Straight Feel vs. Swing Feel

Is it true that only a handful of naturally gifted drummers can make people dance and move?

Groove and feel might be intangible, but there are things that we can put into technical terms to explain this. And one of them being whether or not the groove is played in swing feel.

James Brown is one of the most funky musicians/performers in the history of mankind. I took one of his songs, Funky President (1974), as an example. The side-by-side comparison demonstrated how straight and swing playing can deliver completely different feels.

Hi Hats:
Meinl Byzance Jazz Thin Hi Hat 14"

Snare:
Sonor Benny Greb Signature Snare (Brass) 13x5.75”