24-07-2025, 17:07
Happy Birthday to Graham Lear, born on this day in Plymouth, England, in 1949. He was 2 when his family moved to Canada. Drummer extraordinaire. Seriously – he is phenomenal. And having said that, quite possibly one of the most modest.
He started drumming at 8 years old, appearing with a symphony orchestra by 13 and touring Canada and the USA where Gino Vannelli identified his talent and invited him to play with his band. Mr Vannelli says of him "Some musicians transcend the appellation and fall into the domain of something called “artist”. That, Graham is.”
Having heard Vannelli's Storm At Sunup, Carlos Santana then set out to headhunt Lear, which he successfully achieved, and honestly, his solo on Moonflower, in “Soul Sacrifice/Head, Hands and Feet” must be some of the most elegant and precise drumming on record. It’s so incredibly musical.
Not a name that is bandied about all that much, but those who know a thing or two about drumming, know exactly who he is. In addition to the work mentioned above, he has also toured extensively with such diverse outfits as REO Speedwagon, Paul Anka and Canadian Prog Rock group SAGA. He has a passion for jazz and has also played with various jazz ensembles.
From Moonflower …
A solo from a Santana concert at Hammersmith Odeon, 1976. (It’s not Michael Shrieve although similarity in looks is quite remarkable! Definitely Graham Lear …)
And the one that made Carlos Santana sit up and take notice …. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7xbRQY9ee0
He started drumming at 8 years old, appearing with a symphony orchestra by 13 and touring Canada and the USA where Gino Vannelli identified his talent and invited him to play with his band. Mr Vannelli says of him "Some musicians transcend the appellation and fall into the domain of something called “artist”. That, Graham is.”
Having heard Vannelli's Storm At Sunup, Carlos Santana then set out to headhunt Lear, which he successfully achieved, and honestly, his solo on Moonflower, in “Soul Sacrifice/Head, Hands and Feet” must be some of the most elegant and precise drumming on record. It’s so incredibly musical.
Not a name that is bandied about all that much, but those who know a thing or two about drumming, know exactly who he is. In addition to the work mentioned above, he has also toured extensively with such diverse outfits as REO Speedwagon, Paul Anka and Canadian Prog Rock group SAGA. He has a passion for jazz and has also played with various jazz ensembles.
From Moonflower …
A solo from a Santana concert at Hammersmith Odeon, 1976. (It’s not Michael Shrieve although similarity in looks is quite remarkable! Definitely Graham Lear …)
And the one that made Carlos Santana sit up and take notice …. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7xbRQY9ee0
"The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us." ~ Bill Watterson