Zigaboo Modeliste facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ziggy Modeliste
Modeliste in 2010
Background information
Birth name	Joseph Modeliste
Also known as	Zigaboo Modeliste
Born	(1948-12-28) December 28, 1948 (age 76) New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Genres	Funk second line jazz rock
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	Drums percussion vocals
Years active	1965–present
Labels	JZM

Joseph "Ziggy" Modeliste, born on December 28, 1948, is a famous American drummer. He is also known as Zigaboo Modeliste. He helped start the funk band called The Meters. Many people see him as a pioneer in funk music. He also created a special drumming style from New Orleans. The Meters' music was very important. It shaped the sound of New Orleans funk. Because of his work, Zigaboo helped bring New Orleans 'second-line' drumming into popular songs.

As a songwriter and studio musician, Zigaboo's work is on many albums. His drum beats appear in hundreds of hip hop songs. You can also hear his drumming in TV shows and movies. He has released four albums on his own. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and still performs music.

Growing Up in New Orleans

Zigaboo Modeliste grew up in the 13th Ward of New Orleans. He was the oldest of six children. His grandmother, Lula Blouin, helped raise him. His first drum set was a three-piece kit. His grandmother paid for it. He got the nickname "Zigaboo" when he was ten. A neighborhood kid gave him the name. By junior high school, the name stuck.

His drumming style was influenced by other great New Orleans drummers. He learned by watching them play live. He said that listening to other musicians was key to his learning. He especially tried to play like Smokey Johnson. He started playing gigs at a young age. He even played with The Hawketts, a band led by Art Neville. This band later became The Neville Sounds. By the late 1960s, it turned into The Meters. In an interview, Zigaboo said: "Your biggest teachers were those two things you got on the side of your head." He meant that listening was the most important part.

Starting His Music Career

Modeliste was a founding member and drummer of the funk group The Meters. The Meters started in 1965. They became very well known in the lively New Orleans music scene. The band later signed with Allen Toussaint's record label, Sansu Enterprises. They also worked as the studio band for the label. Over the years, The Meters became famous artists. They were known for the traditional New Orleans funk sound.

Zigaboo's work with The Meters showed he was a skilled and creative drummer. This was clear when The Meters were invited to tour with The Rolling Stones. They opened for The Rolling Stones in 1975 and 1976. The Meters also played as the backing band for other artists. These included Dr. John, Robert Palmer, and Paul McCartney. Zigaboo was always on drums for these performances. When The Meters broke up in the late 1970s, Zigaboo kept touring. He played drums for many musicians. He toured with Keith Richards and Ron Wood in The New Barbarians. This was soon after The Meters split up.

Later Music and Influence

Zigaboo Modeliste has released three studio albums. He also has a live album as a band leader. His first album, Zigaboo.com, came out in 2000. His second album, I'm on the Right Track, was released in 2004. It featured Dr. John and Bernie Worrell. In 2007, he helped with a tribute album for Fats Domino. He played the song "I'm Gonna Be a Wheel Someday." He worked with Herbie Hancock on this song. His live album, Funk Me Hard Live, was released in 2009. This drum-heavy show was recorded in 1980. Zigaboo played with his first band after The Meters, called the Gaboon's Gang. They performed at the Saenger Theatre. His third studio album, New Life, came out in 2011. This album included work by Wardell Quezergue and George Porter Jr..

In 2005, he recorded with Young Gunz. Their song "Can't Stop Won't Stop" won an award. His drum patterns were also used in the Grammy-nominated song "1 Thing". In 2011, musician Mark Ronson worked with Zigaboo. They made the song "A La Modeliste." This song was named for Zigaboo's influence on funk drumming. It also honored the New Orleans sound. He was the main artist featured in Modern Drummer magazine in August 2013.

In the 1980s, Zigaboo moved to Los Angeles. Later, he moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. He settled in Oakland, California. He had some disagreements about the rights to The Meters' music. This led him to learn about the business side of music. He started his own record label, JZM Records. He also started a music publishing company, Jomod Music. He performs regularly in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and New Orleans.

Zigaboo's Legacy and Impact

Since the late 1970s, Zigaboo Modeliste has worked with many artists. He has toured and recorded with them. Some of these artists include:

The Recording Academy gave Zigaboo and The Meters a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award. This happened in April 2023.

Zigaboo's work has been very important. His unique drumming style has many fans. He sometimes teaches special classes for drummers. Some of his most famous drum beats are in "Cissy Strut" and "Look-Ka Py-Py." A music critic once called Zigaboo's drumming "the secret" of The Meters' early music. He said it was "almost as if he's the lead" player. In 2016, Rolling Stone magazine listed him as the 18th best drummer of all time. In 2008, Zigaboo described his drumming style. He said, "It's just a collage of all the drummers that I heard play in my lifetime from [New Orleans]."

Zigaboo's drumming is on hundreds of recordings. His drum patterns have been used a lot by hip hop artists. These include Run DMC, Public Enemy, Beastie Boys, and Ice Cube. His performances have been in movies, TV shows, and video games. Some examples are Red, Jackie Brown, and 8 Mile. Zigaboo Modeliste is a signature artist for Vic Firth, DW, and Sabian.

Music Albums

Solo Albums

• Zigaboo.com (JZM, 2000)
• I'm On the Right Track (JZM, 2004)
• Funk Me Hard Live (JZM, 2009)
• New Life (JZM, 2011)

With The Meters

• The Meters (Josie, 1969)
• Look-Ka Py Py (Josie, 1970)
• Struttin' (Josie, 1970)
• Cabbage Alley (Reprise, 1972)
• Rejuvenation (Reprise, 1974)
• Cissy Strut (Island, 1974)
• Fire on the Bayou (Reprise, 1975)
• The Best of The Meters (Mardi Gras, Virgo, 1975)
• Trick Bag (Reprise, 1976)
• New Directions (Warner Bros., 1977)
• Good Old Funky Music (Rounder, 1990)
• Funky Miracle (Charly, 1991)
• Uptown Rulers: The Meters live on the Queen Mary (Rhino, 1992)
• Live at the Moonwalker (Lakeside, 1993)
• Fundamentally Funky (Charly, 1994)
• Funkify Your Life: The Meters Anthology (Rhino, 1995)

As a Guest Musician

• Troublemaker (Mercury, 1979) with Ian McLagan
• Kristen Vigard (Private Music, 1988) with Kristen Vigard
• Storyville (Geffen, 1991) with Robbie Robertson
• She (Sony music entertainment, 1994) with Harry Connick Jr.
• Ekstasis (Axiom, 1993) with Nicky Skopelitis and Bill Laswell
• South Delta Space Age (Antilles, 1995) with Third Rail (James Blood Ulmer and Bill Laswell)
• (It Must've Been Ol') Santa Claus (Columbia, 1993) with Harry Connick, Jr.
• Buried Alive: Live in Maryland (2006) The New Barbarians (Ron Wood)
• Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley/Pressure Drop (2013) with Robert Palmer
• Toussaint: The Real Thing 1970-1975 (2015) with Allen Toussaint
• Another Side (2021) with Leo Nocentelli
• The Island Records Years (2023) with Robert Palmer

Learning Videos

• Zigaboo Modeliste: The Originator of New Orleans Funky Drumming (2012) DVD