Nick Mason's Jazz Drumming: 'A Pillow of Winds' from Meddle

The best example of Nick Mason leaning into a jazzier, syncopated feel is on “A Pillow of Winds” from Meddle. Instead of his usual hard, driving rock patterns—like the aggressive snare in “One of These Days” or the steady backbeat in “Echoes”—Mason switches to brushes, playing light, off-kilter accents on the ride cymbal and a soft, swinging hi-hat pattern. The track almost sways, with Mason locking into David Gilmour’s fingerpicked acoustic as if he’s sitting in a small jazz club.

This contrast is sharp: his usual rock drumming relies on power and precision, with heavy toms and a loud kick pushing the band forward. On “Pillow