Jim Payne : Funky Drummer


Jim Payne and his band have just recorded their third CD, "YES!" It features Adam Klipple on Hammond B-3, and Adam Street on guitar. Sound samples of the first two CDs, Sensei and Énergie can be heard on the 'Music Shop / CDs' page.

Jim Payne : drummer

Jim Payne

Comments on 'Sensei' (the 1st cd) and the Jim Payne Band:

JazzTimes review of 'Sensei': "Jim Payne is the Buddy Rich of funk....." The record reached #33 on the jazz charts.

"This record really grooves. It's a pleasure to hear these masters of Funk in action - and long overdue" - John Scofield

"Everything these guys do is seriously funky. I love this band and I love the CD. It's the Boss!" - Fred Wesley

"The Jim Payne Band throws down and I mean it! This is no bullshit, you gotta dig it!" - Mike Clark

Jim Payne : Funky Drummer

In his various capacities as player, producer, bandleader and writer, Jim Payne "has been around" in the world of funk.

Author of "Give The Drummers Some!," the definitive work on the history of funk drumming, Payne has had a hand in the burgeoning jam band scene in his role as producer of the first two cds by jam band idols Medeski, Martin & Wood (1993's It's A Jungle In Here and 1994's Friday Afternoon in the Universe). He's also had a longstanding relationship performing with and producing projects by ex-James Brown band members Maceo Parker, Fred Wesley, and Pee Wee Ellis.

His new group is an earthy, hard-hitting organ trio that runs the stylistic gamut from vintage soul jazz to electrified P-Funk grooves; the common ground throughout being the infectious and mesmerizing power of funk.

"What I'm trying to do with this band is to maintain the overall groove and then improvise on top of it, or actually within it," says Payne. "My concept is to play the groove but to also go with what's happening in the band at the moment. As long as I have some lynchpin accents in the grooves, I feel that the people can get it... and they can groove and dance to it, and at the same time I can take them to another place. I'm seeing it as the next level of groove music."

With Bill Bickford on guitar and Jerry Z on organ, Payne has assembled a flexible and formidable unit. Bickford is a former member of Defunkt, and has also toured and recorded with fusion drumming legend Billy Cobham. Bill counts organ heroes Jack McDuff and Dr. Lonnie Smith as former employers. Z, a talented newcomer on the Hammond B-3 organ scene, acquits himself with requisite grease and aggression on this slamming debut.

Payne and company lay it down strong and stay strictly on the goodfoot. It's good to hear them get up and do their thing. -- Bill Milkowski

Bill Milkowski is a regular contributor to Jazz Times and Modern Drummer magazines. He is also the author of "JACO: The Extraordinary and Tragic Life of Jaco Pastorius" (Backbeat Books)



RECENT GIGS 2010

June 10: Atelier Sillac, Lyon, France

June 11: The Hot Club, Lyon, France

June 29: The Black Note, Valencia, Spain

June 30: La Banda, Valencia, Spain

July 4: Club Riba Roha, Riba Roha, Spain



The Jim Payne Band Recent Gigs

Gt. Barrington, MA
Club Helsinki


Burlington, VT JazzFest
The Valencia

Danbury, CT
Hat City

 

Tarrytown, NY
Isabel's

Albany, NY
Savannah’s

 

Saratoga, NY
Club Caroline

Springfield, VT
Morning Star Cafe

 

Plattsburg, NY
The Monopole

Brattleboro, VT
The Common Ground

 

Virginia Beach, VA
Phil’s Grill

Buffalo, NY
Mohawk Place

 

Asheville, NC
Emerald Lounge

Ithaca, NY
The Castaways

 

Atlanta, GA
Apache Café

Oneonta, NY
Smokey Joe's

 

Jacksonville, FL
JackRabbits

Rochester, NY
Milestones

 

Tampa, FL
Twilight

Saranac Lake, NY
The Waterhole

 

Oakland Park, FL
Alligator Alley

Stowe, VT
Mad Mt. Tavern

 

Charlotte, NC
Fat City Deli

Utica, NY
The Electric Co.

 

Dayton, OH
The Pacchia

Utica, NY
DewZee's

 

Louisville, KY
The Jazz Factory

Cleveland, OH
Night Town

 

Chicago, IL
The Green Dolphin

Columbus, OH
501 Jazz Bar Club

 

Pittsburgh, PA
Club Café

Youngstown, OH
The Cedars

 

New Orleans JazzFest
Old Point Bar

Erie, PA
The Docksider

 

New Orleans JazzFest
The Blue Nile

Williamsport, PA
The Bullfrog

 

New York, NY
Figaro's

Poughkeepsie, NY
Vassar College

 

New York, NY
Smoke

The Red Door
Watertown, CT

 

New York, NY
55 Bar

Burlington, VT
The Waiting Room

 

New York, NY
B.B. King's


Contact: Face The Music Productions
(tel) 212-608-8476, 917-584-2554 (fax) 212-608-8477
e-mail: jpayne@funkydrummer.com