Here’s a cool video of Ndugu Leon Chancler in the studio with George Duke, playing Dukey Stick, which ended up on his record Don’t Let Go. They start playing after about 1:45. The way Ndugu […]
Category: Ndugu Leon Chancler
Transcription: Ndugu Leon Chancler – Man in the Green Shirt
Quick little transcription that includes one of the great opening drum fills ever— Ndugu Leon Chancler playing Man in the Green Shirt, from Weather Report’s album Tale Spinnin’. I’ve just written out the opening, some […]
Groove o’ the day: Ndugu Latin
Listening to Ndugu Leon Chancler is always a great lesson in how to play funk, and how to use a set with a lot of tom toms. How to use the tom toms period. I […]
Groove o’ the day, ENHANCED: MORE NDUGU
This is how it goes around here, I get into a certain thing and do only that, and the blog content becomes unbalanced. What do I care, I love Ndugu Leon Chancler’s playing. You can […]
Transcription: Ndugu Leon Chancler – Blues For Walls
I say that every time I post something about him: Ndugu Leon Chancler has to be the player I love the most, for the least exposure to his playing— for years I just had the […]
Very occasional quote of the day: Ndugu on talent
Another great quote from Ndugu Leon Chancler, from his 1983 Modern Drummer interview: “I think the most important thing is your attitude. There were, and still are, a lot of musicians who have more technique […]
Very occasional quote of the day: Ndugu on musicality
“I think a drummer’s success and notability are based on sensitivity as a musician—not as a drummer. I don’t even approach myself as a drummer. I’m an orchestrator. The drums are just the instrument I […]
An Ndugu break
I think we’re going to be seeing a lot of Ngugu Leon Chancler around here in the near future. A group I play with plays a lot of 70s funk tunes, so I’m listening to […]
Transcription: Ndugu Leon Chancler – Earth
Happy holidays everyone. Instead of finishing the other transcriptions I said I needed to finish, I started a new, really long one: Ndugu Leon Chancler playing Earth, from Joe Henderson’s album The Elements. I don’t […]
Groove o’ the day: Ndugu Leon Chancler afro 12/8
Here’s a very fun tune, with Ndugu Leon Chancler playing an unusual form of an Afro 12/8, on the late, great, George Duke’s 1977 album Reach For It. The track is called Omi. There’s lots […]
Transcription: Ndugu – Watch Out, Baby!
Here’s one of my favorite funk drumming performances ever, which I originally transcribed years ago off of my brother’s bootleg cassette- Ndugu Leon Chancler playing on Watch Out, Baby! from George Duke’s 1977 Reach For […]
DBMITW: Ndugu
Here’s one of my favorite funk performances ever, by Ndugu Leon Chancler on Watch Out, Baby!, from George Duke’s Reach For It. It’s pretty NSFW, so you may want to put on the headphones if […]