John,
Yes, very sad to lose Carp, such a fixture in the LA jazz scene... Onward go the rest of us.
I have gotten the chance to play with so many great drummers, I truly can't believe my luck. There is no best, no favorite (I mean favourite). Beyond school, in the real World, playing is never a competition. These guys all have strong and unique voices on their instruments and they are all a joy to make music with.
Thanks,
Jimmy J