Cindy Blackman confided to Modern Drummer that she practices on drumset in her Brooklyn apartment, not on rubber pads. Amazingly, no neighbors complain, no police come knocking, no babies awaken. Do you know what we're saying? Cindy can play her stuff that quietly. Her control is absolute, irrespective of how loud she plays. She is living testimony to Tony Williams' legendary articulation, Alan Dawson's complex manipulation, and mentor Art Blakey's ferocity.
A recording artist whose tally includes seven solo albums, instructional videos, and countless freelance sessions, Cindy Blackman graduated from school bands to Berklee to Manhattan clubs, where she accompanied the likes of Pharoah Sanders, Jackie McLean, Sam Rivers, Wallace Roney, and even Bill Laswell.
Cindy Blackman is a virtuoso. Beyond the more quantifiable measures of excellence on her instrument, she exudes soul. It's the warmth and resonance that lingers long after all thirty-second notes are done and the hall goes dark.