Jim Gordon (musician)

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Jim Gordon
Derek and the Dominos original lineup, left to right: Eric Clapton, Bobby Whitlock, Jim Gordon, Carl Radle
Background information
Birth name	James Beck Gordon
Genre(s)	Blues Blues-rock Hard rock Pop, psychedelic rock
Instrument(s)	Drums Percussion
Years active	1963-1981
Label(s)	Polydor and many others
Associated acts	Derek and the Dominos Delaney, Bonnie & Friends Eric Clapton George Harrison The Everly Brothers The Beach Boys Mason Williams Gene Clark The Byrds Joe Cocker Traffic Frank Zappa Souther-Hillman-Furay Band Dave Mason Incredible Bongo Band Steely Dan

Jim Gordon (born James Beck Gordon, 1945, Los Angeles, California) is an American recording artist, musician and songwriter. The Grammy Award winner was one of the most requested session drummers in the late 1960s and 1970s^[1] and was a member of the blues-rock supergroup, Derek & The Dominos.

Contents 1 Music career 2 Retirement and incarceration 3 Discography 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Music career

Gordon began his career backing the Everly Brothers in 1963 at age 17, he went on to become one of the most sought after recording session drummers in Los Angeles where, in 1968, he recorded with Mason Williams on the hit "Classical Gas". During this period, he performed on many notable recordings including Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys, Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers by Gene Clark and The Notorious Byrd Brothers by The Byrds. Gordon at the top of his career was so busy as a studio musician that he would fly back to Los Angeles every night when playing in Las Vegas to do two or three record dates, then return in the afternoon in time for the 8pm show at Caesars Palace.

In 1969 and 1970, he toured as part of the backing band for the group Delaney & Bonnie, which at the time included Eric Clapton. Clapton subsequently took over the group's rhythm section — Gordon, bassist Carl Radle and keyboardist-singer-songwriter, Bobby Whitlock. They formed a new band which was eventually called Derek & The Dominos. The band's first studio work was as the house band for George Harrison's 3 disc set All Things Must Pass. Gordon then played on the Derek & The Dominos' 1970 double album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, Gordon contributing the elegiac piano coda for the title track, "Layla", co written by Gordon and Clapton. He also toured with the band on subsequent U.S. and UK tours, but the group split in spring 1971 before having completed the recording of their second album.

In 1970, Gordon was part of Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour. In 1971, he toured with Traffic, appearing on two albums with them, including The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys. Later in 1972, Gordon was part of Frank Zappa's 20-piece "Grand Wazoo" big band tour, and the subsesequent 10-piece "Petit Wazoo" band. Perhaps his most well-known recording with Zappa was the title track of the 1974 album Apostrophe ('), a jam with Zappa and Tony Duran on guitar and Jack Bruce on bass guitar, for which both Bruce and Gordon received a writing credit. He worked with Chris Hillman again when he was the drummer in the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band from 1973 to 1975. Some of his best work was with Dave Mason on his 1970 album Alone Together, where Gordon set new standards for rock drumming.

Gordon was also the drummer on the Incredible Bongo Band's Bongo Rock album, released in 1972. His drum break on the LP's version of "Apache" has been repeatedly sampled by rap music artists.^[2]

[edit] Retirement and incarceration

In the late 1970s, Gordon complained of hearing voices in his head.

In June 1983, he was convicted of killing his mother. During his trial, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia. In May 1984, he was sentenced to 16 years to life in prison. He has served his sentence at the California Men's Colony in San Luis Obispo, Atascadero State Hospital in Atascadero, and the State Medical Corrections Facility in Vacaville. As of 2008, he remains incarcerated.

[edit] Discography

During his career, Gordon played with a long list of top musicians and record producers, including:

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Drummerworld - Jim Gordon
• Photo Derek and the Dominos
• Derek and the Dominos
• Friends Remember
• Full List Discography
• Drummers of Steely Dan

v • d • e Derek and the Dominos Eric Clapton · Duane Allman · Bobby Whitlock · Carl Radle · Jim Gordon Studio albums Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs Live albums In Concert · Live at the Fillmore Reissues The Layla Sessions: 20th Anniversary Edition Songs "Layla" · "Bell Bottom Blues" Related articles Delaney, Bonnie & Friends · Dave Mason · The Allman Brothers Band · Pattie Boyd

v • d • e Traffic Steve Winwood • Jim Capaldi • Chris Wood • Dave Mason Jim Gordon • Ric Grech • Rebop Kwaku Baah • David Hood • Roger Hawkins • Rosko Gee Studio albums Mr. Fantasy • Traffic • Last Exit • John Barleycorn Must Die • The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys • Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory • When the Eagle Flies • Far from Home Live albums Welcome to the Canteen • On the Road • Last Great Traffic Jam Compilations Best of Traffic • Heavy Traffic • More Heavy Traffic • Smiling Phases • Heaven Is In Your Mind • Traffic Gold Songs "Paper Sun" • "Hole in My Shoe" • "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush" • "Dear Mr. Fantasy" • "John Barleycorn" • "The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys" •

v • d • e Steely Dan Walter Becker • Donald Fagen Former members Jeff "Skunk" Baxter • Denny Dias • Jim Hodder • Michael McDonald • David Palmer Studio albums Can't Buy a Thrill • Countdown to Ecstasy • Pretzel Logic • Katy Lied • The Royal Scam • Aja • Gaucho • Two Against Nature • Everything Must Go Live albums Alive in America • Plush TV Jazz-Rock Party Compilations Greatest Hits • Steely Dan • Gold • Gold (Expanded) • A Decade of Steely Dan • Reelin' In The Years • Do It Again • Citizen Steely Dan • Then and Now • Showbiz Kids • Definitive Collection Also featured on Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz