Instrument: Drums
Representative Album: "Waltzin' with Flo"
Biography
A musician's musician if ever there was one, drummer Alan Dawson was one of those solid, highly professional mainstream jazz musicians who seemingly played with everyone, yet never attained widespread notoriety among the jazz public at large. In the early '50s, Dawson freelanced around Boston and worked steadily with the band of drummer Sabby Lewis. He toured with Lionel Hampton in 1953, then returned to Lewis' group, with which he remained from 1953 to 1956. Around 1954, the father of young drummer Clifford Jarvis approached Dawson about teaching his son; thus began a long and illustrious career as an educator. Dawson would go on to teach many players who would have a significant impact, including, most notably, Tony Williams. In 1957, he joined the faculty of the Berklee School of Music, where he would teach for the next 18 years. Dawson spent the greater part of his professional life in Boston, playing with a variety of big-name players when they passed through town. One of his longest-lived collaborations was with pianist Jaki Byard and tenor saxophonist Booker Ervin, with whom he recorded for Prestige in the '60s. Dawson also spent the years from 1968-1974 with pianist Dave Brubeck's quartet, succeeding Joe Morello in the drum chair. After leaving Berklee in 1975, Dawson continued to teach privately, earning a reputation as one who encouraged young drummers to develop a comprehensive musicality. Among other prominent leaders with whom the versatile Dawson recorded are Lee Konitz, Tal Farlow, Al Cohn, Ruby Braff, Sonny Criss, and Dexter Gordon. Dawson's 1972 date under Sonny Stitt -- Tune Up -- is considered by many to be the saxophonist's finest recording. ~ Chris Kelsey, All Music Guide
Alan Dawson (July 14, 1929 — February 23, 1996) was a respected jazz drummer and widely influential percussion teacher based in Boston. He was born in Marietta, Pennsylvania and raised in Roxbury, MA. Serving in the Army for Korean War duty, Dawson played with the Army Dance Band while stationed at Fort Dix from 1951-1953. During his tenure, Alan explored the post-bop era by performing with pianist Sabby Lewis. After being released from the Army, Alan toured Europe with Lionel Hampton.
His teaching style emphasized the music as a whole rather than concentrate on percussion alone. He stressed the importance of learning the melody and structure of the tune to better fulfill the role of accompaniment. For this purpose, he had students play over standards while also singing the melody out loud. He constantly strived for balance between musical ideas and strict technique. He was big on rudiments and wrote extensive exercises intended to be practiced with brushes. He believed using brushes with his "Rudimental Ritual" would reduce stick rebound allowing the sense of "picking up" the sticks. While teaching, Alan also maintained a prolific performing and recording career.
Dawson was the house drummer for Lennie's On The Turnpike in Peabody, MA from 1963 through to 1970. This gig allowed him to perform with a diverse group of jazz artists. Around this time, Dawson was Boston's premier jazz drummer for local acts as well as bigger name touring artists.
Dawson's teaching methods have been passed on by many of his former students. Books on his approach have been written by John Ramsay and Osami Mizuno, both former students. One of the exercises he is best known for is the "rudimental ritual", playing variations of the traditional rudiments, Swiss rudiments, and his own rudimental innovations while maintaining a Latin ostinato on drum set pedals.
Alan Dawson died of leukemia on February 23, 1996.
