Leo Pearlstein, at 103 years old, is an absolute monster on the drum kit. The world’s oldest living jazz drummer caused quite a stir online when he jammed with his son and a friend on “All of Me.” 1.6 million music lovers tuned in on YouTube to hear Pearlstein and his pals deliver a delicious take on the jazz standard in a cozy living room jam.
Viewers were amazed by the incredible playing and feel on display, not only from Pearlstein but also his son David Bluefield on piano and Steve Cole on clarinet and vocals. Another thing that viewers loved was the sweet father-son moment, and the fact that Bluefield could enjoy epic jams with his dad even when he was 103. Talk about longevity!
It comes as no surprise that Bluefield and his trio are such accomplished musicians, as he is a former Warner Brothers recording artist – clearly, some big-time talent runs in the family. Cole also won a lot of praise from viewers, who loved his tasteful clarinet lines and sonorous vocals on the 1931 jazz classic.
Viewers added nearly 7,000 comments to the video, adding praise such as “Please let Leo know that he has a legacy that will last forever and will be noticed by millions of people” and “It makes me happy that Leo is doing what he loves at 103 years old. God bless all of you.” Bluefield shared the performance on his YouTube channel David Bluefield Music. Another popular video from Bluefield’s channel showcases his piano and drum jam with his dad on the 1925 jazz standard “Sweet Georgia Brown.”
Bluefield uploaded the trio’s performance on November 7, 2023. It quickly went viral and is now the most viewed video on the channel. However, Bluefield and Pearlstein are far from done, as just eight days ago, on August 28, 2024, the lads uploaded another video. It’s great to see that the world’s oldest jazz drummer is still going strong in 2024!
The video title notes that Pearlstein is 103 3/4, so viewers will no doubt be anticipating him extending his record-breaking streak next year as the famous 104-year-old jazz drummer.
Pearlstein’s performances are also a great insight into the development of jazz drumming, as his style is very different from modern jazz drumming. Pearlstein mostly keeps time on the bass drum and snare drum, and occasionally the floor tom. This contrasts with a modern style of playing, which much more extensively uses the hi-hats and cymbals for keeping time.
If you would like to hear more from this talented pianist you can subscribe to David Bluefield’s YouTube Channel for more incredible music. You can also follow him on Instagram .
