List article
25 Best 1970s Jazz Drum Breaks
1970s jazz drummers sat at the center of fusion, soul-jazz, and jazz-funk transitions, making this decade a goldmine for nuanced break material. This list focuses on records with usable drum movement, not just famous names.
Method note: this ranking is editorial and weighted toward break quality, rhythmic detail, and sample-ready drum texture. Every entry links to a confirmed OpenDrumsOnly page.
How to use this list
- Target fusion-heavy entries first if you want denser sticking and fast ghost-note movement.
- Use soul-jazz entries when you need warmer, slower pockets with clear downbeats.
- Cross-reference artist names to uncover adjacent sessions and side projects in the catalog.
- Palm Grease, Butterfly - Herbie Hancock (1974): Essential fusion drumming with deep pocket and motion. OpenDrumsOnly entry
- Compared To What, Voices Of Other Times - Brian Auger's Oblivion Express (1973): Layered jazz-rock groove with break-friendly movement. OpenDrumsOnly entry
- Beginning Again - Brian Auger's Oblivion Express (1974): Clean cymbal work and driving rhythmic bed. OpenDrumsOnly entry
- Brain Damage, Thoughts From Afar - Brian Auger's Oblivion Express (1975): Tight jazz-rock drums with solid loop points. OpenDrumsOnly entry
- Whenever You're Ready, Compared To What - Brian Auger's Oblivion Express (1976): Live energy and natural room dynamics. OpenDrumsOnly entry
- Don't Knock My Love - Idris Muhammad (1971): Signature jazz-funk feel with crisp attack. OpenDrumsOnly entry
- Power Of Soul - Idris Muhammad (1974): Heavy drum pocket and detailed ghost-note work. OpenDrumsOnly entry
- Sudan - Idris Muhammad (1976): Warm soul-jazz kit tone with broad groove space. OpenDrumsOnly entry
- Boogie To The Top - Idris Muhammad (1978): Dancefloor-weighted jazz-funk with firm kick/snare. OpenDrumsOnly entry
- The Baby, Blackbyrds' Theme - Blackbyrds, The (1974): Tight groove and break-ready phrasing. OpenDrumsOnly entry
- Rock Creek Park - Blackbyrds, The (1975): Widely loved jazz-funk groove with immediate bounce. OpenDrumsOnly entry
- Unfinished Business - Blackbyrds, The (1976): Snappy drums ideal for layered chops. OpenDrumsOnly entry
- Number One - Jimmy Smith (1971): Organ-jazz rhythm section with strong break moments. OpenDrumsOnly entry
- I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little Bit More Baby - Jimmy Smith (1974): Groove-forward jazz-funk drumming with weight. OpenDrumsOnly entry
- Rock Steady - Johnny Hammond (1972): Durable pocket and clear transient shape for edits. OpenDrumsOnly entry
- Summertime/The Ghetto - Johnny Hammond (1974): Long-form groove with smooth internal dynamics. OpenDrumsOnly entry
- Fantasy - Johnny Hammond (1975): Fusion-era drums with steady propulsion. OpenDrumsOnly entry
- Brother Snook - Johnny Hammond (1977): Spacious drums that take processing well. OpenDrumsOnly entry
- You Don't Know How Much I Love You - Alphonse Mouzon (1974): Fast, articulate fusion drumming with punch. OpenDrumsOnly entry
- Ascorbic Acid - Alphonse Mouzon (1975): Dense rhythmic language and durable break sections. OpenDrumsOnly entry
- New York City - Alphonse Mouzon (1976): Soul-jazz pocket with refined hi-hat control. OpenDrumsOnly entry
- Change (Makes You Want to Hustle) - Donald Byrd (1975): Cornerstone jazz-funk rhythm for looping and chops. OpenDrumsOnly entry
- Expansions (Part 1) - Lonnie Liston Smith (1978): Spiritual-jazz groove with hypnotic drum flow. OpenDrumsOnly entry
- Light At The End Of The Tunnel - Billy Cobham (1975): Technical but musical drumming full of break detail. OpenDrumsOnly entry
- American Tango - Weather Report (1974): Fusion pulse with cinematic movement and texture. OpenDrumsOnly entry
FAQ
What makes a jazz break useful for modern production?
Dynamic variation and microtiming. Jazz breaks often contain subtle timing shifts that give loops human feel without extra programming.
Why so much 1970s fusion in this list?
Because fusion sessions often used drum-forward arrangements and cleaner recording that preserve detailed stick work for sampling.
Should I use one-shots or loop full passages?
Both. Start with full-loop timing feel, then cut one-shots for custom groove programming that still inherits the source texture.
Related: Top 10 classic breaks and 25 best 1970s rock drum breaks. Got a strong omission? Submit a break to review.