Let There Be Drums – SANDY NELSON***

Slippin’ & Slidin’/Tequila/My Girl Josephine/Big Noise From Winnetka/Let There Be Drums/Bouncy/The Birth Of The Beat/Quite A Beat/Get With It

It was very unusual for a drummer to take centre stage and achieve commercial success. Sandy Nelson managed this feat with Let There Be Drums. The title track hit single reached the top ten in both the US and UK. (US:6)

“Drummer Sandy Nelson leads a jazz combo through a set of swaggering instrumentals that sound exactly like the music you hear in the juvenile delinquent movies of the 50s and early 60s. Even the ten-minute drum solo, The Birth Of The Beat, on side two sounds cool in the background of a party. The rest is a lot of danceable fluff.”

“Let There Be Drums is more than just an album title. It's a proclamation from above, a call to arms that galvanized an entire generation of aspiring drummers. The infectious title cut proved Sandy Nelson's second and final top ten hit, and its bombastic drum sound remains a rock & roll archetype, distilling the immense power and allure of bashing the skins in well under three minutes. Like no one before him, Nelson captures the fundamental frenzy that is the essence of rock drumming, and his performance remains the template for successive generations of players to follow. The remainder of Let There Be Drums isn’t too bad either.”

“Side two is quite experimental (The Birth Of The Beat at 10 minutes) while the first side has three jazzy covers and two more originals.”

“Sandy Nelson is one of the best drummers of all time, and a fine music composer as well. Let There Be Drums is a great album.”

“Sandy Nelson's Let There Be Drums brought back great memories of the 60s. Anyone who loves the old rock and roll, will love this.”

“Anyone who has an interest in drums will appreciate this album. Check out Sandy's style. It's most unique and powerful here.”