mmy Award MARK WALK DRUMS/WORLD JAZZBerklee Press Vice President: David Kusek Dean of Continuing Education: Debbie Cavalier Chief Operating Officer: Robert F. Green ‘Managing Editor: Jonathan Feist Editorial Assistants: Rajasri Mallikarjuna, Emily Goldstein, Claudia Obser Cover Designer: Kathy Kikkert ISBN 978-0-87639-090-0 berklee = ayy press = +140 Boylston Stet HAL*LEONARD* Boston, MA 2318-3608 USA (ein rar2ia8 Vist Borde Prese One at Copyright © 2008 Berti Press ‘AIRighis esorvea ‘No part of his pubicaon may be reproduced in ay form or by ns without the prior Witten ponnasion ofthe PublisherACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank all the people directly or indirectly involved with the making of this book: First and foremost, my family: Michelle, Evan, and Mackenzie Walker; Debbie Cavalier, Jonathan Feist, and all at Berklee Press; musicians Alain Mallet, Oscar Stagnaro, Pernell Saturnino, Tim Miller, Paulo Stagnaro, and Paquito D'Rivera; Engineers Mark Wessel, Brian Allison, Maio Obregén, and Paul Meyer; studio managers Scott Mabuchi and Joe James; photographers Sergio Brando and Susie Kang; and all at Yamaha drums, Paiste cymbals, Remo heads, Vic Firth sticks, LPpercussion, and Glenn Cronkhite custom bags. ‘This book is dedicated to the memories of Sandy Feldstein and Roy C. Knapp. Drum Key Hishat B.D. Floor Floor Cross Stick Snare 2nd Ist Cowell Cowbell Cowbell Ride Ride Hi-hat Hihat Crash (foot) ‘Tom Tom Stick Shot Drum Tom Tom (Qvoulh (neck Cym. Bell (open) Cym. (shell) sound) sound) oer jdCONTENTS | INTRODUCTION: WHAT IS “WORLD JAZZ?” CD TRACKS HOW TO USE THIS BOOK CHAPTER 1 Jazz, Shuffle, and Funk CHAPTER 2 South American Rhythms for the Drum Set CHAPTER 3 Caribbean Rhythms for the Drum Set CHAPTER 4 “Deep Six” CHAPTER 5 “Candombe in Blue” CHAPTER 6 “Akumbia” CHAPTER 7 “What About That!” CHAPTER 8 Rehearsal and Practice Techniques CHAPTER 9 Gear and Setup AFTERWORD ‘Some Final Tips APPENDIX A Pronunciation Guide APPENDIX B Sources ABOUT THE AUTHOR vi viii 30 42 44 46 48 50 61 69 70 71 B| CD TRACKS 1 2 3 4, 6. 7. 8 9. BNSSESSESSSENSRESHES “Deep Six” “Deep Six” (minus drums) ‘Candombe in Blue” ‘Candombe in Blue” (minus drums) ‘Akumbia” \kumbia” (minus drums) “What About That!” “What About That!” (minus drums) ‘Tango . Milonga . Chacarera . Candombe . Cumbia . Chandé . Festejo . Lands Marinera Vals Joropo “Por Corillo” |. Joropo “Por Derecho” |. Onda Nueva . Merengue Venezolano . Samba on Hi-Hat |. Samba with R. H. Sticking 5. Batucada .. Samba on Cymbals Partido Alto Baio Musicians Mark Walker: drums, composer, producer ‘Alain Mallet: piano, Hammond B3 organ, melodica Tim Miller: electric guitar Oscar Stagnaro: electric bass Pernell Saturnino: percussion Paulo Stagnaro: percussion 29. 30. 31. . Bossa Nova with Brushes . Samba with Brushes . Marcha . Marcha Rancho 36. £88 37. 38. 39, 40. a. .. Gwan Bale . Biguine . Bomba . Plena Fas 46. 41. 48. 49. 50. 51. 82. 53. 54. 55. 56. Afoxé Afoxé “a Donato” ‘Maracati Calypso “Old Schoo!” Soca Dance Soca Soca Variation Mazurka Pike Mazurka Nuit Compa Merengue Mambo Bembé Songo ‘Timba Danzén Cha-cha-cha Afro Rumba Guaguanco Reggae Special Guest: Paquito D’Rivera: clarinet on “What About That!”| UINT RODUCTION | What Is “World Jazz?” What is “world jazz?" There are probably as many opinions on this subject as there are countries in the world. I would define “world jazz” as a fusion of tradi- tional world influences with the harmonic and rhythmic language of jazz. This is different than “world music,” such as traditional Irish songs, Japanese koto music, or folk music of the Andes, though there could easily be rhythmic similarities. The difference between “world jazz” and “world music" is that world music may or may not have improvisation, but world jazz usually does. Jazz. can be played in any rhythmic style. Groups and artists such as Paquito D’Rivera, Oregon, John McLaughlin, Andy Narell, Miles Davis, and Wayne Shorter have been fusing jazz. and world rhythms for decades. New generations of musicians around the world have incorporated the rhythms of their home- land—or any chosen land they call home—into the harmonic and melodic language of jazz. Using world rhythms in jazz gives us unlimited creative possibilities ‘Traditional songs from any culture can be arranged incorporating the language of jazz: its rhythms, harmony, melody, and improvisation. We can also arrange jazz standards using traditional rhythms and instruments of various world cultures. ‘The purpose of this book is to prepare you for creative musical situations by strengthening your fundamentals, learning various world traditions, and devel- oping the musical skills needed to create new forms of expression. Inmy experience, it helps to know a variety of rhythmic styles and traditions. ve studied and applied these traditional rhythms in various musical situations, from traditional to contemporary to free form. I learned most of these rhythms “on the fly” in rehearsals, sound checks, and recording sessions. When I was first, earning these rhythms, there weren't any international study programs in Cuba, or world percussion instruction at Berklee, for example. I just had to listen and learn on my own.Tve incorporated world rhythms into my own rhythmic vocabulary and used these rhythms in a wide variety of contexts, sometimes without consciously thinking about it. You never know when someone needs a new groove for a song they wrote, or a groove on which to base a composition. Ithelped me greatly to travel to the Caribbean and South America with musi- cians who really knew the genres, like Paquito D'Rivera, Andy Narell, Oscar Stagnaro, Danilo Perez, and Cesar Camargo Mariano. I had the opportunity to meet with the innovators of each style, exchange CDs, and most importantly, listen to them play. Quite often, it was a real pain just to get to these locations, but once we were there, things happened that could not happen anywhere else. Living in New York City is a learning experience for everyone. There are musi- cians from all over the globe there who really know their traditional music and are willing to share it in a playing situation. One will also learn how to keep a peaceful mind in the midst of the daily insanity of the Big Apple. Playing jazz music is about groove, spontaneity, blending colors, dancing, conversation, dynamics, sparring, dreaming, conflict, crying, stretching.... We have the ability to express a wide range of emotions when we play. The challenge with adapting world folk rhythms to jazz is to maintain the integrity of the thythm while improvising and expressing all these different ideas. The rhythms and concepts in this book must be absorbed—or owned—in order to be free of any conscious thought while improvising. This takes many hours of listening and practicing, It is imperative that you take the time to digest this material. The feeling and swing of any style you learn cannot be faked. You must absorb it into your very being. Only then can it be played naturally. ‘You'll see many drum patterns in this book. They are only the beginning. Just because you know a pattern doesn't mean you're playing the music. Any computer can be programmed to play a pattern, with a killer sound and perfect time. We have to learn to refresh the music, with the use of dynamics, orchestra- tion, variation, and improvisation. In order to do that, we have to know more than patterns. We have to listen and get a feel for the music. vilviii HOW TO USE THIS BOOK Chapter 1 gives you some general concepts and playing techniques for jazz. Since this book is geared toward jazz (with world influences), it's important to havea context for what happens in a jazz.setting, Practice the coordination exer- cises slowly at first, and make sure the subdivision is correct. If you can play them slowly and they really groove, playing them fast will be no problem. Chapters 2 and 3 cover various world rhythms, with a brief historical back- ground and, in some cases, a basic version of the percussion patterns associated with each style. Drum set adaptations will follow, and most styles are orches- trated in several different ways. Listen closely to all of the parts, and practice hearing the rhythmic emphasis. Be sure to pay attention to your posture, stay relaxed, and don't forget to breathe! In chapters 4 through 7, you'll be applying what you've learned in the context of four of my compositions: “Deep Six,” “Candombe in Blue,” ‘Akumbia,” and “What About That!” You'll learn different approaches for playing the tunes, as well as different orchestrations for each style. You'll get to play along with some of the best musicians I know, including Paquito D’Rivera. You'll earn rehearsal techniques in chapter 8, which have worked for me for many years. These tips will help you be prepared for just about any playing situation. Chapter 9 is devoted to equipment and setup. It describes various world percussion and alternative setups. Try some of these setups and see how they work for you. Part of being a professional musician means adapting to different situations. Hopefully, this chapter will inspire you to be innovative in your setup, as well as your playing. @ TAAL 1-8 ‘The accompanying CD has tunes with play-along tracks, as well as examples of the rhythms and techniques I discuss. To start, first listen to my original tunes on tracks 1, 3, 5, and 7. Each of these tunes has a play-along track (tracks 2, 4, 6, and 8), with no drums. Listen to each tune, and follow each chart (chapters 4 to 7) before you play, so you understand the form. Then after you have spent some ‘time with the patterns, have some fun and play along with the music. Try not to practice “over the music.” Instead, really imagine yourself playing with the band. Remember, the object is to improve your skills and evolve as a creative musi- cian. It's important to develop patience and discipline when absorbing all this material. Don't drive yourself crazy or try to rush through it. Give yourself time to get a feel for each style. This way, the rhythms will emerge naturally, instead of being forced. In other words, you can't cram this material. Let it grow on you. Have fun with it!"