Dave Tough

Dave Tough (26 April, 1907 – 9 December, 1948, sometimes known as Davie or Davey Tough) was an American jazz drummer most associated with Dixieland jazz. He has been described as "the most important of the drummers of the Chicago circle".

A son of affluent Oak Park, Illinois parents, Tough's interest for drumming was not fully supported by his family or community. Fortunately his suburban Chicago home allowed Tough to find his way to southside Chicago exposing him to an exciting and evolving jazz scene. Here Tough broke cultural and musical boundaries taking the scene's fresh sense back to a seemingly different suburban upper-middle class world.

He worked with such musicians as Bud Freeman, Woody Herman, Eddie Condon, Red Nichols, Tommy Dorsey, Bunny Berigan and Benny Goodman. Berendt describes him as "one of the most subtle and inspired of drummers" with "a rhythmic palette on which he held in readiness the right colour for each soloist".

In the later 1920s, Tough floated between Nice and Paris doing free-lance work. He toured and recorded throughout early 1930s Europe, mostly on the Tri-Ergon label.

Due to Tough's rich cultural experiences, his broad musical awareness provided an ability to transition well between many musical styles, most notably Big Band to Bebop.

Although he had varied successes, he also had noteworthy difficulties with alcoholism and illness. He died of head injuries after falling down in a Newark street.

In 2000, he was inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame.

A young jazz drummer named Dave Tough is his great-nephew.

External links

• Scott Yanow All Music Guide
• Drummerworld (Mostly the same as Yanow's, but with pictures and birthdate)