Drums

Born in Chicago on December 28, 1930, Ed is a consummate drummer, dancer, author and jazz educator par excellence. Following in the lineage of greatness established by his drummer father, Ben Thigpen, he began his career in the 1950s with Cootie Williams, Dinah Washington, Johnny Hodges, Lennie Tristano, Bud Powell and Billy Taylor. Ed was a formidable member of the historic and highly acclaimed Oscar Peterson Trio with bassist Ray Brown from 1959 to 1965. He joined Ella Fitzgerald in 1966, moved to Los Angeles the following year doing freelance work and rejoined her from 1968 through 1972. In 1972, he moved to Copenhagen and taught at the Malmo Conservatory in Sweden.


Ed Thigpen is widely respected for his energetic, swinging style, his sensitivity to timbre and dynamics, and his facility with sticks and brushes. He frequently uses his hands and timpani mallets on the drum set and has explored diverse percussion instruments, both Western and non-Western, in his performances. Ed is the author of Talking Drums (Toronto, 1965), Rhythm Analysis and Basic Coordination (Copenhagen, 1977), and The Sound of Brushes (Copenhagen, 1981).

Los Angeles Times Jazz OBITUARY January 15, 2010|By Don Heckman

Ed Thigpen dies at 79; jazz drummer

Drummer Ed Thigpen, who often was described as "Mr. Taste" for his sensitive accompaniment of instrumentalists and singers such as Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Bud Powell and Billy Taylor, died Wednesday at Hvidovre Hospital in Copenhagen. He was 79.

Thigpen, who suffered from Parkinson's disease, was hospitalized before Christmas with heart and lung problems. His son, Michel, noted on Thigpen’s website that his father "passed away very peacefully . . . in the company of his friends and family."

In addition to the "Mr. Taste" label, Thigpen also was identified as a musician's drummer, a player who set a standard for blending subtle, propulsive swing with an adaptability that allowed him to function in a wide range of musical settings.

"Even though he seldom ever wanted to show all of the skills that he had -- which was a matter of his good taste and selectivity," said drummer and friend Ed Shaughnessy, "he had a great deal of ability on the drum set. He wasn't a dogmatic player. He could be as perfect as he was with Oscar Peterson, and then he could be completely different in another context."

We will never forget Ed Thigpen. He was a dear friend, role model, outstanding artist and significant financial sponsor of the African American Jazz Caucus. Ed believed in our mission, always gave wise counsel,strategy and encouraged us to never look back and to always tell the truth about the innovative African American Jazz Legacy and Heritage.






For more information: http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Ed_Thigpen.html, and the Grove Dictionary of Jazz.