Even Johnny Cash sang about it. You gotta have that drive that makes you want to dance if you care about people listening to music. Concerts (and church, for that matter) were intended for CELEBRATION, not CEREBRATION. A soloist is only as good as the team that’s supporting him or her. Doesn’t matter if it’s sweet or hot, you got to give it everything you’ve got, as the song says. Free, bop or soul. Big band or quartet, the foundation makes or breaks the music.
What we’ve done this time is to make a list of some of the all time greatest rhythm sections. The team had to be together for at least two albums, or two years. No one-offs or “all star” events. If you find an album with these artists-GRAB it, and HOLD ON TIGHT!
1) Count Basie/p, Jo Jones/dr, Walter Page/b, and Freddie Green/g-The V8 engine that drove the swinging KC band of Mr. Basie from the 30s and 40s. Yes, the Atomic Band of the 50s with Eddie Payne/dr and Eddie Jones/b was a cooker, but this is the original and was lighter than air.
2) Jimmy Cobb/dr, Paul Chambers/g and Wynton Kelly/p-They were not only the trio behind Miles Davis’ team with Hank Mobley, but their venture with 
Wes Montgomery set the standard for the guitar combo. WHEW!
3) Oscar Peterson/p, Ray Brown/b and either Herb Ellis/g or Ed Thigpen/dr. These guys were the pulse behind a gazillion Verve sessions, ranging from Ella to Getz to Ben Webster to YOU NAME IT. You want swing? Dial these guys up!
4) Art Blakey/dr, Jymie Merritt/b Bobby Timmons/dr-The original Messengers with Horace Silver runs a very close second, 
but this team put out Moanin and The Big Beat, mixing bop with gospel and even marches in a way that stampeded like Red River.
5) Herbie Hancock/p, Ron Carter/b Tony Williams/dr-Miles Davis put them together for a series of classic mid 60s albums. They also did a trio or two, and were on a plethora of hip CTI sessions. The 
combination of freedom and form is a hint of heaven.
6) Philly Joe Jones/dr, Red Garland/p,, Paul Chambers/b. Not only were they with Miles Davis’ first “classic” quintet, but their memorable session with Art Pepper was 
simply titled “Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section” and everyone knew who they were talking about.
7) Joe Zawinul/key, Jaco Pastorious/b and Alex Acuna or Chester Thompson/dr. These guys took fusion to a higher plane on Heavy Weather and Black Market. These albums were like a sock to the kisser ,and still pack an unbelievable punch.
8) Charlie Haden/b and either Ed Blackwell/b or Billy Higgins/dr. Yes, these two teams showed that it can also take just two to tango. The front line of Ornette Coleman/as and Don Cherry/tp threw down the gauntlet in the late 50s with the free jazz that sounds so light and fresh nowadays, 
compared to the stale cacophony of today .
9) McCoy Tyner/p, Jimmy Garrison/b, Elvin Jones/dr. Thunder and lightning was founded by this team that was not only part of the last “great” quartet with John Coltrane, but they also did some amazing this on one-offs with other bands.
10) Charles Mingus/b, Dannie Richmond/dr, Horace Parlan/p. You could insert almost any pianist (like Jackie Byard or Don Pullen) with the heartbeat team of Mingus and Richmond, but their sessions together put out things like Mingus Ah Um that are high water marks of 
Western Civilization
11) Kenny Clarke/dr, John Lewis/p Percy Heath/b. The 
rhythm team of Dizzy Gillespie’s original Bebop Big Band eventually turned into the classy Modern Jazz Quartet.
12) Max Roach/dr, Tommy Potter/b or Curly Russell/b and 
Walter Bishop/p. OK, so Bud Powell came in and out as well, but these were the guys that put out the classic Dial and Savoy sessions. You don’t have these? WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
13) Joe LaBarbera/dr, Bill Cunliffe/p Tom Warrington/b. LA’s best team. IF they were in NYC, there would be a statue made for them, but instead they just have a good time serving up timeless jazz for dozens of singers and horn players.
14) Steve Gilmore/b, Gill Goodwin/dr and Bill Charlap-Jim McNeely/p. Phil Woods had a rhythm team together with his quintet that included Tom Harrell. Underrated, but as symbiotic as any collection of organisms as you could desire.
15) Dave Tough/dr, Chubby Jackson/b and Jimmy Rowles/p the team that was with Woody Herman’s Second Herd, and did some amazing things with “Four Brothers” and “Northwest Passage.” Feels like a tornado swept through town!
16) John Clayton/b, Jeff Hamilton/dr and Tamir Hendelman/p or Jeff Clayton/p. They comprise the engine of the HCJO as well as do quartets, Diana Krall, weddings and bar mitzvahs, making everything SWING
This is the real joy of a rhythm section. “Can two walk together unless they agree?” is the wise saying from the Bible that points out that real success 
comes when everyone is agreement to serve the same purpose. Kinda like marriage!