Fred Below

Fred Below was created in Chicago about Sept 16, 1926. Below performed drums in senior high school and continued to review percussion in the Roy C. Knapp College of Percussion. Mainly a jazz drummer at that time, he performed bebop and became a member of the Military within the 427th Military Band. Following the assistance, he came back to Chicago in 1951 to discover that blues gigs had been what was taking place. Jazz is at a lull. After that Muddy Waters drummer Elgin Evans released Below to an organization known as the Three Aces — Junior Wells (vocals, harp), Louis Myers (electric guitar), and Dave Myers (bass) — who required a drummer. Being a jazz drummer, Below didn’t understand blues drumming and it had been a rough suit initially. The next special day came when Small Walter (for the unexpected achievement of his instrumental “Juke”) give up the Muddy Waters music group and was changed by Junior Wells. Small Walter then joined up with the Three Aces, which he previously been itching to accomplish because Muddy Waters didn’t enjoy in the uptempo design that Walter was into. Small Walter as well as the Four Aces (afterwards renamed the Jukes) had been a perfect suit which four-piece electrical blues combo became the latest music group in Chicago. It really is hard to overestimate the result of this music group for the Chicago music picture, and a big part of the success is because of the sophisticated and elegant drumming of Below. He has on the vast majority of Walter’s biggest strikes. He was altogether demand for documenting sessions. Everyone needed him and he documented for Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Chuck Berry, Otis Hurry, Elmore Adam, Junior Wells, Pal Man, Dinah Washington, John Brim, the Platters, the Moonglows, the Drifters, Bo Diddley, John Lee Hooker, Howlin’ Wolf, and so many more. Fred Below & the Aces virtually created the typical for the blues shuffle defeat. Below also was known for his usage of the trip cymbal, the timber stop, tom-tom fills, and several other embellishments. Simply have a look at his drum single on Small Walter’s traditional tune “Off the beaten track.”