Another intro, with a Latin feel, played by Billy Higgins on For Minors Only, from Jimmy Heath’s album Picture of Heath. The cymbal rhythm is reminiscent of a Mozambique-type rhythm, with an 8th rest on […]
Category: transcriptions
Transcription: Frank Butler intro and fours
Maybe if I transcribe a bunch of drum intros and post them on the blog, I can guilt trip myself into finishing my Book of Intros. It’s still hanging around 95% ready to release. I’ve been blocked […]
Transcription: Charli Persip solo break
This is a little solo break by Charli Persip, near the end of So Sorry Please, from Red Garland’s album Bright and Breezy. The tune is by Bud Powell. We’re just looking at the drum […]
Groove o’ the day: Herlin Riley afro groove
I spent about three hours yesterday listening to Kenny Garrett records, which is… he’s great, the bands are great, the records are great, the tunes are actually great, I just… let me put it this […]
Transcription: Art Gore – Sais
More Gore. I came across Art Gore’s playing a couple of years ago, and had an instant affinity with it. He’s not on a whole lot of records, but he’s really great, and is worth seeking […]
Transcription: James Gadson – Shout It Out
UPDATE: Text updated after I stupidly (but defensibly!) misidentified the drummer as Ndugu Leon Chancler. When you print out the pdf, scratch out Ndugu’s name and put James Gadson. Here’s something great from James Gadson, […]
A different kind of march
Playing a traditional/military-style march is something we have to do occasionally as drummers, so we may as well learn a few different ways of doing it. This is a hip, interesting take on the concept […]
11 Buddy intros
This is pretty interesting: Buddy Rich playing a drum intro on eleven takes of the same tune: Leap Frog, released on The Complete Charlie Parker on Verve box set. This is an actually an excerpt […]
Transcription: Barry Altschul – Jitterbug Waltz
Here’s a drum solo in 3/4 by Barry Altschul, on a modern arrangement of Fats Waller’s Jitterbug Waltz, from Altschul’s album Irina— a pretty obscure (to me) record you can now download off Amazon. The […]
Ben Riley comping
We lost a very great drummer this week, and one of a dwindling number of his generation: Ben Riley. He was best known for his playing with Thelonious Monk in the mid-60s, and with the […]
Comping the Billy way
Here’s a fresh lesson on simplicity in comping in jazz— file this along with the post about the “Kenny” note from a few years ago. I’ve transcribed some ideas from Billy Higgins’s playing on Things […]
Transcription: Blues March – two intros
Two intros to a famous tune: Blues March, by Benny Golson. One is by Art Blakey, from the Jazz Messengers album Moanin’, and the other is by Lex Humphries, from Art Farmer and Benny Golson […]