жыл бұрын

Props to the videographer!! ❤️

@davidscher4303 Ай бұрын

That is film

@ManWithNoName2007 9 ай бұрын

Fantastic! 👍👍👍

@adanvaldcontreras4283 2 жыл бұрын

Amazing... always enjoy watching one of the greatest....👏👏👏👏👏👏

@adamtroyhunter 2 жыл бұрын

The mic stand hits 😂 👏 👏 👏

@thenel2162 3 жыл бұрын

just flat out funky and loose! Gimmie this kind of drumming all day long!

@tonya7610 2 жыл бұрын

I will never try to play the drums again. EVER!!!

@michaelhutchinson9413 Ай бұрын

Tonya, please keep on playing! If Sonny was here he would want you “speak your passion “ on those drums!

@robert-zr6vo Жыл бұрын

One of my favorite drummers

@rickviehdorfer4755 5 жыл бұрын

What a lovely tempo. And I know that this may be controversial, but I hear Buddy every time I hear him play, inspirationally.

@jasontimperley9199 Жыл бұрын

This guy is a machine. I mean, really?! How?!

@erikboje460 9 ай бұрын

WOW, WOW. WOW!!!

@robertcarli1969 7 ай бұрын

1966 Harry James lp "Live at the Riverboat" is legendary among HJ's fans.😂❤

@larrymysliwiec6301 6 ай бұрын

Bravo!!!!!

@pegrueneis 2 жыл бұрын

immense gifted

@carbonc6065 9 ай бұрын

Awesome.

@paulunde 3 жыл бұрын

What a great video! There are so many things to like about this and Sonny's playing. His technique and personality are so much fun! I think my favorite moment is where he drops the stick. You can hear Harry let out a yell - and then throw the stick back at him! Great stuff.

@mezdrums 3 жыл бұрын

Payne is the GOAT

@paistebob3163 Жыл бұрын

Wow! Now it would have been really great to see a drum battle between sonny and buddy.

@bizyz 4 жыл бұрын

must have been a hot nite when this concert took place beause even the other guys in the band were sweating.sonny was not only a brilliant,power house of a drummer but he was a great showman as well.look at the way he twirls those sticks and catches them,including the dropped stick that harry picks up and tosses back to him.recalls the dys of the great swing drummers who drove the girls wild at the paramount theater in new york in the early to mid 1940s.

@Ronnybengt 3 жыл бұрын

Mastery and humour

@webstercat 2 жыл бұрын

Sonny’s got some Sammy going on. Thanks for posting…..

@JBPerraudindrummerOfficial 4 жыл бұрын

AMAZING!!!

@josephgiarraffa6379 2 жыл бұрын

Classic and great

@jorgeluizferraz3041 Жыл бұрын

Fantastic! Show!

@vp9946 4 ай бұрын

WOW!!!!!!!

@buddabirne4661 3 жыл бұрын

You see, some Drummers are even GOOD LOOKING !!

@stix9641 5 ай бұрын

Oh Man ❤

@teddoyle997 5 жыл бұрын

Wow!!

@alejandropons9565 4 жыл бұрын

Espectacular me recuerda. Mis tiempos de batero

@benindavisca 3 жыл бұрын

And to think.... doing that under hot lights night after night...in a suit and tie and hard shoes!

@candyman1337 Жыл бұрын

Richie Hayward sent me here..

@mgfiii Жыл бұрын

Wow.

@richardfoulk3228 7 ай бұрын

Supernatural!

@jamesgarcia9123 Жыл бұрын

spinning sticks', fliping', them', started way back before the rock and roll scene', sonnys proof. peace😁

@munch2331 2 жыл бұрын

Jon fishman interview brought me here. Thanks Jon fishman. You're a mensch.

@REFondrums 2 жыл бұрын

Why do cameramen, directors and producers hate drummers? It never fails that when the player solos and gets into the thick of it and is whipping around, they show his chin, his hi-hat, an impossible close-up of the whir of a hand, and other ridiculous shots. Four or five camera angles available and they show their artistic nonsense, bored with what drumists do? It's an insult. It doesn't matter what era, what decade. A player like Sonny Payne needs a wide berth for all he did. He was a Jazz musician and a carnival performer all at the same time. Showing just his face. Seriously? Just capture the whole player and the whole set and leave it alone.

@SKragseth 2 жыл бұрын

Think of the equipment, the setting, the times. Everything they had to use at that time. I think the video is great.

