I got sort of lightly burned at a session recently, when a player pulled up a tune he had written which was in a fast 7/8. I’ve been working on my odd meters quite a […]
Category: downloads
Assembling a basic Elvin Jones-style waltz
Here’s a page of elements for putting together a basic Elvin Jones-style jazz waltz— I hate to treat his playing so reductively, but what are we supposed to do? It’s a thing, it’s sometimes asked […]
Basic jazz method with varying cymbal pattern
Please forgive the lack of posting here— it’s been in the high 90s/low 100s in Portland for over a week, and it’s putting a serious damper on my productivity. The climate in the Pacific Northwest […]
Quarter note Reed method: Maiden Voyage
People, I am all about the quarter notes these days. This is an easy method using the rhythm of the vamp from the Herbie Hancock tune Maiden Voyage— we’ll combine that rhythm, played on the […]
Figure and fills — Cantaloupe Island
Here’s another practice loop, with a page of things to play with it. What I’ve done here is sample two measures from Herbie Hancock’s Cantaloupe Island, and write out a page of fills to fit […]
Natural sticking timing exercise
This is something I’m working on with some students: a timing exercise using natural sticking, modified slightly from something we used to play in drum corps. Natural sticking, briefly, is a method of sticking hand-to-hand […]
Partido Alto practice loop and basic grooves
Another practice loop, sampled from the tune Partido Alto, from the Azymuth album Light As A Feather. Ivan Conti is on drums. As I mentioned before, Partido Alto is the name of a Brazilian rhythm, […]
Transcription: Famoudou Don Moye — Funky Aeco
I was going to take care of some other business today, but then I saw that it’s Famoudou Don Moye’s birthday, and wanted to pay tribute by giving one of my favorite things of his […]
Transcription: Tony Williams — Lopsy Lu
2021 UPDATE: See my new listening guide for this track. Here’s the third of four big-deal transcriptions I have lined up for the fund raiser. I was going to save this for next week, but […]
Page o’ coordination: anticipations — 03
[NOTE: PDF link is working now! -t] So, today is going to be jazz comping day, in our little fund raiser. If you haven’t made a cash contribution yet, please do. Help give me some […]