“The album is entitled ‘Water Babies’ by Miles Davis, and the reason that album is special to me is it’s the first album I heard Tony Williams on – yeah – that I sort of hap hazardly discovered in my fathers record collection.

That album just completely blew my mind. Blew my mind cos I didn’t, hadn’t, realised a drummer could be so ... express themselves the way he did. There was lots of imagery in his drumming and that was the first time that I actually heard a drummer playing like that – you know – conceptually playing like that – you know – colours, but time and you know – really using the entire kit as a – you know – all the textures."

W "It was like a landscape almost"

Rod "Yeah – absolutely – absolutely exactly – a landscape of different colours and textures and using the cymbals. But that particular record is definitely one that really changed my whole thinking in terms of drumming and what the possibilities are you know – so, yeah”

Rod Youngs: Llandudno Jazz Festival, 26th July 2015

Miles Davis: Water Babies released November 1976.

Recorded June 7, 13, 23, 1967

November 11–12, 1968

Rod Youngs

ONE LP PORTRAITS: MUSICIANS: M - R: ROD YOUNGS