Rio-based drummer, percussionist, composer and producer Stéphane SanJuan has been a member of Os Ritmistas, Orquestra Imperial, Cometa, among many others projects for twenty years… His affinity for rhythm began in his early youth, revealing itself through these top 5 tunes taken from records featuring the drummers that shaped his taste and style.

Art Blakey
Buhaina Chant

«The ultimate drumming album for me, incredible concepts, fantastic recording quality (R.I.P. Rudy Van Gelder) and beautiful playing by a lot of my main heroes like Art Blakey, Jo Jones, Patato Valdes and Sabu Martinez who also sings in the intro.»

Bernard Purdie
Cold Sweat

«As Mr. Purdie is the world’s most recorded drummer, he probably is the one that I’ve most heard and therefore was my main influence before I even realized who I was being influenced by. I didn’t know his name until I found this record and then more even about this wonderful artist. On this track, the drums are only on one side of the stereo mix, so when I was a kid, I would listen a lot to only the drums, then, to play along I’d listen without the drums and try to stick to the other players on the recording.»

Elza Soares

Deixa pra la

«My parents listened to a lot of Brazilian music and as Wilson Das Neves is the most recorded drummer in Brazil, he also is the drummer that I most heard, but who’s name I didn’t know until I discovered this record and then so much more about this phenomenal “sambista”. The king of samba drumming is at his best on this track, improvising upon Elza’s singing.»

Max Roach
Driva Man

«In my opinion, Max Roach was for the drums what John Coltrane was for the saxophone, a mad scientist, seeker, always looking to break the limits, he developed solo and harmonical concepts on the drums and in percussion. This track with singer Abbey Lincoln is sweet as a dream, but at the same time raw as his political statement.»

Art Pepper
The Trip

«This track helped me understand obsessional music and how to create a basic melody using the toms and then improvising on it. Elvin Jones plays a stunning pattern that gives a very full and rich base, then improvises around it using unbelievable dynamic skills for nearly ten minutes, taking you into a trance.»