Well, my favorite big band drummer Mel Lewis is no longer around, but his influence is undeniable.
Here's a couple to remember the great Melvin Sokoloff who was born on May 10, 1929 in Buffalo, New York to Russian immigrant parents:
And if you're interested, here's Mel Lewis from a series of radio programs talking about the history of Jazz drumming that are really worth listening to:
http://www.pas.org/experience/oralhistory/mellewis.aspx
Thanks to John Riley and the kind folks at the Percussive Arts Society who put that one together.