This new grooves book is almost done, believe it or not— the 20% discount on the transcriptions book should be good for just a couple of more days. The last new thing I put in […]
Category: jazz
Pete LaRoca 1938-2012
Another very great drummer has died, Pete LaRoca Sims. I heard that he had entered a hospice a few days ago; his condition must have deteriorated very quickly. He was of roughly the same generation […]
What it is: swing rhythm
Extremely preoccupied with tour preparations, obviously, but fortunately I have a couple of things on deck: Swing interpretation is something we use a lot here, and I’ve mostly assumed people know what it is— you […]
DBMITW: Sonny Sharrock
Having a very busy weekend with students, gigs, and tour preparations, so here’s one of my favorite records from the 90’s, Sonny Sharrock’s Ask the Ages— by far his best album that I’ve heard. With […]
First lesson in 5/4 — swing feel
A rare two-pager today. Here I’ve put a little flesh on the bones on the process I outlined in my earlier Cracking 5/4 series, with an easy first lesson coordinating snare drum and bass drum […]
DBMITW: The Hawaii 5-0 fill, redux
What this Hawaii 5-0 nonsense is about, for people under the age of 40-something. Get Tale Spinnin’ by Weather Report
Transcription: Bob Moses — Mevlevia
Here’s a quick take of a tune that will be part of my set on the Europe trip this year: Mevlevia, from the Gary Burton record Ring, with drumming by Bob Moses. This is one […]
Groove o’ the day: Philly Joe with Hank Mobley
The 50’s were apparently also the heyday of the quasi-Afro feel— all of the hard bop guys seem to have had their own way of making it. This one is by Philly Joe Jones, on […]
Alan Dawson’s “Ruff Bossa”
We’re laying it on pretty thick with the Reed interpretations right now, but I just went over this with a student, so I need to put up one more. It’s a swing interpretation with partially […]
Groove o’ the day: Art Blakey with Hank Mobley
This is from the 1955 album Hank Mobley Quartet (it doesn’t appear to have been reissued recently, so you’ll have to just buy the mp3). The tune is Avila and Tequila, and Art Blakey plays […]