Drum History
A podcast all about the rich history of the drums - and how they became what they are today! Join Bart van der Zee as he speaks with experts about the curious journey of the ever-evolving drum set.
1000 Year Old Robotic Drummers!? Al-Jazari's 12th Century Mechanical Marvels
In this solo episode, I take a deep dive into the 1000 year old automaton drummers that were created by 12th century Islamic inventor, Al-Jazari. These VERY early robots are amazing marvels of engineering and predominantly feature drummers who play kettle drums and cymbals to alert people in Mesopotamia (now Turkey) of the time of day with extremely elaborate clocks. These drummers are direct predecessors to modern day cars and machinery, as Al-Jazari is credited with the creation of turning rotary motion into linear motion with crank and connecting rods, which is essential for making pumps and engines possible. Basically, drummers are at the core of the history of everything :)
Here are the links:
History channel video - https://youtu.be/fxjh_yodeBo?si=uK82GB1mWRxzQGKL
Al-Jazari Book (free pdf) - https://archive.org/details/cover_20200113_2057/
Podcast Episodes
(The Vault) The Birth of the Drum Set with Dr. Jaz Sawyer
(Released May 2019) Did Papa Jo Jones invent the Hi-Hat with the help of a plumber? Find out in this episode! Jaz takes us from the beginnings of drumming in Africa through the advent of the modern drum set as we know it…
A Look at Tony Williams Cymbals (Part 4: 1963-1997) with Paul Wells
Paul Wells closes out the 4 part Tony Williams series with a deep dive into TW's legendary cymbals, and his Sticks and Heads. Tony Williams is one of the most iconic drummers of the 20th century, with a meteoric rise fro…
A Look at Tony Williams Gear (Part 3: 1990-1997) with Scott Garrison
Scott Garrison was Tony Williams drum tech from 1994 through Tony's passing in 1997. He takes us on a journey through the gear and his experiences with Tony Williams in great detail. Tony Williams is one of the most icon…
A Look at Tony Williams Gear (Part 2: 1975-1990) with Paul Wells
Paul Wells takes us on a journey through the gear of Tony Williams in extreme detail. Tony Williams is one of the most iconic drummers of the 20th century, with a meteoric rise from his days with Miles Davis to his Lifet…
A Look at Tony Williams Gear (Part 1: 1940's-1975) with Paul Wells
Paul Wells is back on the show to take us on a journey through the gear of Tony Williams in extreme detail. Tony Williams is one of the most iconic drummers of the 20th century, with a meteoric rise from his days with Mi…
(The Vault) The Roots of Reggae Drumming with Gil Sharone
(May 2021) Gil is a world renowned drummer who shares his deep passion and knowledge for Reggae drumming in this great episode. He takes us through all the sub genres such as ska, rocksteady, dub, and dancehall. Plus he…
From “War Dogs” to Drum Machines with David Packouz
David Packouz was the subject of the 2016 film 'War Dogs' (starring Miles Teller and Jonah Hill), which chronicled his incredible experience as a contract gun runner for the US government during the Iraq War. In complete…
5 year Anniversary of Drum History! (Listener Video Project)
Thank you to everyone who has supported the show over the last 5 years! I am excited to announce a project where I am going to make a video showcasing you guys performing the Drum History Podcast Into music. Shoot a vide…
Exploring Calfskin Drum Heads with Rob Cook
Rob Cook joins me to discuss all things calfskin drumheads in this interesting and educational episode! We talk about the differences between calfskin and other animal skin heads, the level of durability, how temperature…
Mind. Body. Drums. - Drumming and the Nervous System with Adam Gust
Adam Gust teaches us how understanding Neuroscience, The Vegus Nerve, and listening to your body and emotions can help you be a better drummer with less pain and tension in your body. Adam began this quest to combine bra…