| GHAPTER 1 Jazz, Shuffle, and Funk Icome from a family of artists and musicians. Both my father and sister have been painters, my mother an author, and my brother a musician, When a painter makes the first stroke, he cannot be self-conscious. He has to make the stroke as ifhe’s brushing his teeth or making a phone call, with intent, but for the most part without conscious thought. In order to create a work of lasting value, an artist must know his art from a historical perspective. He also must possess the technical know-how to execute exactly the stroke he wants—no more and no less, He must have a love for the medium. Otherwise, it would be very difficult to express himself. Finally, he must have the ability to “get out of his own way” so that self-consciousness won't rule his split-second decisions Jazz drumming is about painting, as well as keeping time. Just because you're playing swing doesn't necessarily mean you have to play a constant “dang dan-ga dang” on the ride cymbal, with 2 and 4 on the hat, while feathering the bass drum. If you're playing jazz music, learn the music first. In other words, learn the style, melody, form—even the harmony. If you know the music, the drum part you play will sound more natural and less mechanical. A great cook knows what to put in the pot because he knows what the soup is supposed to taste like. 1. SWING ‘The way we keep time in a jazz context on the drum set has evolved over time. In the early years of jazz, most of the timekeeping was done on the snare drum. Then, masters like Kenny Clark and Max Roach moved the emphasis of the groove to the ride cymbal. The bass drum technique of “feathering” (playing very soft quarter notes, “as light as a feather”) was developed to support the bass player and the overall quarter-note pulse. This came about before the amplifi- cation of the bass. Contemporary jazz drummers use the bass drum for melodic accents, but many of the great masters (such as Roy Haynes) still use feathering, Feathering fits best in more traditional contexts, like big band swing or organ trio.2 : WORLD JAZZ DRUMMING) ‘Swing is a feeling. Many drummers make the mistake of playing jazz one way all the time, playing patterns that never change, or playing them at one dynamic level. This one-dimensional way of playing takes away the spontaneity of the music and makes it sound predictable. One of the problems many students have when playing swing on the drum set is a lack of “swing” itself—a lack of groove. What gives swing its swing? Its very hard to describe what swing is, but there are certain elements of the rhythm, which must be present for it to feel good. These are: + Consistent pulse * Consistent subdivision, eg., triplet-based swing eighth notes in swing music + Balance of the voices of the drum set + Balance of the drum set with the other instruments + Phrasing and dynamics within the phrase + Vocabulary Let's look at these topics one by one. If the pulse is inconsistent, the time will wander, slowing down or speeding up. There are times where the music does need to breathe, but any change in tempo must be on purpose! A consistent pulse will maintain the listener's trust. How do we know the pulse is consistent? When it feels good to the listener. Exercise 1. Ride Cymbal 9 TAK? Play quarter notes on the ride cymbal along with the solo (swing) section of “Deep Six” or your favorite inedium-tempo jazz track. Exercise 2. Adding the Feet Add soft quarter notes on the bass drum and a strong “2” and “4” on the hi-hat, using the foot. Make sure the bass drum is felt and not heard. ——Exercise 3. Backbeat Next, add a backbeat on 2 and 4 with the crdss stick. Play this along with the recording. When you play, listen to what the other musicians are playing. Don't concentrate on your part; make an effort to get “inside” what the others are playing, The idea is to make them sound good! J | Exercise 4. Ride Pattern Now, play more ofa standard jazz ride pattern. Be sure the triplet feel is in the right hand. Count "1, 2 (trip)-let, 3, 4 (tip)-let.” Your ride should play on every- thing but the “trip.” The subdivision, or grid, works with the pulse to give the music its swing, or dance. If any of the notes are played out of the pocket and stray too far from the grid, it becomes inconsistent, and the listener cannot trust the player. No one wants to dance to the music if the feel is lost! Remember, its all dance music, no matter how broken up it may be played. Our job is to move people, and we must be responsible for every single note we play. fF Balance ‘The drums must be balanced in such a way that the music has buoyancy, or a light feeling, yet is still funky. When one part of the kit (or more) is played too loudly all the time, it makes the music too heavy and can often sound clumsy. This is not to say you can't play a loud accent once in a while, but it has to be in the context! In many cases, the ride cymbal takes precedence, followed by the hi-hat, snare drum, and bass drum. There are phrases where the snare drum could dominate the mix, but this should not be every moment, or the kit could sound unbalanced. Balancing the drums with other instruments in jazz. works best with an acoustic approach, depending on the instrumentation. Play soft, at least to start, but don't lose the intensity. Starting softly gives the music a chance to go some- where. If you start at a very high volume level, it can be a trap—unless you can find a way to break it down. Breaking it down to a soft volume not only gives the listener a break, but also creates a sense of anticipation.4 WORLD JAZZ DRUMMING Phrasing and Dynamics Phrasing is one of the most important aspects of playing any kind of music; it’s literally saying something. So, your phrases had better be clear and must work with what else is happening in the music. An important concept in phrasing is the dynamics within each phrase. For example, if you play a rhythm on your hi-hat with no accents, it might sound okay, but when you play accents, it makes the pattern groove in a different way. This goes for pretty much any pattern or phrase. Imagine someone speaking in a monotone. Then imagine the same person emphasizing a certain word or words. It can change the entire meaning of what this person is saying! Exercise 5. Comping Phrases This also goes for jazz. comping patterns and solo phrases. Let’s take snare drum comping with the left hand, for example. If you have a comping figure with an eighth note (or a quarter note) alone, you can play a slight accent. But if you have two consecutive eighth notes, the last of these will get the accent, and the notes leading up to it will not be accented. In essence, the notes before the last one will serve as pickup notes. Here are some typical comping phrases with no accents. Repeat each measure individually, then read the entire group of measures from the beginning. he rey eee ee |. we aaa aay 5[CHAPTER 1 Jazz, Shuto, and Funk 5 Exercise 6. Adding Accents Here are the same patterns with accents added. Notice how the expression is enhanced with accents. Exercise 7. Bass Drum Comping Now, play the ostinato from exercise 4, but play the comping phrases from exercise 5 on your bass drum. Keep the tempo slow, and go for the feel.6 WORLD JAZZ DRUMMING] Exercise 8. Snare Drum/Bass Drum Comping Finally, split the exercise up between your snare drum and bass drum. Play any quarter notes (or tied eighths) on your bass drum, and any eighth notes on your snare drum. Keep the ride and hi-hat consistent. When you learn a language, you have to work a little bit every day on expanding your vocabulary. This means listening to music constantly, dissecting what you hear and absorbing it. Spend some time each day, studying the comping and solo phrasing of the greats: Roy Haynes, Max Roach, Tony Williams, Elvin Jones, Jack DeJohnette, etc. 2. SHUFFLE ‘The shuffle rhythm can be played with a variety of feelings, swing, and moods. Here is a good basic jazz/blues shuffle. Practice this as slowly as possible, making sure the hands and feet are in sync, or “locked in.” Interpret the eighth notes with a swing feel. Exercise 1. Basic Jazz Shuffle[CHAPTER 1 Jazz, Shuttle, and Funk 7 Exercise 2. Bass Drum Comping Let's free up the bass drum to play a meloily. The ostinato is now with the hands and hi-hat foot. Here is the bass drum melody. Work with each measure individually, then play them all together. Exercise 3, Half-Time Shuffle Here's a half-time shufile on hi-hat, snare, and bass drum. seea WORLD JAZZ DRUMMING Exercise 4, Bass Drum Comping for Half-Time Shuffle Use the hand pattern as an ostinato, and play this bass drum exercise. 3. FUNK Funk drumming as we know it originated in New Orleans, with drummers like Zigaboo Modeliste, Earl Palmer, Idris Muhammad, and also the drummers of James Brown, including Clyde Stubblefield and Jabo Starks. These were some of the funkiest and most innovative drummers, and they set the bar for what was to become the world’s most popular rhythm. 1 grew up listening to these drum- mers, as well as many other drummers performing in the funk and soul genre. Back in the 1960s, the drummers playing funk were more acoustic-oriented and consequently had a lighter touch. This touch was developed in a variety of playing situations and was not necessarily limited to funk playing. Many of the great funk drummers also played jazz. Its common for today’s funk players to play very loudly. However, loudness does not necessarily equal energy. 1's all about sound and groove. I've heard loud players with terrible tone and time, as well as soft players with a killer groove and fat tone. Guess which one sounds better? I'm not against playing loud, as long as it’s appropriate for the situation—and as long the sound of the drums is fat and warm. Now we'll work on some of the same independence exercises in a funk context. Remember, your number one priority is the groove![CHAPTER 1 Jazz, Shuffle, and Funk ° Exercise 1. Funk Ostinato ‘To apply these exercises to more funky styles, start with this ostinato. For a challenge, switch hands. Exercise 2. Bass Drum Patterns Next, play the melody on thé bass drum. We've used the same melody for several different styles and applications. Don't stop there; use whatever you have on hand. Examples of melodic materials could be excerpts from Ted Reed's Syncopation, Louie Bellson’s Modern Reading ‘ext, standard jazz tunes, or your own melodies. Challenge yourself, but remember: practice slowly and you'll learn quickly. Whatever pattern you learn can be expanded beyond “loop mode” and refreshed by incor- porating variations in the pattern, dynamics, and orchestration. The root of vari- ation is independence.10 | CHAPTER 2 South American Rhythms for the Drum Set art of the beauty of South American rhythms is its combination of influ- ences. European influences include stringed instruments such as accordion, guitar, mandolin, and harp; song and dance styles such as waltzes, polkas, and mazurkas; and military band instruments like snare drums, bass drums, and brass instruments. African influences, such as rhythmic phrases, call-and- response, improvisation, and percussion instruments, permeate many styles of South American music. Indigenous influences such as chants, and instruments such as flutes and shakers, are less pronounced, but nevertheless are in the mix. ‘The mix of cultures created many styles of music. None of these styles started out with the drum set, but there was always some kind of percussion being played in the music. Many drummers adapt these rhythms to the set. The important thing to me when playing these styles is the feel or swing of the patterns being played. One major African influence in South American music is the coexistence of duple and triple meter in the rhythm. Waltzes can be felt in two as well as in three. The 6/8 time signature can be felt as double-time 4/4. 