Whiplash - The Branford Marsalis Quartet
from the album Four MFs Playin' Tunes (2012) Most of the drummers I know are pretty strange dudes or dudettes. Why should I expect anything different? After all, they make a living by beating a skin with a stick. Pretty primitive stuff. That said, there are few things that I find more exciting than watching or listening to a great drummer. They have an ability to lift a band to a higher level, making every other player that much better. It is an incredible gift and whenever a great, new drummer emerges, it is time to celebrate. Today, we celebrate Justin Faulkner. As an eighteen year old high school senior, he was selected as the new drummer for the Branford Marsalis Quartet, one of the finest jazz quartets in the world today. Three years later, he makes his recording debut on Four MFs Playin' Tunes , my favorite jazz record of 2012. On a record packed with outstanding performances by the long standing quartet members, it is Justin Faulkner's drumming that dr