James Gadson
James Gadson (born June 17, 1939) is an American drummer and session musician. Beginning his career in the late 1960s, Gadson has since become one of the most-recorded drummers in the history of R&B music.[1] he is also a singer and songwriter.[2]
Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Gadson played with the first line-up of Charles Wright's Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band,[3] and recorded three albums with them between 1968 and 1970. Along with other members of Wright's band he went on to appear on many hit records including Dyke & the Blazers.[4] Gadson started to become well known as a drummer following the release of the album Still Bill, by Bill Withers,[5] released by Sussex Records in 1972. He played on The Temptations album 1990,[6] released on the Motown label in 1973. In 1975 he played with Freddie King on Larger than life[7] and went on to record with Martha Reeves, Randy Crawford, Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, BB King, Albert King, Rose Royce, Elkie Brooks and many more household names.[8] In 1975 he anchored with percussive dexterity the Motown classic double platinum album;
"City Of Angels" recorded by Billy Griffin & The Miracles. James Gadson was also the drummer on Marvin Gaye's "I Want You" 1976 Gadson appeared on two tracks on the 2005 Paul McCartney album "Chaos and Creation in the Back Yard", "At The Mercy" and "Riding To Vanity Fair".
He has a brief appearance in the Adam Sandler 2009 movie Funny People as a member of the jam band that Sandler's character hires to play with him.
In April, 2009, Gadson joined Alex Dixon, grandson of Willie Dixon, on his 2009 release titled Rising From The Bushes, in which he appeared on two tracks, which were "Fantasy" and his grandfather's famous song "Spoonful".[9]
In June, 2009, Gadson joined Beck, Wilco, Feist and Jamie Lidell covering Skip Spence's Oar as part of Beck's Record Club series, with videos appearing on Beck's website beginning November, 2009.[10] He has drummed on Beck's albums Sea Change, The Information and Morning Phase, as well as Jamie Lidell's 2010 album Compass
Discography
Singles
- "Got To Find My Baby" / Let The Feeling Belong - Cream Records 1014 - (197?)
- "Good Vibrations" / "Just To Love You Girl" - Cream Records 1019 - (1972)
- "Go By What's In Your Heart" / "Go By What's In Your Heart" - United Artists UA-XW815-Y - (1976)
- James Gadson & Lou Washington
- Gadson & Washington - "Ain't No Way To Live" / "Indian Village" - B And W Records – BW-011, B And W Records – BW-012 (12" 33rpm single)[11]
As sideman
With Brass Fever
- Time Is Running Out (Impulse!, 1976)
With John Handy
With Charles Kynard
- Charles Kynard (Mainstream, 1971)
With Blue Mitchell
- Stratosonic Nuances (RCA, 1975)
- African Violet (Impulse!, 1977)
- Summer Soft (Impulse!, 1978)
With Lalo Schifrin
- Rollercoaster (soundtrack) (MCA, 1977)
With Herb Alpert
- Herb Alpert / Hugh Masekela (Horizon, 1978)
References
- ↑ Amendola, Billy (September 2007). "R&B / Soul Legend James Gadson". Modern Drummer.
- ↑ Drummer World James Gadson June 17, 1939
- ↑ Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band at Allmusic
- ↑ Funk: The Music, The People, and The Rhythm of The One
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- ↑ [1] Archived June 3, 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ Larger than life at Allmusic
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ Discogs James Gadson Discography
Bibliography
- Vincent, Rickey (1996). Funk: The Music, The People, and The Rhythm of The One. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-312-13499-1.
External links
- 2013 Audio Interview with James Gadson from the Podcast "I'd Hit That"
- Modern Drummer Article on James Gadson
- [2] Brian LeBarton interviews James Gadson
- [3] Review of Rising from the Bushes including James Gadson
- The Sessions Panel Dom Famularo interviews James Gadson Part 1, The Sessions Panel Dom Famularo interviews James Gadson Part 2
