John Ramsay’s impact reaches far beyond performance credits. He became one of the most respected drum educators of his generation through Berklee College of Music, where he helped shape modern drum set instruction while carrying forward the teaching lineage of Alan Dawson and Charlie Banacos.
Ramsay began playing in 1962 as a self-taught rock drummer and spent roughly a decade working professionally before committing to formal study. At 22, he began studying with Alan Dawson—an experience he often credits as life-changing, both musically and professionally. From there, his career expanded across nearly every kind of working situation: rock bands, small jazz groups, big bands, symphony orchestra settings, hotels and nightclubs, international jazz festivals, and concert stages. One of the most important chapters came through his close involvement with Art Blakey: Ramsay spent two years connected to Blakey’s Jazz Messengers world, first as a second drummer in the Jazz Messengers Big Band and later as Blakey’s road manager, touring internationally and experiencing the realities of the professional jazz road firsthand.
As a teacher, Ramsay describes his approach as the result of decades of playing and study, with much of his method directly influenced by Dawson and Banacos. He is known for high expectations and direct honesty—students don’t move forward without doing the work—balanced by support and long-term development. Ramsay has emphasized that musicianship is a lifelong pursuit with no shortcuts, stating, “Music is a lifelong endeavor, and there are no shortcuts to mastery of an instrument.”
Recent activity: Ramsay’s educational legacy continues through his published books and ongoing instructional materials focused on Alan Dawson’s system and modern drum set vocabulary, widely used by serious students and educators.
Gear: Pearl: DW Drums, Zildjian Cymbals, Remo Heads, Vic Firth Drumsticks
Sources: Berklee College of Music; Drum Channel; Steve Weiss Music; published John Ramsay educator bios/interviews.
Update: January 23, 2026
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