
With a simple setup of a snare drum, bass drum, two toms and two or three cymbals, Arthur “Zutty” Singleton was considered a pioneer in jazz drumming.
“Known for his great suppleness, Singleton followed the melodic lines of a jazz improvisation more closely than anyone who had come before,” the Modern Drummer states. “He also utilized a more modest setup in comparison to other drummers of his era.”
Born in 1898 in Bunkie, La., Singleton grew up in New Orleans. According to Traditional Jazz, he developed his drumming style by playing traditional jazz, swing and be-bop. He also played Caribbean-style music.
“It is important to note that although he played with these musicians, his style was rooted in the New Orleans idiom,” Traditional Jazz states. “He is the most important early exponent of the instrument. Not afraid to keep up with changing trends, he embraced the hi-hat and later the ride cymbal.”
Early in his career, Singleton played with such greats as Oscar “Papa” Celestin and “Big Eye” Louis Nelson Delisle. He moved to St. Louis, Mo., and then Chicago, where he joined Louis Armstrong’s band. In 1929, he moved to New York City with Armstrong and played with Jelly Roll Morton, among others.
Singleton moved to Los Angeles in 1943 and led his own band.
According to Traditional Jazz, Singleton’s press roll timekeeping technique predated the modern jazz cymbal beat.
“The first pair of brushes I ever had were given to me by Louis Cottrell,” Singleton once said. “Louis didn’t care about brushes, so he gave them to me. They were the first pair of brushes I ever saw in my life. Before that, you had to get your soft effects by controlling your touch with the sticks.”
After a 1970 stroke, Singleton died in New York in 1975.
For more tales from New Orleans history, visit the Back in the Day archives.