Here’s a forum comment by our friend Michael Griener in Berlin, which I wanted to preserve on this site. Michael is an excellent, very active drummer in Germany and throughout Central Europe, in jazz and […]
Velocity stickings for Syncopation, Lesson 10
For a couple of my students I’ve written a set of velocity stickings to use with Lesson 10 (pp. 22-23) in Syncopation. They’re designed to be played fast, hey? These will be a godsend for […]
Transcription: Elvin Jones – Chasin’ the Trane – 06
Part 6 of the Chasin’ the Trane transcription project. Elvin Jones playing on that eternal classic track from John Coltrane Live at the Village Vanguard. My head isn’t fully back into this series, so I […]
Philly Joe kicks and set ups
Companion to the Philly Joe Jones appreciation from the other day— I’ve transcribed some kicks and setups from the tune Soft Winds, from Chet Baker In New York. Jones plays figures all through the head; the time […]
Key players: Philly Joe Jones
This series is difficult for me, because it means writing a lot of words about somebody’s playing, at which I am not good. I never felt a need to put it into words. It also […]
Stone flam beats as independence patterns
I like doing this once in awhile: converting familiar materials into another format. Rhythm patterns (plus filler) can be converted to sticking patterns, accent patterns can be converted to rhythm patterns, sticking patterns can be […]
“Snare Conditioner” in 6/8
I mentioned to Adam Osmianski that I wanted a 6/8 version of his transcription of the found-music malfunctioning air conditioner drum solo, and he encouraged me to go ahead and do it myself, so here […]
Transcription: Jack Dejohnette – Mr. Clean
Took a break from the really long and hard Elvin Jones transcription and did something else really hard. From the Freddie Hubbard album Straight Life, this is Jack Dejohnette playing behind Joe Henderson’s solo on […]
From the zone: Snare Conditioner
This was not a legitimate FTZ submission, but I am bequeathing it with that title because this is EXACTLY the kind of crap you’re supposed to do when holed up in your studio because of […]
Inauguration day
One of many inspiring moments. I got nothing today, congratulations to everyone on this late move towards national sanity. I suggest watching President Biden’s inauguration this morning if you haven’t. Even after four years of […]