1. ARGENTINA Argentina is known around the world for the popular tango style, but it has many folkloric styles as well. Artists such as Paquito D'Rivera, Fernando Otero, Diego Urcola, Willy Gonzalez, Luis Salinas, Fernando Huergo, Guillermo Klein, and many others have used many of these styles in the jazz idiom successfully.HAPTER 2 South Ar Rhythms for the Drum Set Tango ‘Tango was a result of the influx of immigrants to Buenos Aires from Europe and Eastern Europe in the late 19th century. The various rhythms they brought with them were mixed with African influences. The tango developed in bars, ports, and bordellos. There are two basic figures played in tango: (a) the quarter- note feel and (b) the dotted quarter-note feel. a b ‘Traditionally, tango has no percussion part, so when you play tango on the drums, you have a lot of creative leeway. You must listen to and study the music, in order to blend with the ensemble. Argentinean composer Gerardo Gandini told me, “The secret to tango is the accents.” Here are some patterns, which have worked for me. "1 Milonga Milonga is the dance that was the predecessor to tango. There are two kinds of milongas. The slower milonga, used in tango, is based on this figure:@ macxt0 ‘The faster milonga uses the rhythmic phrase of the habanera, from Cuba. Here are some variations of the faster milonga for drum set. As long as the basic figure is there, you can play a variety of funk patterns for milonga. CLEA ® Tmax Te Chacarera One of Argentina's folkloric styles, chacarera, uses the bombo leguero, which is a double-headed wood bass drum with calfskin heads. The hair from the calf is never removed from the skin, giving it a very deep and dark tone, quite different from a Brazilian metal surdo. The “bombo” drum is played with one stick and one mallet. One of the legends of bombo leguero playing is Domingo Cura (or “Sunday Priest”). Other instruments traditionally used in chacarera are guitars and flutes. Like many of the rhythms learned, my first experience with folk rhythms of Argentina was in a jazz setting. Composer/arranger Guillermo Klein taught me the basic rhythms of chacarera, when I subbed in his band Los Guachos. His music has a strong identity, with a wide range of influences including folkloric Argentinean music, pop, and jazz. Here is a bombo ostinato for chacarera. This also works for other styles, including Venezuelan joropo and Peruvian marinera. Try to feel this in two as well as three. WORLD JAZZ DRUMMING] Tg Tr TE TG, It aaCHAPTER 2 South American Rhythms for the Drum Set Zamba (not to be confused with Brazilian samba) is slower and more somber than chacarera. The same instrumentation is used. One of my favorite folkloric Argentinean recordings is Argentina - Zambas Y Chacareras (see appendix for more information about recordings). You can also hear a jazz version of zamba on the track “Alfonsina” from Paquito D’Rivera Quintet’s Funk Tango recording, This style is to be played slowly. a ‘A IT =m see E == = Roy SS 2. URUGUAY Candombe Candombe is the only Afro-Uruguayan rhythm in existence today. Its used in the Uruguayan carnival and in much of the music played in Uruguay and Argentina, The first time I heard about candombe was in Paquito D'Rivera’s big band, the United Nation Orchestra. Diego Urcola, the great trumpeter from Argentina, had written a tune called “Tocache,” which was arranged by Guillermo Klein. We recorded it on the CD Live at Manchester Crafismen's Guild (MCG records). This was before I had access to recordings of candombe. Later on tour, the great drummer Oswaldo Fattoruso sat in with the band on that tune, and it was unbelievable! I wound up visiting Uruguay five times and really developed a deep appreciation for candombe music, My tune “Candombe in Blue’ is dedicated to Osvaldo Fattoruso, one of the foremost drummers in this style. Candombe is played and felt in 3-2 son clave. Occasionally, the clave is modified to play this rhythm. ae tL4 WORLD JAZZ DRUMAING) It is most commonly played on three drums called tamboriles, which are shaped like congas (but a little shorter and fatter) and played with one stick and one hand. The three drums, individually known as the chico (high drum), repique (solo drum), and piano (bass drum) are collectively known as the cuerda. The drums are used in both the Uruguayan carnival and in popular music. Here are the basic patterns on the three drums (x = hand). Chico ae Repique Piano wit ae ‘The adaptation of candombe to the drum set uses the patterns of the cuer- das, with the influence of funk.[CHAPTER 2 South American Rhythms forthe Orum Set 18 3. COLOMBIA Cumbia Cumbia started as the local dance music of the black community of the Atlantic coast of Colombia. It has become a dominant pop music form in northern South America. It uses three drums: the tambora, the alegre, and the Hamador. Large maracas are also used. Here are some basic patterns played on these drums. ‘Tambora, played with two sticks (x = shell) Llamador, played with the hand Alegre, played with the hands s=open slap, o = open tone, m= muffled tone) Here are some of these patterns adapted to the drum set. The tambora part is played on the shell of the floor tom and the bass drum. mack 13 Adding the llamador. Once you are comfortable with playing the tambora pattern, improvise around the set with your left hand. For inspiration, listen to artists like Toto La ‘Momposina, Hector Martignon, and Lucfa. Then, play along with the track “Akumbia.”16 | ; WORLD JAZZ DRUMMING) Chandé Chandé is another Afro-Colombian form from the Atlantic coast. It is much faster than cumbia. Chandé is a real challenge for coordination. Take it slowly at first! 4. PERU Festejo Festejo (irom “fiesta”) is a festive form of music, it can be seen as a celebra- tion of Peru's independence and the emancipation of slaves. Its origins are in a competitive circle dance performed by men playing a drum called the “cajén” (or box). More recently, both men and women participate in a very sensual dance accompanying the festejo. It is played in 12/8 time and can be felt in pulses of four beats per bar or six beats per bar. The instruments used are cajén, cajita (a smaller box), cowbell, quijara (jaw- bone), congas, and metal guiro (guira). Itis played in this 3-2 clave. i Here's a basic cajén part, which will be the foundation for the drum set patterns, Cajon, (b= bass tone, s = slap tone; all other notes are played with a mutfled tone.)[CHAPTER 2 South American Rhythms for the Drum Set — | ow l a - The feel of the groove is somewhere in between triplets and sixteenths. Here are some patterns I've used in a Peruvian jazz context. Most of the triplet stickings are RRL. TRACK 15 nD TTT “inn 2 Tuna Lando Land6 is another Afro-Peruvian form in 12/8, but played much slower than festejo. The same instruments are used. Here are a few drum set adaptations of @ the cajén and cowbell parts.WORLD JAZZ DRUMMING] Marinera Marinera is a 3/4 form using the instruments of the military band, including snare drum, bass drum, and cymbals. TRACK 17 Vals Vals, or waltz, is common throughout South America and comes from the European waltz. The South American vals can be felt in 6/8 and quite often incorporates the cajén. Here are a few examples for the drum set. TaAcK 18 5. VENEZUELA Joropo ° Joropo is a waltz felt in 6/8, and it comes from an area overlapping Venezuela and Colombia. The instruments used are harp, the cuatro (a four-stringed instrument much like the ukulele), guitar, bass, and maracas. Unlike the Cuban. maracas, Venezuelan maracas have a very sharp and cutting sound. The art of maraca playing has been taken to a very high level in Venezuela and Colombia. One of the most memorable experiences in my travels was hearing Gurrufio, the chamber group featuring the virtuoso cuatro player Cheo Hurtado. They are basically a classical group, but the grooves they create are incredibly complex, yet in the pocket.CHAPTER 2 South American Rhythms for the Drum Set 19 In the drum set adaptation, the bass drum reflects the bass part, which is on beats 1 and 3, and the snare drum plays the rhythm part for the cuatro, with accents on 2 and the “and” of 3. This is known’ds “por corillo.” “Por derecho” is a way of playing joropo in which the pattern is reversed: the bass drum is now on beats 2 and 3, and the accents are now on 1 and the “an of 2. The music will often go from one mode to another in the course of a tune. In other words, you can play one part of the tune “por corrillo” and the other “por derecho.” ® —— mux ee Onda Nueva Onda Nueva (“new wave") was a style played in the late 1960s primarily by pianist Aldemaro Romero. The rhythm sounds like a rock- and jazz-influenced joropo. The drummer in Romero's group, Frank “El Pavo” Hernandez, would often record two passes of drums, playing the same part twice with subtle varia- tions. Bach pass was panned extreme right and left in the mix. The patterns he would play were similar to these. This style has now been picked up by o Venezuelan DJs. mck Op Ooo poo, ToT Hot Tot -20 | WORLD JAZZ DRUMMING) Merengue Venezolano Merengue Venezolano (not to be confused with merengue, from the Dominican Republic), is a 5/8 rhythm played with the same instrumentation as @ joropo. Some Venezuelan musicians have described merengue as a “drunk six.” ankze 6. BRAZIL Samba Samba is the most popular rhythm from Brazil. It is a combination of the influences of Africa, Europe, and the indigenous people of South America. The thythm of samba has many forms: samba de batucada, samba de partido alto, samba de roda, etc. Each style has subtle differences, but they are all samba. ‘To understand the rhythmic concept of samba, you must remember that samba is felt, played, and written in 2/4 time. The surdo or bass drum is the foundation of samba. It’s played using a mallet and the hand. The most common surdo pattern is two beats per bar, with a strong open tone on beat 2 (x = hand). The tamborim is another important instrument of samba. The tamborim outlines the subdivision and often plays a two-measure phrase. _—— SS — ‘This phrase can also be played starting on the second measure. ‘The ganza, or shaker, provides the “glue” for the other instruments. Here is a typical ganza pattern.[CHAPTER 2 South American Rhythms forthe Drum Set 2 ‘The surdo, tamborim, and ganza are a close match to the sounds of the drum set: the bass drum, cross stick, and hi-hat. It is very important to be able to play all these patterns together, relaxed,"and with a consistent sound. I recommend playing the bass drum heel down; if you play heel up, avoid burying the beater into the head. Next, play this foot ostinato. Play the tamborim pattern gn the left hand, using the cross stick. H =o Next, we modify the pattern and incorporate the ganza (or shaker) sound on the hi-hat. In order for the pattern to groove, the hi-hat accents must reflect the cee | To play fast sixteenths on the hi-hat or cymbal with the right hand, practice these exercises. The idea is to “throw” the stick on the first note. Then, with a combination of rebound and the help of the fingers, you get more notes (at no extra charge). This is similar to the Moeller technique. (Check out author Jim Chapin for more about the Moeller technique.) ® TRACK 24 Grouping of two: Grouping of three: A possible combination of two and three: qe] SEE Soa 5H oH ee fey When you start the last example on the second measure, you have a sticking ten to the melody and comping patterns of you where to start your basic phrase. that works with our basic phrase. the other instruments. This will t22 - 7 ne WORLO JAZZ DRUMMING] Samba de Batucada “Batucada’ means samba played only by percussion instruments. Batucada fro Here is a samba pattern using the ride cymbal. I steer clear of playing a jazz ride pattern because it destroys the phrase. Start with a unison figure and add[CHAPTER 2 South American Rhythms forthe Drum Set | 88 Samba de Partido Alto Partido alto is a style originally from Bahia. The name, which means “high party,” refers to the old samba master musicians. Partido alto as we know it is a broken up rhythm between the snare drum and bass drum. It can be used in samba and jazz to give the music a “lift.” oO Here are some examples. == SL Se cps, aa tt or wt J) : ot oo ro Baio Baido originated in the northeastern part of Brazil, in the dry countryside known as the sertdo. Its popularity spread to Rio in the 1940s (and eventually all of Brazil) thanks to Luiz Gonzaga, the “king of baiao.” Some other artists known for this style are Airto Moreira, Hermeto Pascoal, Edu Lobo, Jackson Do Pandeiro, and Jovino Santos Neto. ‘The typical instrumentation in baido is zabumba (a flat bass drum played on. both sides), triangle, agogo bells, and the sanfona (accordion). Other instru- ments like bass, guitar, and pandeiro (the Brazilian frame drum with jingles) can also be added. The patterns I play in baido are based primarily on the zabumba and triangle patterns. ‘The feel of baido is similar to samba except for one major difference: instead of an emphasis on beat 2 (as in samba), there is an anticipation into beat 2 in most of the percussion. This is reflected in the bass drum part for all of the following baiéo drum set examples. Note carefully where the hi-hat is open in this example. 