DRUM TRACK OF THE DAY: The Hustle by Van McCoy and The Soul City Symphony featuring Steve Gadd The 1970s would be the decade in which legendary drummer Steve Gadd would record some of his most significant drum tracks, including Paul Simon’s Still Crazy After All These Years which featured the song “50 Ways To Leave Your Lover, Chick Coreas The Leprechaun and Steely Dan’s classic album Aja. All three went on to win Grammys and helped to solidify Gadds reputation as the go to session drummer of the time. However, before recording those classics, Gadd played on his first #1 hit, Van McCoy’s 1975 disco anthem “The Hustle. The Hustle went to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Soul Singles charts during the summer of 1975. It also peaked at number 9 on the Australian Singles Chart and number 3 in the UK. It would eventually sell over one million copies and is one of the most popular songs of the disco era. It also won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance in 1976. While in New York City to make an album, McCoy composed the song after his music partner, Charles Kipps, watched patrons do a dance known as the Hustle in the nightclub Adams Apple. The sessions were done at New Yorks Media Sound studio with Gadd, pianist McCoy, bassist Gordon Edwards, keyboardist Richard Tee, guitarists Eric Gale and John Tropea, and orchestra leader Gene Orloff. Producer Hugo Peretti contracted piccolo player Philip Bodner to play the lead melody. So put on your dancin shoes and enjoy Gadds unmistakeable groove along with an exceptional group of musicians! Last March, Steve Gadd was voted one of The 50 Greatest Drummers of All Time by the readers of Modern Drummer Magazine.
Posted on: Mon, 12 Jan 2015 23:33:49 +0000