@REFondrums 2 жыл бұрын

@@SKragseth I counted 5 camera angles. Equipment was not a problem and if it was, just show the man behind his set doing his thing from a couple angles and leave it alone. The setting is meaningless, too. A stage is a stage, a gig is a gig, a concert is a concert. I have seen the same production for drum solos in every decade. Doesn't matter. The times? I'm not certain what you mean there. Era has nothing to do with it, either. Drum set artistry, especially from a very physical player like Payne, should not be the place producers decide to become artsy with everything but, 90% of the time a drummer ends up being fragmented from his solo by total over-production of the moment. The audience present at the gig sees it all. Why should the audience watching film or live media performance be any different? For some reason, every other musician soloing will receive respectful showcase of their hand's performance, or their face and hands in the case of horn players. Their hands remain in a very enclosed environment. The drumist can be reaching a total a six feet or more all around them. For film, if you care about the player's performance, meaningless camera angels at the soloist's expense is rude and insulting, imo, regardless of the times.

@BONHAMOLOGY Жыл бұрын

@@REFondrums 💯 agreed, absolutely awful direction and editing

@joshlaforte1151 9 ай бұрын

Jon Fishman of Phish brought me here. Wow 🤩

@gerardbidel3099 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you too.

@IamP3ngu1n 3 жыл бұрын

3:55 mark - Was when the sound man became a part of the band !!

@binkwood 2 жыл бұрын

Wow!

@arame29 5 жыл бұрын

The chords at the end we're taken from a Basie arr Rufus Jones used ro end with them, too

@mortenfriis4688 Жыл бұрын

Extraordinary in a bigband setup.. underrated!

@rancelumsden1609 6 ай бұрын

Drummers note --- he uses match grip.

@dennisnardone8342 4 жыл бұрын

Who is Mel Lewis to criticize? I enjoy Sonny’s playing. Mel comes out of the Tiny Kahn school. Sonny does not. Enjoy each one.

@kamipaul1090 3 жыл бұрын

Just woow

@mjm5081 Жыл бұрын

❤

@THEPETERC1 2 жыл бұрын

Let me add one of my favorites of Harry's drummers, Jake Hanna.

@fweddyfwintsone4491 2 жыл бұрын

Mr. Payne was a phenomenal talent. I wish I could say the same for the cameraman. Camera zooms in way too much. You lose perspective when you do that.

@RichardSalvucci Жыл бұрын

if you bought Sonny a drink, you had a friend

@cj_shortsongsforsocialmedia 16 күн бұрын

He swung on the microphone 🎤 🤣

@michaelfox2475 4 жыл бұрын

While no muscian could ever deny that Buddy Rich was undeniably one of the all time greatest drummers to ever played the instrument. I’m certain that many drum fans and muscians might be surprised to find out, that while Buddy was a master drummer neither he nor Gene Krupa are responcible for any ground breaking or innovative contributions that would art of drumming as far as sound and feel. Such as moving making monumental leap of moving the main time keeping instrument from the bass drum to the ride cymbal like Bebop drummer Kenny Clark did during the 1940s there free up the drummer to enter into the musical dialogue of the band and soloist, because the primary time keeper was the right hand on ride cymbal freeing up the foot and leeft hand to be more syncopated. Maybe that is why when studying Jazz in major music colleges from California’s UCLA with the great Peter Erskin or any other music college the emphasis for 90% of your 4-6 years is on the Drummers from the Bebop error. Drummers like Tony Williams and Elvin Jones. But never is Buddy or Gene Krupa ever bought up as an example or analysis for approaches to styal or feel

@seilomat 4 жыл бұрын

Why?

@markgeiger7700 3 жыл бұрын

hey stuffed shirt....Tony and Elvin were both great...but ....wouldn't have been there without ...Gene...and ..Buddy

@SELMER1947 2 жыл бұрын

Speaking about drummers without even speak about Chick Webb, Jo Jones, Cosy Cole, Art Blakey is like speaking trumpet without Armstrong, Dizzy, Miles and Clifford

@SELMER1947 2 жыл бұрын

@@markgeiger7700 completely wrong ! As if they were no others drummers than Rich and Krupa !!!!! Go back to school...

@RotPhalkun Жыл бұрын

Where can I find this snare sound?

@deanbrandl1987 Жыл бұрын

Tighten the bottom head a little more

@johnanderson9494 2 жыл бұрын

Why do the best drummers often die young?

@Cuckold_Cockles Жыл бұрын

I wanna know why his hi hat is so loose. Is that a jazz thing?