2 24, m apmal - WORLD JAZZ ORUMMING] Here's what I call a “quick and dirty” baiao. Play this on the ride. qa, This pattern captures the feeling of the sanfona on the snare drum. Make it dance! = ==] =——- a Here are some more advanced patterns, starting with the triangle part. Play this on the bell of your hi-hat, using the part of the stick just above the shoulder. peated Sete 5 = Here's a pattern inspired by the great Brazilian drummers Nené and Marcio Bahia,[ CHAPTER 2 South American Rhythms for the Drum Set 25 Afoxé Afoxé is an Afro-Brazilian style from Pernambuco with roots in the religious music of candomblé. It is also the name of the instrument (the cabasa) and the celebration during Carnaval. Percussion instrumentation includes shekere, afoxé, agogé (bells), ganz, atabaques (congas), handclaps, and surdo. The busier part of the drum set pattern imitates the sound of the agog®. no mo 5, mom oo i Here's a slower version of afoxé, developed by the composer/pianist Joo Donato. It's almost a combination of Brazilian and Cuban rhythms. eo Maracatu Maracatti, sometimes called maracatt nagdo, is a semi-r parade of Afro-Brazilian origin. The traditional instrumentati flute, and acoustic guitar. The percussion consists of the gongue (agog6), tarol (piccolo snare drum), caixas (snare drums), surdo, and a low-pitched drum called the aifaia. The drum set patterns are based on the alfaia, bell, and snare patterns.2s | WORLD JAZZ DRUMMING] In this pattern, the left hand plays the snare part, while the right plays two bells. tr a a Bossa Nova The rhythm of bossa nova is very much rooted in samba, but the emphasis is not so heavy. For example, you wouldn't necessarily hear the surdo or the agogo in bossa. The attitude of bossa nova can be summed up in the words of Rosa Passos: “Fry the egg, but don't break the yolk.” Here are some brush patterns for bossa. The right hand is written above the left. The left hand makes a smooth circle twice every beat in a clockwise motion. |/-g- 5-9-9 ee ge ee ee ee ‘Le Le Brush Patterns for Samba ‘While we're on the subject of brushes, here are some very useful patterns for samba. Slide the left brush on the second sixteenth of each beat. @ won ma In the next example, slide the left brush between the taps of the right hand, “filling in” the pattern.[CHAPTER 2 South American Rhythms forthe Drum Set - ar Finally, slide the right brush back and forth using sixteenth notes, and tap with the left. Marcha Marcha (march) is derived from the military parades and created for dancing on the streets, or wherever a carnaval celebration takes place. The percussion consists of snare drums, surdo, ganz4, pandeiro, reco-reco (a spring mounted in a cylinder that is scraped with a metal stick), and agog@. Marcha Rancho This is a later style of marcha. This rhythm is played much slower and has a very elegant feel. Ca EC = Ze y of yo2s | 7 - 7 WORLD JAZZ DRUMMING 7. PUTTING IT TOGETHER Here is an etude using some of the South American rhythms covered here. SOUTH AMERICAN ETvOE Mark Water Play it like you mean it J = 120 ‘CANOOMBE 5) An om m qe 5 = =a rot ena CE, _LFRR CA _ Ee =————— a z — SSS : fH 7o ge ———— Tawa Bes ee es ° A _ AP, Tt —— ere Shinan : Bs it oer = ae z z ame EEE Ceery = = my aa, a YJ . ; = = SS Toph T opt 2awea Ge owe) aap U0 hee nphengte —— EE SE | , Td saps Zz z= —— ror ro TT EPP Nao Nite[CHAPTER 2 South Amorican Rhythms for the Drum Set Fr PEPE ES Wo te lls2 ~ _ | CHAPTER 3 Caribbean Rhythms | for the Drum Set 1. TRINIDAD Calypso Calypso, from Trinidad, has its in West African kaiso. Aftican slaves first used calypso as a means of communication through song. After slavery was abolished, the British government banned all drums, for fear of revolt. The former slaves would play just about any percussive-sounding object available, and eventually, the steel pan was born. The steel pan orchestra is now a world- wide phenomenon. One of the tunes in this book, “Deep Six,” was arranged for steel orchestra and performed by the BYU steel band in 2007. Percussion instruments include stee! pan, iron (brake drum), scratcher (long ‘metal guiro), congas, and drum set. The percussion section is known as the “engine room.” a b Li Soca is a form similar to calypso and blends elements of West Indian chutney music with calypso rhythms. Here are some examples of the older-style soca. TF SS mF[CHAPTER 3 Caribbean Rhythms for the Drum Set o Here's a popular style of soca known as dance soca. at Play this variation on the cymbal bell: ov Ney a) 2. MARTINIQUE AND GUADELOUPE Mazurka Mazurka (or mazurka creéle) from Martinique was originally a popular Polish ballroom dance in 3/4 time and was later the first dance for couples in the French Caribbean. Percussion instruments include the fi-bwa (a piece of bamboo played with sticks) and the siyak (a piece of wood carved with ridges and scraped, similar to the guiro). The first section is called pike.az | WORLD JAZZ DRUMMING] Gwan Bele Gwan béle is a form of the traditional music from Martinique called béle. It wa, as well as a two-headed drum called a tonbou dé bonda. This isa variation often played by master drummer Jean Philippe Fanfant. 7, A uses the exampl Biguine Biguine, from Guadeloupe, is a combination of African rhythms and European music. The dance became popular in Paris in the 1930s and is now played in Martinique and St. Lucia, as well as Guadeloupe. The right hand plays the snare drum, while the left hand traditionally crosses over to the floor tom. @ Se 2 = 3. PUERTO RICO Bomba Bomba is a West Aftican-derived music that developed in Loiza, where descendants of slaves lived and worked. It uses the cua (a block or piece of bamboo played with two sticks), maracas, and conga-like drums called buleador (ow-pitched drum) and the subidor (high-pitched drum). This is a drum set adaptation of the rhythms of the cua and the buleador. Play the shell of the floor tom. o = SS SS ey macy = > = rl ft = F F ‘The right hand moves to the cowbell, block, or cymbal bell and the left hand fills in. eS 2 SEE r ret °F[CHAPTER 3 Caribbean Rhythms for the Drum Set 33 Plena Plena is an important genre of folk music in Puerto Rico and typically associated with coastal regions of the island. The rhythm has a different charac- teristic than bomba. Frame drums called panderetas are used in the traditional oO form of this music. 4. HAITI Compa (Konpa) Compa (sometimes compas direct or konpas) is a Haitian style of music and dance, which became popular in the 1950s. Percussion instruments include drum set, congas, and cowbell. This example is the second part, called “la feuille” (sheet), which refers to the sound of the cymbal. This uses a universal thythmic figure called the “cinquillo” (also heard in the bomba and other Caribbean styles). Hold your left stick against your cymbal from underneath at "5 o'clock” and “11 o'clock.” Q 2 fi) TACK a 5. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Merengue Merengue bears a strong resemblance to compa, since both Haiti and the Dominican Republic share the same island, Hispafiola, Merengue is much faster and uses the tambora (a two-headed drum played on both sides with one stick and one hand). Another percussion instrument used in merengue is the guira, a metal guiro. Guira players often play quarter notes and throw in very compli- cated fills.Ay fi WORLD JAZZ DRUMMING On the drums, we play a combination of rhythms from these two instru- ments. This part is usually played in the first part of the tune. i = d: $ i = = % = % “ i oe | * RACK AT ‘The next pattem is played in the second section of the tune. R LOR OR OL aeelE: — 6. CUBA Mambo Sometimes referred to as Latin jazz, mambo originates from Cuba, but the music also developed in Puerto Rico and New York. It has roots in son music. Pioneers like Arsenio Rodriguez, Mario Bauza, Machito, Bebo Valdez, and Dizzy Gillespie fused mambo with jazz beginning in the 1940s. Percussion instruments include tumbadoras (congas), timbales, bongos, bells, guiro, and maracas. To play these rhythms on the drum set, we must adapt to the playing situation. The first thing is to learn the various percussion patterns. Then you will know what to play when you have one percussionist, five percussionists, or no percussionist. In this music, the clave pattern is the thythmic “key.” The cascara (shell) pattern comes from the timbales. Play it on the shell of the floor tom, or the hi-hat on the softer sections. You can also move it to a cowbell or a cymbal bell for more intense sections. Here's the cascara, with the tumbao pait normally played by the congas. cat ‘When the conga player plays, you can modify your cascara with “fill-ins,” or play clave with the left hand.CHAPTER 3 Caribbean Rhythms for the Drum Set Here's the bongo bell, which is the cowbell part played by the bongocero (bongo player) during the chorus of the tune. This is written here with the tumbao. ‘The timbale player plays a second bell part during the choruses. Here’s the timbale bell, or mambo bell. The left hand plays the clave in this example. ‘When you have a conga player, you can sometimes play the part of both the timbale player and the bongo player. Here are the two bell parts together. Foo ZF 6 45 5 +e In a jazz situation, you can use any of these rhythms, as long as you use common sense. If there's a percussionist, don't play the same thing they play. Use the cascara for piano solos, bass solos, etc. When the music starts to cook, let the part you play reflect that!DRUMMING] alternate bass =e TT Er + =[CHAPTER 3 Caribbean Rhythms for the Drum Set Danzon Danz6n is the national dance of Cuba. It'comes from the contradanza, or “country dance,” which has its roots in the dances of the English and French. Percussion instruments include timbales, guiro, and campana (bell). Here is the traditional timbale part called the “baqueteo.” The highest part imitates the guiro. snares off 9 apSSH SSS era wane tT ont Here is a typical timbale passage for an intro to the danzén. sp hg rr of * f CF DF Cha-cha-cha Cuban cha-cha-cha (or cha cha) has roots in the mambo. Enrique Jorrin is said to have originated the cha cha in the 1950s. The name is said to have come from the sound of the dancers’ feet sliding on the floor. Play the unaccented ® notes on the bell as soft as possible. aK cha cha bell38 ~ i WORLD JAZZ DRUMMING] Afro Afro is a Cuban rhythmic style popularized in the 1940s and adapted from sacred baté drum rhythms. (medium-pitched), and salidor (low: parts. The clave is played, a floor tom. mss a > _ = 3 ees ee ee —— SEE SE == E Cl? fle ft rT ©RLR RERRERL tro Lrurieree ERE RLRL aE} =a 5 = = ES 4 Tit att TT CT a a A ee i se rn aa an aaa[CHAPTER 3 Caribbean Rhythms for the Dr 7. JAMAICA Reggae Reggae, a Jamaican style known and appreciated worldwide, developed from rocksteady music, which was developed by ska musicians such as ‘Desmond Dekker in the mid to late 1960s. Bob Marley, perhaps the best-known reggae star, made a huge impact with his recordings in the 1970s. Reggae drum- ming has found its way into many pop and jazz styles, from Frank Zappa to the Police. ‘This groove is played with even eighth notes on the hat. Q oy - - So ‘Swing the eighth notes of this pattern. nom or) oo ; ——. ; f—+ Straight eighths: a Swing eighths: Jp oo oo ooo Seo Here's a reggae/jazz hybrid (swing eighth notes). You can also improvise with the left hand on the snare. 