Keith, not Stewart. Here’s a groove I’ve gotten some use out of recently while subbing with Pepe & The Bottle Blondes, a Portland salsa/swing group, for my man Ken Ollis. It’s a unique form of cha cha pulled from Keith Copeland’s Creative Coordination for the Performing Drummer, which has proven to be really effective. Here the cowbell is simulated by the left hand, and the toms are played by the right, which is unusual:
Here’s a nice two-measure version:
Experiment with other RH tom moves for variety or for fills. The cha cha is a medium tempo dance groove, so you don’t need to get real fancy with it, or work for any kind of speed. Don’t play the cymbal or the bass drum too loud.
If you’re not familiar with the feel, there’s a recorded example after the break: