RIP Ed Thigpen December 28, 1930 - January 13, 2010

It's with sadness that I write that one of the most inspirational drummers of an era has passed away at a young 79. Ed's web site has a brief bio and discography of "Mr. Taste" who was renown as a brush master and a key to the Oscar Peterson Trio. He was the son of Ben Thigpen, a highly respected drummer in his own right.

Insights into Ed can be easily discerned by his demeanor and skill on The Essence of Brushes, an instructional (and performance) DVD that showcased Ed's teaching style as well as him in performance demonstrating techniques.

Here is Ed in action (with sticks):

With Oscar Peterson