1 =180, aS jee ee | ee —— Tt FF POT0 | = - - WORLD JAZZ DRUMMING) 8. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER This etude includes many of the Caribbean rhythms covered here. Cacissean Ervoe d= 100 Mack WaLver pene Dance Soca +t t+ 0 “019 SeHoo." Soca Sas ap ISS fee 7 Se : ~ © Fliposptiere Music Bt - Usod with PermissionCHAPTER 3 Caribbean Rhythms for the Drum Set a eB pe ee eae Quin she E BER fp : : c = Fag ae : — a (ues oF oe . > tine Fa A — nog OT TTT - itn, dp pie a 5 sort Ft ToT tet oFCHAPTER 4 | “Deep Six” a __ I “Deep Six” is written in the Cuban 6/8 style known as bembe. The “head” of this piece is in clave, which means you can clap the clave while listening, and it will sound natural. In other words, the clave is the thythmic key signature. Each measure is to be felt in two rather than three. So, you would tap your foot on beats 1 and 4. The form of the head is ABA, with cowbell on the A sections and more of a suspended time feel on the B section, using the cymbals. After the head, the form remains AABA, but the feel changes to swing, with dotted quarter notes now equal to quarter notes. Its basically a medium swing feel, with the optional hard shuffle. The last A section of the organ solo returns to 6/8, which sets up the conga solo on the re-intro. At the end of the head out, there is a tag with drum fills before the final phrase. ‘To prepare for this chart, learn the melody of the head, and sing it while clapping the clave. It is a great exercise in coordination that you can practice anywhere. Next, practice the swing coordination, and apply the same figures to the 6/8 ostinato. You must get to the point where you own the feel—where any changes within the groove, hits, or stops and starts will not throw you off. Don't forget the dynamics! at ® Oeer Six ‘TRAK2 Mack WaLver Cuban 6, Swing hire en Ser == PPT At a al deme 2 dE — Pe | Neer GF (© Fiposphere Music BMI - Used with Permission= Se =— Cymbals =F FF g ¥ ' v mp ——$——_— Bill----------4 SF ——- of coro 2 —————— Fart 7 ToCoda Bienen aE =F —= a ooo coy ‘olos - Swing Shuffle 4. 1 2. SE SP FSET F Back to D for more solos FSS 7% Last x D.C. al Coda on ne sao OE Fa — = a gO a a eel 2 2 —— SSF a a a oe a[CnaPteR 5 - 7 —_| ‘Candombe in Blue” “Candombe in Blue” was written in the style of candombe, the Afro- Uruguayan rhythm. I had taken several trips to Punta Del Este, Uruguay for concerts with Paquito D’Rivera. There, I met the great drummer Osvaldo Fattoruso, who gave me his CD Candombe En El Tiempo. I later bought the Antologia Del Candombe (‘Anthology of Candombe"), which featured artists such as Ruben Rada, Jaime Roos, Opa, and many others. Candombe is in 3-2 clave, but the clave can be played two ways (see the candombe examples in chapter 2). Use different orchestrations for the head and each solo. You can also play the tune as if the percussion weren't there. The more ways you can play the tune, the more creative you will be. CANOOMBE IN BLUE TRA oO (for Osvaldo Fattoruso) Mace Wave TRA 120 ‘Voice solo -tacet, Piano only ee es 10 ‘cum Ser Fill =_ CELE 4 jes Ce Fposphere Musi BM[CHAPTER § “Candombe in Blue” 45CHAPTER 6 | | eeu . When I first moved to New York City in 1995, I began to play with lots of musicians around the city from different backgrounds. This is one of the great things about the United States, and New York in particular: it really is a melting pot (at least, in the music world). Since the 1940s, musicians from all over Latin ‘America have fused the rhythmic traditions with the harmonic and melodic lan- guage of jazz. One of my first recording gigs was with Costa Rican trombonist Luis Bonilla, for his CD Escuchar. 1 was invited to play on a couple of tracks, one of which was ‘composed and arranged by the Grammy-nominated pianist Hector Martignon, who hails from Colombia, The tune was written in the cumbia style, a style with which I was not familiar, back then. At the rehearsal, Hector instructed me to play the tambora part on the shell of the floor tom, and just improvise with the left hand. He left it up to me to figure out where to play fills and solos. Later, I heard and met the great drummer Satoshi Takeishi. Sato is known mostly for his jazz and Brazilian work with Eliane Elias, but also has a very deep knowledge of the Colombian styles, such as cumbia, chandé, puya, and garabato. This tune can also be played in more of a straight funk/r&b style. Discover as many different ways as possible to play this tune. Use brushes, sticks, mallets— even hands. @ AUUMBIA inet ® Cumbia J = 185 Mack Watver iat tr 4 ‘eum Ser E | t Pr eee eam 5 Ae Ee UE , impo ims - (© Fiposphere Music BM[CHAPTER 6 “Akumbia” a7 $ [A] dmprovise with left hand) D] Bass soto- 4x Play last) 4x [E] Organ Solo G] Groove & Figures 2 A . Melody/timbale trading 2 Repeat and FadeCHAPTER 7 “What About That!” When I first joined Paquito D'Rivera in early 1989, I took it for granted that he liked to play a variety of styles. I had no idea, however, that I'd be learning so many styles from so many Latin American countries; I didn't know all these styles existed! When he would announce a samba tune, he'd always say, “Cofio, now we're going to play a samba. What about that?” Of course, the audience would respond with cheers, So I decided to write a samba and baiao in the stylé and tempo he likes to play, and dedicate it to him. I'm thrilled to have him as a guest on this track, and I'm sure you'll enjoy playing “against” him! Some of the Brazilian drummers who have inspired me over the years have been Portinho, Marcio Bahia, Tutty Moreno, Milton Banana, Paulo Braga, Adriano DaSilva, Airto Moreira, Edson Machado, Helicio Milito, Duduka Da Fonseca, Robertinho Silva, Teo Lima, Erivelton Silva, Kiko Freitas, Edu Ribeiro, and many others, Each drummer has a slightly different take, but they all make the music dance! (One of the challenges of this tune is to switch back and forth between baiéo and samba, but in a very smooth way. There are also a few different orchestra- tions of these rhythms, as well as spots where the time feel is suspended, or “floating,” You can also play the intro of this tune in the afoxé style. WHat Asour Tar! (for Paquito D’Rivera) bf Jens Intro si Melody enters Maek Watnee are © Fiiposphere Music BM| CHAPTER 7 “What About That!” ] 5 1 ‘To Baldo I Filk--4 [Open Back to fo] Last x si [F]irenuce %6 = > Fill SESS o Cos est sup erese. —d50 | | CHAPTER 8 Rehearsal and Practice Techniques “| KNOW THE PATTERNS...NOW WHAT?” Knowing the patterns alone is not enough to play music! You must put your knowledge to the test in a musical context. There are three components to this. 1, Independence Exercises. Take any pattern, and use one of your limbs to play a melody. You may have to start with one note on beat 1. Don't get discouraged. Hang in there! Consider it a long-term project. You can eventually create your own melodies. 2, Orchestration. When you practice a style, use different orchestrations, as if you're playing a composition. This challenges you to make smooth transitions between one orchestration and another. 3, Figures. Practice “setting up” and “kicking” ensemble figures within the style you're practicing. Use one-note figures at first, later practicing longer figures. Practice section figures (where one limb plays the melody with a section of the ensemble). This is exactly like the independence exercises above. T've included a method for setting up and kicking big-band figures later in this chapter. LISTENING More important than any books or exercises, listening is absolutely essential to knowing a style. Check out the recommended artists and get a feel for the music! Only then can you absorb the feel. BEING PRESENT In the professional world, every minute counts; there are many people “on the clock,” and it would be very expensive to waste a minute of rehearsal time, ‘especially when a large group of people are involved. It would also be a waste of energy. It always in everyone's best interest to run a rehearsal efficiently.[SHAPTER 8 Rehearsal and Practice Techniques We drummers practice all kinds of technical exercises, getting our doubles and singles clean and even, getting a good tone, stick control, independence, reading, etc. But how often do we work on beinig totally present? In other words, being totally present for the rehearsal, ready to help other sections of the group rehearse their parts, as well as rehearsing the entire group. This means behaving yourself. Dontt start practicing when the leader is trying to get the ensemble to play the parts, If you have a chart, make sure you know the rehearsal letters. If not, you'd better know the music! Everyone is depending on everyone else to do his or her part and accomplish the objective, which is to prepare the music for performance. FORM: COUNTING, FEELING, AND OUTLINING Whether or not you are reading a chart, the first thing you must learn when learning a new piece of music is the form. This is the skeleton of the tune. When you know the form, you can lead the band through the tune with confidence. You also set the tone of the dynamic range. The ability to count (and later feel) specific amounts of measures is abso- lutely essential, if you want to keep your place in the music. An orchestral percussionist often has to count many measures of silence before entering with a piatti cymbal passage at fff, so he'd better be able to count! This is something that can be learned very easily but can often be hard to master. Not all music is written in four- or eight-measure phrases. There are composers who write very freely over the pulse, but have to organize it so the ensemble can play together. One of these composers is the great Ralph Towner. Some of his pieces have many time signature shifts, but they never sound mechanical, because they flow naturally. The music tells a story and all the parts must fit together. In order to tell the story, we have to keep our place in the music. This begins with counting. CREATING A MOOD Since the music tells a story, we have to decide what mood to create. You can listen to a tune and get a sense of joy, danger, sadness, beauty, struggle, victory, etc, We as drummers have to work together with the rest of the band to create whatever mood, or “vibe,” the music dictates. If every tune has the same mood, it becomes boring for the listener. There needs to be variety within a set of compositions if the audience is to be enter- tained, or transported. Again, the drummer is responsible for not only the time, but also for setting the tone of the piece. Using the different parts of the kit (with sticks, brushes, mallets, hands, etc.), ‘we can create any mood. The important thing to remember is that its about theWORLD JAZz DRUMMING) composition and not necessarily about the drums. Some tunes don't require drums. Percussion could serve the music. In other cases, the drummer is the featured artist! In the group Oregon, we often play tunes using classical guitar. I don't want to overpower the guitar, so I use a combination of hands, brushes, and rods. The piano is often stronger, so I can often go to sticks. With keyboards, electric gui- tar, and electric bass, Ican expand the dynamics to match the power of the other instruments. With each set of instruments, you can find the dynamic range. Just make sure you dont start too loud; otherwise, you'll peak too soon, and have nowhere to go. DYNAMICS, TONE, AND TEMPO Dynamics are not only determined by the composition, but also by the instrumentation and even the venue. The first thing to do is to determine what the dynamic range is for the situation, What is the softest you can play and still be heard? What is the loudest you can play and still hear everyone else? I don't, believe in having a loud mix in the monitor unless I'm playing rock, but in that situation, I may use earplugs or isolation phones to cut down the acoustic sound of the drums. I want to emphasize the importance of knowing what it really sounds like, rather than just putting earplugs in—and possibly playing too loud. When you practice with isolation phones or plugs, take them out once in awhile to hear how loud it really is. Many of the artists I've worked with don't like loud music. Over the years, ve learned to play more softly. But I hate “wimpy” sounding drums, so I devel- oped a way to get an intense sound at any volume level. The secret is in the technique and the tone. If you play a snare drum back- beat softly, but in the center of the drum, it will often sound better than a louder backbeat toward the edge of the drum. You can take it further by playing a rim shot (still staying in the center of the drum), which adds “bite” to the sound. If you always bury the beater into the bass drum, you'll be cheating your- self out of a bigger sound, as well as the control to play certain figures. Pay atten- tion to where you position your stick on the ride cymbal. If it's too close to the edge, you'll get too much “wash,” but if its too close to the bell, it will lack warmth and sustain. A good sense of tempo is a necessity, especially if you work with singers or computer sequences. If the singer can't get the words out because the tempo is rushing, its time to work on tempo. You must be able to memorize the tempo and keep it relatively consistent over the course of the tune. Count-ofis are extremely important, no matter whether you are doing the counting or not. When you count offa tune, think about the different sections of the tune to help you get the tempo. Imagine playing the groove before you start playing so the groove will be settled from the downbeat. I also do this when I see someone getting ready to count off tune. I can usually see them thinking of theCHAPTER 8 Rehearsal and Practice Techniques tune and tapping their foot to get into the tempo. This serves as a visual metronome from which get the tempo and start the groove in my mind. All this, happens very quickly. Don't forget to count off the tempo as it is written—so no one will have any doubts. Here's an exercise: Imagine yourself playing a groove for four bars, then count off the last two measures with a strong, clear voice. Concentrate on nailing the downbeat and immediately settling the groove. Then pause after eight bars and rest for four bars. Keep the groove happening in your mind even though you're not playing. It’s important to internalize the time, rather than moving your body to keep the beat. You can dance anytime you want, but this is different from using the body as a crutch to keep time. SEAMLESS TRANSITIONS ‘Transitions are simply going from one place to another in the music, as smoothly as possible, To do this, you have to prepare the next time feel or groove. Let’s say you're reading a chart and you see eight bars of swing followed by eight measures of Latin. If you play the chart as written, the transition to Latin would be too abrupt. A better way would be to play seven measures of swing and set up the Latin feel on the eighth measure. This helps the band make a smooth transition into the Latin feel. If you're returning to swing, set up the feel on the last measure of the Latin section. In other words, always start the new feel a bar ahead (or at least a few beats). It's like using your turn signal when you want to make a left turn! Even if you're not changing feels, you need to change your part somehow to reflect the changes in the music. This is where reorchestration comes into play. In pop, you can start on the hi-hat and wind up on the China—with many levels, or “gears,” in between. In Latin jazz, you have cascara, bell patterns, and cymbal bell patterns. In swing, you have hi-hat and cymbals, with more subtle variations, You can expand the number of “gears” or reorchestrations to reflect subtle changes in the music. Percussion, hands on the drum set, brushes, rods, sticks, and mallets are very useful here. Keep in mind where the music begins to build and what the threshold is, in terms of dynamics and intensity. WORKING WITH A LEADER Its very important for the drummer and leader to work together to achieve a collective groove. In other words, the ensemble and rhythm section must quan- tize the time feeling. This can be tricky with players who are less experienced in playing syncopated figures. The solution to time problems when playing difficult passages with any group is simple: slow the passage down, figure out the note values—and how the passage is supposed to sound—and repeat it until it feelsWORLD JAZZ DRUMMI good. Slowing down the passage helps everyone understand when the notes occur, and the repetition helps in the execution of the passage. PLAYING AND THINKING Many musicians are struggling with the choices of what to think about when performing: “What melody should I be playing over this chord?" “What orches- tration of this time feel should I play on the drums?” “When do I get to solo?” “Oh no! So-and-so is in the house!” “When do we eat?” If you are consciously thinking during a performance, you are taking your- self out of the music. So, what does it mean to “be in the music,” anyway? Music happens in the past, present, and future, all at once. In a free improvisation, one plays or hears a sound, followed by another sound, followed by another sound (or rest). One can join in at any time and respond, but in order to be present at all times, one must follow the sound and go where it leads. Being in the music means to be present, listening to everything around you. You must hear what the other players are going for, in order to make them sound better. The moment you think of something other than the music, you are no longer present. You are on automatic pilot, which is a default state from which nobody can get excitement. When you play, you are telling a story. People lave to listen and follow a story, and it’s your responsibility as a musician to tell the story with as much passion, drama, comedy, fire, or “cool” as possible to get the idea across. FINDING YOUR ROLE IN THE MUSIC Your role is not necessarily the same in each ensemble, performance, tune, or even sections of a tune. Sometimes, we are there to conduct or lead; other times, we are there to provide an atmosphere. Sometimes we are there to “whip it up,” and other times we need:to be barely noticeable. We always have to support what's happening in the music. This is such an obvious thing, but some- times, we need to remind ourselves to listen and serve the music, rather than showing off, or just thinking about our individual drum parts. The object is to make the whole band sound good. Oddly enough, sometimes the more a drummer plays, the less he gets noticed—or vice versa. I can't stress enough the importance of listening to different styles—even styles that don't necessarily incorporate interesting drum parts, or maybe have no drums at all. Its all about capturing a feeling, or telling a story. I grew up listening to all kinds of music: Bob Dylan, Otis Redding, the Beatles, Chicago, Jimi Hendrix, Dave Brubeck, and Santana. I also heard a lot of music on the street, like James Brown, the Doors, and Miles Davis. This variety of styles had a major influence on me and led me to playing in as many situations as possible.[ CHAPTER 8 Rehearsal and Practice Techniques SETUP ve played gigs with very simple setups (i.é,, a four-piece kit), but the music of certain groups (like Oregon, one of the bands with which I tour and record) requires a larger palette of sounds. My drum set remains pretty much the same (a standard four- or five-piece Yamaha kit outfitted with Remo heads) with the addition of a doumbek and an LP djembe to my left, a MIDI controller to my right, LP shakers, bells, other percussive effects, and lots of Paiste cymbals, played with Vic Firth sticks, brushes, mallets, and my own hands. Where you set up is also an important factor in this kind of situation. If you cantt hear what you need to hear, try to relocate to where you can hear it acousti- cally, before cranking up the monitor. This (a) saves your hearing and (b) sounds better onstage. 1 go for a very natural sound, overall. I want to be able to hear everyone, so 1 have a soft mix in the monitor. If you have the monitor level too loud, it can become a trap. Many drummers monitor very loud due to lack of control and lack of confidence in their time. went through the same thing, but realized after a while that the more in control and relaxed I was, the better I sounded. As Paquito D’Rivera says, “If you can't hear everybody, you're playing too loud.” It took many years for me to understand that! ‘When you play softly enough that your dynamics match the ensemble, the music begins to levitate. There's a very grounded feeling of a groove, but the lightness of it swings even harder than if the players were “banging it out.” I'm talking about music that is primarily acoustic, albeit amplified. The intensity needs to be there; wimpy notes (or notes with a poor sound) will destroy the time feeling, Everyone has to listen to each other and play with conviction! can't emphasize enough the importance of dynamics in any context. There are overall dynamics (dynamics of the entire ensemble) and dynamics within phrases. One of most important things to remember is that you're playing as an ensemble, or a team. Don't try to “cut through” the music, or you may wind up burying the arrangement someone worked so hard to write. TEMPO You must develop the ability to remember a tempo—especially when working with singers. Don't forget, they have to breathe and get all those words out. The lyrics dontt lie. You also must be able to play the exact tempo someone counts off. I don't know how many times I've heard students play a different tempo than the one the singer just counted off! ‘Take stock of where the tempo is at the beginning, middle, and ending of a tune. Get used to checking this. If the tempo has shifted, don't make any drastic corrections. Make your adjustments very gradually, so it’s not noticeable in the music. Ifit’s too fast, just relax a little. If it’s too slow, just put an edge on it,WORLD JAZZ DRUMMING] DENSITY Sometimes you have to scale back what you play in order for the arrange- ment to sound good. The less you play, the more air and space there is in the music. When you play fewer notes, you have to choose your notes more carefully— but without too much conscious thought. On the other hand, more density has a certain effect in the music. So, when you play is just as important as how much you play. I can't emphasize enough the importance of thinking of the music as a whole, getting inside the music, and not falling into the trap of listening only to oneself, READING If you don't read music, learn! Unless you have time to shed someone's music and memorize it, you have to be able to read a chart placed in front of you. Even if you can memorize a piece of music, there could be last-minute changes, so you'd better have a photographic memory. There's absolutely no reason to think you car’t learn to read. If you can drive a car and talk on the phone at the same time (and if you're still alive and reading this), you can master the skill of chart interpretation. It’s just a matter of understanding and practice. First and foremost, you have to be able to count measures of time (whether you're playing or not), in order to keep your place in the music. If you have trouble keeping your place, count the beginning of each measure (“1, 2, 3, 4; 2,2,3,4;" etc.). After awhile, you'll be able to feel four measures, eight measures, twelve measures, and so on. When you get comfortable with this, it will be easier to feel the form of the tune and keep your place in the music. ‘You also have to understand note values and articulations. Once you under- stand and can sing these notes with the correct value and feel, it becomes easier to articulate them on the drums. For example, when you sing swing eighth notes, try singing the syllable “dah” on the downbeats and “bah” for the upbeats. Look at a jazz chart, and try to sing the figures you see using these syllables. Next, pay attention to the length of the notes and rests. When you sing each note you see with the appropriate length, you think like a hom player. Once you know how the phrase is supposed to sound, you can decide how to interpret it on the drums. Like anything else, reading music just takes time and consistent practice—at the kit or away from the kit. ‘You must be able to maintain the groove while you look at the chart. Many drummers sound great when playing a groove, but when you puta chart in front of them, they immediately lose their sound and start playing in a very mechan- ical way. This happens simply because they are not used to playing charts. When you play a chart, take a quick look at the placement of your hands and feet. Are you hitting a different spot of the snare drum? Are your feet on the pedals? ListenCHAPTER 8 Rehearsal and Practice Techniques to the sound you are making. Your ears are more important than your eyes, when it comes to reading music. FILLING WITH A PURPOSE Growing up on rock, folk, funk, soul, and jazz, [ would hear drummers filling quite a lot in the course of a tune. For example, Mitch Mitchell, the drummer with Jimi Hendrix, would play a fill almost every two measures on those records from the late 1960s. It was appropriate for the music because it had a purpose, which was to give the music a kick in the rear. ‘This type of playing doesn't always fit the situation. We have to make a judg- ment as to when, how, and why a fill should be played. I've observed many students playing fills for no reason. When I ask them why they played a fill, they always tell me they don't know. If there's no reason for a fill, then its useless and detracts from the entire sound of the band. If a fill is played in a certain place, it can greatly enhance the music. Why? Fills are like signals of a coming change in dynamics, orchestration, or texture, They can also set up tutti figures. In general, if the drummer plays too ‘many fills for no reason, most of the listeners will tune him out. However, if a killer fil is put in just the right spot, the listener will appreciate the fill as well as the entire group sound. Tused to play fills every eight measures or so, until pianist Lyle Mays called my attention to the fact that it was unnecessary for his music. Why do we fill? Setups and Kicks Learned early in my career the value of making others feel comfortable in the music, especially in a large ensemble. When I “set up,” or prepare a figure for the band to play, I don't try to make it too complicated just to show off. If I did that, I probably wouldn't get the call to do the gig again. I make sure the fill is: a. “Inthe pocket,” ie,, in the rhythmic grid b. Simple enough for the whole band to understand ©. Guiding the listeners by showing where the beat is. Sometimes, one note can sét up a figure, and other times, it can be many notes. It just has to make musical sense. Here are some examples of ways you can set up specific figures. First we look at the written swing figure. Swing J| WORLD JAZZ DRUMMING) Sound it out and make sure you're singing it correctly. Next play the figure using accents within a pattern of eighth notes. Now, reinforce the figure with the bass drum. Swing = 120 Add the hi-hat. Swing J=120 Now, reach for a cymbal where you'd play an accent. Swing J=120 J J == Next, we subtract some notes. Keep moving your hands as if you're still playing singles. Here are two options. Swing J=120 R LRL LR RLRL L RL LRL LE RLRLRL ELCHAPTER 8 Rehearsal and Practice Techniques - 59 Next we incorporate triplets. Keep an even spacing between the notes. Here, we're back to single strokes, playing the figure on the bass drum, but accenting between the notes of the figure. ‘Swing J=120WORLD JAZZ DRUMMING] Now you have seen what you can do with one figure! Practice other figures using this approach, and you will develop a vocabulary—a catalog of fills and solo phrases. After a while, you won't have to “think” about what to play; it will happen automatically.| CHAPTER 9 aT : | ‘There are more pieces of gear to choose from than ever before. This can make it very difficult to choose—especially on a budget. This chapter will help you decide what to choose for your musical needs and financial situation. ‘You don't have to have a large quantity of equipment, or even the most high-end gear, to make music. What really matters is how the instrument is, maintained, tuned, prepared, and played. ‘There are inexpensive ways to modify the sound of any instrument. For example, if you have a cymbal more suited for rock, you can sweeten the sound by using a stick with a smaller tip. The smaller tip will soften the attack. Try taping a small, thin coin onto the cymbal, about halfway to the bell. This gives the cymbal a nice sizzle, which is not too harsh. Between the softer attack and the sizzle, you now have a cymbal that blends with the sound of the other instru- ments. It's important to be able to blend in, as well as to stand out. Ifyour equip- ment can help you do both, then you have more musical choices. I know one drummer who shaves the tip of his sticks down with sandpaper to get a sweet sound on any cymbal. Conversely, if you have a cymbal with too much “wash,” or sustain, you can put a couple of small pieces of tape underneath the cymbal, about halfway up to the bell. This will dry up the sound. If you need more attack, use a stick with either a bigger tip, or a plastic tip. ‘When I was thirteen, a neighbor of mine (a former jazz drummer) told me, “You don't need anything more than a bass drum, snare drum, hi-hat, cymbal, and one tom tom—maybel” After years of experience, I realized how true this is. This is notto say you shouldn't play a big set. Many of the world’s greatest drum- mers play big sets. I use a big set with certain groups, like Oregon. However, you should be able to make music on a drum set of any size—or even no drum set at all. ‘There have been many gigs, rehearsals, and even recording sessions, where I've walked in and found no drum set. So, I've learned to improvise. I've played plastic buckets, garbage cans, music stands, telephone books, drum cases, tables, and even drawers from hotel dressers. Surprisingly, most of them sounded pretty good! Gear and Setup62 1 also frequently walk into halls, clubs, and classrooms to find good drum sets that are poorly maintained. The hardware is broken, the heads are completely worn out, the bass drum is missing a leg—yet the piano gets tuned every day. This is simply unacceptable to me. I've heard all the excuses: “Well, our students throw them into the van,” “These drums get used a lot,” “Our budget is very tight,” and so on. Drums are musical instruments! Be responsible, and take care of your instruments! ‘A drum set is like an orchestra, Just like the sections of an orchestra, the different parts of the kit vibrate in different frequencies. The range of these frequencies can be very wide. It all depends on what kind of sound you want and how it fits in your playing situation, With some imagination, one drum can be like a whole set. Here is an exer- cise: sit down with only a snare drum and see how many different sounds you can get. Use sticks, brushes, mallets, and hands. Play the rims and all parts of the head, and discover how many sounds you can make. Try to create a drum set-type groove with only one drum. Now, try the same thing using a tom, bass drum, cymbal, and hi-hat, etc., using brushes, mallets, sticks, and the like. You'll be surprised at how creative you can be when you have less. INCORPORATING PERCUSSION WITH THE DRUM SET (AND VICE VERSA) The basic drum set is a collection of percussion instruments, which, over time, has become standardized to incorporate the bass drum, snare drum, toms, cymbals, and hi-hat. Creative musicians learned to do more with less. For example, Leon Parker used to play gigs around New York using only a cymbal. Ari Hoenig has made solo drum-set CDs playing jazz standards on a four-piece kit. One of the recent trends in drum setups has been the integration of percus- sion. This is nothing new; Chick Webb was doing it in the 1930s, My first teacher, the great Roy Knapp, used a drum set incorporating timbales, Chinese tom toms, chimes, timpani, gong, temple blocks, and many other interesting and useful contraptions. One was a second bass drum pedal—he used two pedals on one drum—which struck a cymbal as well as the bass drum! Max Roach always referred to the drums as the “multiple percussion setup.” Innovators have expanded the drum set to include electronics, various percussion instruments, and multi-tom and multi-bass drum setups. Terry Bozzio expanded the set to enable him to play pitched melodies on the toms. One approach, which has worked for me, is to find the drum set sounds in the percussion instruments arid vice versa. Many hand percussion instruments have low and high tones. These can serve as bass drum and snare drum sounds. Let’s say, for example, you're playing a djembe. You can play most funk and Latin drum-set patterns on this drum because all the sounds are there. The same goes for the cajén, darbuka, tablas, zabumba, pandeiro, and any other percussion WORLD JAZZ DRUMMING|CHAPTER 9 Gear and Setup instrument with a variety of tones. In essence, this is playing the percussion instruments with a “drummer's attitude.” By the same token, the drum set can als6 be played with a “percussionists attitude.” This is where real creativity comes into play. Using anything from your hands on the snare, toms, and cymbals to sticks, mallets, brushes, and even other percussion instruments on the drums, you can create sounds that don't sound like a drum set at all Nowadays, what I bring will depend on the traveling situation and the budget. For most gigs in town, I'll bring my drums, but when I travel, I'll bring cymbals, sticks, and a couple of cowbells. For the group Oregon, I bring an extra case or two of percussion—keeping in mind airline size and weight restrictions. I think manufacturers are beginning to take this into consideration. There are many choices for adding small instruments with multi-clamps and cowbell mounts. Lighter hardware is available for most makes and models of drum sets. With Paquito D’Rivera, I carry two cowbells: a cha cha bell and a larger mambo bell. I can cover all the parts necessary to make the music happen, no matter the situation. Sometimes, I'll add a foot bell, usually a bongo bell ora cha cha bell. Il bring something for quarter notes, or clave, if necessary. If I need a timbale sound, I can get by using the snare and floor tom, although I prefer real timbales. However, I may only play timbale parts on one or two tunes in the course of an evening, so