The Swap Meet 5 April 2026

Last night's show was three hours for James Gadson, one of THE seminal drummers of soul, funk and disco, who left us this week. If you don't know the name, you almost certainly know the unmistakable 16 note accents, deep pocket playing that underpins some of the most beloved soul, funk and R&B records ever made. From the raw funk of Dyke & the Blazers and Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd St Band, through the sophistication of Phyllis Hyman and Patrice Rushen, to Bill Withers' timeless catalogue and D'Angelo proving Gadson's genius translated across generations - every track on last night's show had one thing in common, and that was the man wielding the sticks.

Three hours is barely enough time to scratch the surface of what James Gadson contributed to recorded music. A session drummer at the heart of the Los Angeles soul scene, he played on an extraordinary breadth of records, often uncredited, always indispensable. We went deep to tip our hat to a true giant. Rest easy sir.