@ScottMartinD 2 жыл бұрын

5:32

@jjadaddy Жыл бұрын

Sonny was top notch, but no one was in Buddy's league.

@minkoiliev5257 Жыл бұрын

Bernard Rich is only one, that's right, but Sony doesn't give up on him, that's clear. He is there next to him!

@JAc08-games 3 ай бұрын

I view drummers not necessarily as being better or worse than one another. But all of them are different styles to learn, appreciate, and most importantly imitate

@jiyujizai 2 жыл бұрын

🌾🌱💙🙄

@arame29 5 жыл бұрын

I don't understand why Mel Lewis didn't like Sonny's playing

@ChuckParDueMusic 5 жыл бұрын

I don't know about that. But Sonny had ongoing substance abuse problems that Basie got tired of dealing with.

@arame29 5 жыл бұрын

@@ChuckParDueMusic i heard when Sonny got sick, Harry James picked up the bills

@ChuckParDueMusic 5 жыл бұрын

@@arame29 and he paid for Sonny's funeral.

@ProfessorSwing 4 жыл бұрын

@@ChuckParDueMusic , I never understood WHY? Fuck those greedy vulture funeral directors, Shouldn't have given them a dime!!!

@ProfessorSwing 4 жыл бұрын

@@ChuckParDueMusic ??? I never heard that!!! I know Sonny had problems with alcohol, (vodka), but not drugs! Enlighten me. I once downed a bottle of wine with him at a Harry James gig. He was going to come to my house and give me a drum lesson, but then he died soon thereafter. Wonderfully nice & very hip, cool guy! He did not like playing dances. Much preferred night clubs, where people sat down & really listened.

@WilliamSilva-ml5nw 2 жыл бұрын

Does the drummer move you? Don't care if the drummer is simple, complex, innovative, basic, fast, slow, steady or whatever!!! If the drummer moves the listener, the role of the drummer has been done!!!

@doctorsteve9476 2 жыл бұрын

start at 1:35 & watch Sonny take the brush around his neck and not miss a beat.....never saw anyone do that. nuff said.

@foketesz Жыл бұрын

ouch

@malinwj1167 2 жыл бұрын

Probably the loosest hihat clutch have ever seen

@navyflyer7465 Жыл бұрын

A five-year-old was holding the camera. Terrible shot selection, I would have wanted to see his playing of his drum set overall. Full shot or side shot of him playing drums. He did the work but it could have been visually shot better. You could line them up, Sonny Payne is my favorite big band drummer.

@smikes7126 2 жыл бұрын

Awesome playing, but ruined shitty camera work.

@roybeckerman7843 2 жыл бұрын

Great drummer….dreadful cameraman..

@camsteele586 4 жыл бұрын

Sunny Payne is/was way better then Buddy Rich. Buddy rich overshadowed a lot of great jazz drummers from that era simply because he was white. Guys like Alan Dawson, Max Roach, and Philly Joe Jones where vastly superior.

@andrewkeats8247 4 жыл бұрын

"way way" and "vastly"? Art Blakey was the greatest, IMHO. Tony Williams, Kenny Clarke, Elvin Jones, Roy Haynes, Gene Krupa, Steve Gadd, Joe Morello, Peter Erskine. How can you say any of these is WAY WAY better or vastly superior than the next. Rich is up there on the Jazz Drummers of Mt Rushmore. Forget black and white. Jazz doesn't have colors.

@camsteele586 4 жыл бұрын

@@andrewkeats8247 Unfortunately Andrew the peak of Bebop style jazz was at a time when racism was rampant in America. Any black jazz musician at the time would tell you how hard it was to get a paying gig based on the color of their skin. As far as Buddy Rich is concerned, he had tremendous technique but lacked musicality. I can't think of one important jazz record that he participated in. Although I would agree that Buddy Rich is one of the greatest drummers of all time, I also think that he is highly overrated and overshadowed some tremendous talent. Also, many people like to rank great musicians. Just because you don't believe in it doesn't mean that I can't. I enjoy doing it and lots of other people do as well.

@andrewkeats8247 4 жыл бұрын

@@camsteele586 I'll agree in the sense that Rich may have been more of an entertainer.

@Bob-nu3xe 3 жыл бұрын

Cam Buddy once said" be your own man your style of playing" Sonny I believe, brings something else to the table, this performance was mind blowing, all the greats create their own style and Sonny put his on this chart to which any drummer would appreciate