Ever since I started listening to music I’ve been mesmerized by a solid back beat. How some players turn a pulse from a click track to a living breathing performance full of passion and life. I also noticed early on in my pursuit of music how certain players could make a song sound pretty good while other players, playing the same song, could make that song sound amazing. There is something to be said about taking the time to study the difference between playing in time and playing with a feel or groove. Here are some players that are masters of groove.

Jeff Porcaro and Steve Lukather

In the late ’80′s I started listening to Toto. Of course I started listening to songs like Rosanna, Hold the line and Africa were on the radio a lot and are the bands biggest hits and then started to listen to the rest of the, at the time, LP’s. I absolutely love Jeff Pocaro’s playing. After I found out that Jeff Porcaro was playing Drums for Toto I started to see his name on everything. Check it out here. He’s played on a ton of tracks. What I loved about Jeff was how effortless his playing sounded and how everything he played was perfect for the song he was playing in. But most of all everything he played really grooved… and it hooked me.

While Jeff Porcaro laid down a simple yet effectvie groove, his band mate Steve Lukather likes to live on the edge and pushes the limits of creativity. Yet both of them really understood how to groove. I learned a lot from just listening to them play and loosing myself in how great it felt. I remember times I caught myself laughing out loud when a part or groove hooked me and drew me further into the music. Still to this day I can listen to them play for hours as they truely put passion and groove into every note they play.

Pino Paladino

Around the same time a friend told me I had to listen to the song “Our Time Has Come” on Paul Young’s album “Other Voices”. I was blown away at the bass playing in that song. I had never heard a fretless played with such a groove. Again I was hooked and I had to find out more about who was playing it. The bass player was Pino Paladino So it goes without saying that I love The John Mayer Trio as Pino lays it down like now one else. My respect for John Mayer increased dramatically when he formed his trio with Pino and Steve Jordan. Two much more seasoned musicians who’s groove and maturity, has in part, contributed to the amazing player John Mayer is today.

Michael Jackson

I remember watching a primetime Oprah special when she interviewed Michael Jackson. … and no I didn’t watch Oprah on a regular basis in case anyone was wondering. There was a part where he basically wrote a song, in the interview. He started with doing a beat box to set up the idea. It really grooved. Then he started adding parts. Like a bass line, keyboard shots, a guitar part. All the while keeping the beatbox on the same rhythm that hooked me with how it grooved. That, as have many things since then, confirmed that Michael Jackson was a muscal genius. But as I listened to how he sang I never thought he had the best voice in the world but man did his vocal lines sit in the groove. There are many songs like the verse of Jam where they completely shape the groove of the song.

Prince

In the mid 90′s I started to play for a funk band. We did covers from KC and the Sunshine band, Rick James, Sly and the Family stone and as time went on we added a lot of Prince to our repertoire. Prince always hires great musicians to help make music what it was. Covering his music was a great learning experience in groove. Another great benefit was to see the audience reaction as we played Princes songs. They always wanted to dance. The grooves were simple and strong which took discipline to play and not be too busy.

Vinnie Colaiuta

Vinnie, by far, is my favorite drummer. There is no one else that can go from playing a Herbie Hancock tune to a pop Country tune, add so much of himself, and yet stay so true to the song and the style. His playing is so effortless and passionate that it is very difficult to put into words how his approach to music has impacted how I think and play. You can visit http://www.vinniecolaiuta.com/ to get a picture of just how many people he as played with and how many styles his playing is on. A milestone Vinnie groove for me was “If I Ever Loose Your Faith” by Sting. Although the whole CD was great that song introduced me to Vinnie’s playing and I was hooked.

Groove is the fundamental component in music that ties the melody and harmony into something we can feel and experience. Without it the music is just plain and lacks focus and depth.

…More from me to come but I’d like to hear who your favorites are.

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Andrew Gingerich is a guitarist and producer in Calgary, Alberta Canada and is the owner of freteleven Calgary’s best choice in guitar education.