Doug Hammond: A Griot's Journey
Part of the Coronet Theatre Jazz Festival 2025: The Primacy of Rhythm
Legendary drummer, poet, composer, and singer Doug Hammond presents a singular performance that spans the full spectrum of his artistry, moving effortlessly from intimate solo expression to expansive trio collaboration.
The evening begins with Hammond in his purest form: The Griot. Continuing the ancient West African tradition of the storyteller, he performs solo on voice, drums, and Sanza (African thumb piano). This rare solo set reveals an artist for whom “the linguistic reality behind his music” is as vital as rhythm itself. “When griot Doug Hammond sings, his words conjure the truth found in the lyrics of the earliest American country blues players.” (Larry Gabriel)
The performance then expands as Hammond is joined by Byron Wallen (trumpet) and Neil Charles (bass) to form The Doug Hammond Trio, embodying what Hammond calls a “polyrhythmic network,” with each musician weaving into his intricate rhythmic architecture. Together they explore Hammond’s own “peculiarly askew, twisting pieces” which brought a “bewildering charm to 1980s jazz” alongside music by his inspirations and former collaborators, Thelonious Monk and Charles Mingus.
Curated by Byron Wallen under the festival theme The Primacy of Rhythm, the Coronet Jazz Festival 2025 celebrates the drum as the heartbeat of jazz. And in Doug Hammond, we find a master who knows the drum set is a “complete rhythm section,” where every beat carries a story, a poem, and a truth.
With a career spanning six decades, Doug Hammond is not just a performer but a foundational influence. In the 60s and 70s, he played with greats like Donald Byrd, Sonny Rollins, and Charles Mingus. His innovative compositions of the 80s directly inspired the M-Base movement through saxophonist Steve Coleman. For years, he was a revered professor of drums, composition, and improvisation at the Bruckner Conservatory in Linz, shaping new generations of musicians.
Hammond has spent a lifetime developing a unique jazz aesthetic drawn from the spirit of his own free verse. As hailed in Fidelity Music & Hifi, when he sits at the drums, “one thinks one is hearing a very sensitive percussion orchestra.” He doesn’t just keep time; he weaves intricate stories, wrapping rhythms around the beat so that “drums and cymbals accentuate it in different ways, dancing along it as if trying to tell their own stories.”
The Coronet Theatre Jazz Festival 2025: The Primacy of Rhythm
The 2025 Coronet Jazz Festival, curated by renowned trumpeter Byron Wallen, is a deep exploration of the drum’s dynamic, melodic, and storytelling power. In a year that has seen the jazz world mourn the profound losses of rhythmic giants Al Foster, Louis Moholo, and Jack DeJohnette, the festival turns its focus to the living masters who carry the rhythm forward.
Also in the festival:
Thu 11 Dec
The Language of Rhythm featuring Tom Skinner
Drummer, composer and producer Tom Skinner performs alongside festival curator and trumpet legend Byron Wallen, revolutionary tuba virtuoso Theon Cross and a very special guest to be announced soon.
Sat 13 Dec
The Endless Rhythm: A Tribute to Jack DeJohnette
A tribute to the vast and vibrant legacy of Jack DeJohnette: a drummer of profound influence, a visionary composer, and a spirit of boundless generosity. His music, a lifelong exploration of rhythm and melody, remains a guiding force.