these debates are stupid (even if you are 14 and undateable)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-4ZqhHOFsM
As of late I've been trying to find anything outside of the whole ambient universe that eschews percussion, and it's mostly the odd Euro Jazz side or AACM combo. I don't drum when I sit down to record my one man band wankery, and why should banging out a backbeat be a necessity anyway? All of Guiffre's trios were ACE. Who else led the way?
Link
kerplunk
The only musicians I can think of at the moment are Ornette Coleman/Don Cherry and that might not even be right. But no band can hide their shit rhythm if they leave the drums out of it, and so mostly people keep the drums around.