I'd rather not have to set them up. For a conga sound, Tlloften play the first tom, but sometimes the snare works (with the snares off); it’s in the range of the first conga. So I'll use the first tom for my second conga. COWBELLS Many drummers either don't own a cowbell or don't have a concept of how it should be played, but it is an important component of a drum kit used for ‘world jazz. Let’s look at a few different types of bells and their function. For most Cuban and Puerto Rican styles like mambo, salsa, and Latin jazz, there are three different bells most often used: the bongo bell, the timbale or mambo bell, and the cha cha bell. The bongo bell is typically played during the coro (chorus) of the tune and can really drive the whole ensemble. It’s played with a short, thick stick using two sounds: the “mouth” sound and the “neck” sound. The mouth sound is played with the shoulder of the stick and has the deepest tone. The neck sound has more of a clang-y sound, which complements the mouth sound very well. ‘The timbale bell, also used for choruses, is played by the timbale player with a very thin stick and typically uses one sound rather than two. The pattern is very dynamic and is played right on top of the body of the bell. ‘The cha cha bell is used for both cha cha and charanga. The way it’s played is similar to the bongo bell. In a typical cha cha pattern, quarter notes are played on the mouth, with upbeat eighth notes ghosted on the neck of the bell.WORLD JAZZ DRUMMING Many Cuban drummers integrate timbales into their drum set. Changuito (ose Luis Quintana), whose legendary performances with Los Van Van set the standard for this type of playing, is known as the father of songo. Changuito used a standard drum set in the late 1960s, but later switched to a timbale setup incorporating a bass drum and floor tom. Samuel Formell now holds the drum chair in Los Van Van, playing a six-piece drum set with timbales set up to his left. This is now the standard setup for most Cuban dance bands, including Los Van Van, NG La Banda, and many others. One of the major innovators of integrating drums and percussion is Brazilian percussionist Airto Moreira. His setup changes depending on the situation, but for his band Fourth World, he used both sides of a double pedal to play a remote bass drum, while playing drum set. Nowadays, he uses a more standard drum set with a percussion table on his floor tom side. This gives him the flexibility to play asa drummer, percussionist, or both. The most important thing is to be able to make music on anything. If the drum set—or any part of it—doesn't show up to the gig, you'd better be prepared to make music on whatever is around! SELECTION AND SOUND When choosing new instruments, I look for certain sound qualities, such as the fundamental note, harmonics, the character of the drum or cymbal, and the attack and decay. For more acoustic-oriented projects, I use slightly darker and ‘warmer sounds, such as the Paiste Traditionals and Twenty series cymbals and a small bass drum with a full front head. For more rock, funk, or electric-oriented projects, I use ride cymbals with a bit more attack, such as the Paiste Signature line and a bigger bass drum tuned down with a hole in the front head. Sometimes, playing a small Kit feels better for any style, like driving a sports car. Tuse the Yamaha Beech Custom and Oak Custom series. These drums can be used in any situation and always deliver the perfect sound. Ifyou have a concept of tuning and muffling, I don’t think it really matters what size your bass drum is. You can adjust the balance of attack, tone, and decay using the tuning and mufiling techniques explained in the tuning section. It really depends on the music, the band, the sound system, and the room. Sound is also very important at all dynamic levels. The articulation must be clear and the tone must not be weak. Some drummers have a habit of playing their backbeat near the edge of the snare drum, This makes a thin, tinny, and ringy sound without a solid fundamental tone. Hit your snare in the center for a meaty sound. You can dial in.more “crack” by playing a rim shot, but keep the end of the stick in the center of the drum, Again, there's no law against playing a ringy sounding hit. Just use that sound with discretion, and don't wear out every- one's ears![CHAPTER @ Gear and Setup The tone you get on your setup has a big influence on the dynamics of the music, If you use drumheads built only for hitting hard, it can limit the musical possibilities. My heads of choice are Remo Ambassador coated heads, which are tough enough for rock and sensitive enough for any other type of music. I tune each drum to give me the most sonic possibilities; a good, solid fundamental tone in the center, and harmonics near the edge, if needed. Any part of your drum set should be set up and tuned to respond to your musical needs—at any volume level. Don't box yourself in by tuning for loud playing only—unless you are only going to play loud. SETUPS There have been many innovations in the drum set over its short lifespan. The obvious additions have been more of a variety of cymbals and tom toms, but some of the greatest innovations have come from the traditional instru- ments of world music. If you look at the setup of Chick Webb for example, you can see Chinese cymbals, temple blocks, bells, and sometimes tympani and chimes—way back in 1938! (Check out his recording “Liza.”) Most of the following examples of alternative setups will be examined through some the percussionists associated with the ensemble Oregon. Oregon. was formed in 1970 and features Ralph Towner, Paul McCandless, Glen Moore, and until his death in 1984, the great Colin Walcott. Walcott, the percussionist/multi-instrumentalist and founding member of Oregon, used an array of instruments, including a tarang (several different pitched tabla drums), a small set of congas (cut down, enabling him to play sitting on the floor), cymbals, triangle, small concert toms, and miscellaneous percussion. He was proficient on sitar, tabla, and many other instruments, including clarinet and guitar. His experience in western classical, classical Indian, and free music helped him to become a complete musician. He played music with a fresh vocabulary and with a nod to tradition. On some recordings, he would use a different setup for each piece. He would incorporate orchestral percussion in a new way. For example, he played a concert bass drum on “The Impending Bloom,” from the album Oregon (ECM), but in a very unusual way: he played a groove on the head with a mallet, while holding a brush to the other head to fill in the spaces. This created a drum set-type of sound on one drum. I'll occasionally use this same technique on a floor tom or a djembe. I'll play the mallet part and use the brush on the same drumhead, sometimes hitting a rim for a different texture. This gets back to our exercise where we got as many sounds as possible out of one drum. ‘Trilok Gurtu is a very exciting and intense player. He pioneered a setup using several toms mounted into a large piece of wood, a snare drum, hi-hat, cymbals, tablas, cowbells—and no bass drum! He played seated on one knee. This elimi- nated the need for most of the drum set hardware he would have had to carry.Nowadays, he sits on a seat and plays a similar kit. (Playing on one knee is very bad for one’s back, after a while!) Jamey Haddad, known for his work with Paul Simon, is one of those rare players equally adept at percussion and drums. He uses a combination of different hand percussion instruments including frame drums, congas, Brazilian tan tans, the Hadgini drum (basically a clay pot, or udu), and a jazz drum set. Since joining Oregon, I've tried many approaches, starting with a completely improvised kit used for the Northwest Passage record in 1996. This kit consisted of two or three darbukas (or doumbeks) mounted with PVC pipe to cymbal stands via multi clamps, snare drum, cymbals, hi-hat, and various small percussion instruments. I brought in my MIDI controller, but didn't wind up using it. When I began touring with Oregon in 1997, I played more ofa standard drum set and added a doumbek and a djembe to the left of the hi-hat. I later added bells and gourds, which hung off a mic stand using clamps from a hardware store. This enabled me to keep time with the right hand while providing color and texture with the left. I also incorporated cowbells and blocks, which provide both a Cuban flavor and an orchestral sound, if used in a certain way. My latest addition is a MIDI controller, which is played with the hands. It is small, portable, and has lots of interesting sounds as well as sequencing capa- bility. The traditional percussion sounds can sound a little “plastic,” but I like to use the unusual sounds for free group improvisations. For example, I like to create a patch I call “colors,” consisting of mark tree, cymbals, triangles, bell trees, rain sticks, and other delicate sounds, and I add lots of reverb. I also detune the pitch, making the sounds virtually unrecognizable. This comes in very handy for atmospheric, or ambient sounds. Quite often at the beginning of an Oregon tour, we don't have the time or the space for a rehearsal with all the instruments set up. So, welll get together in a hotel room and run some tunes. I'll walk in with my brushes and scope out the room. Any garbage cans or dresser drawers are fair game! They have both high- and low-pitched sounds, which are perfect for kit playing. The trash cans often ring, giving me even more sounds from which to choose. In my travels to various countries, I've seen many other innovators. For example, Argentinean drummer Mario Gusso had a very versatile setup for South American jazz. He used a standard four-piece kit with a djembe in place of the rack tom and bombo leguero (bass drum) in place of the floor tom. He also sat on a cajén (box) as he played. This enabled him to cover just about any South ‘American traditional rhythm while playing a bass/snare/hi-hat/cymbal combi nation. With its slap tones and bass tones, the cajén is almost like a drum kit in itself. Many percussionists use the cajén as the main instrument of their setup. No discussion of alterriative setups can be complete without mentioning the “Drumship Enterprise,” the recycled kit played by Scott Kettner, drummer for Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem. His kit consists of cat food tins, a cardboard box, a Danish cookie butter tin, and a suitcase, among other things. If you find yourself alittle short of cash, build your own kit with recycled materials! WORLD JAZZ DRUMMING]CHAPTER 9 Gear and Setup Dutch percussionist Han Bennink plays what could be considered one of the strangest drum kits ever: a kit made entirely of cheese! Created by Dutch artist ‘Walter Willems, this kit is not necessarily guatanteed to hold up in hot weather, butts quite a conversation piece (wine not included). TUNING Time permitting, it’s possible to make any drum kit sound richer, fatter, warmer, and more responsive—if you know what to do. There will always be more than one way to tune; every drum, every room, and every drummer is different. Tve spent decades playing indoor concerts, outdoor festivals, and clubs using house kits, and I have no problem playing any size and type of drum for any context, because I know how to modify it for the situation. I call it “quick and dirty drum set tuning.” Often at festivals, I will be tuning the kit immediately after the previous drummer has vacated his spot. The first thing T check is the overall sound of the room. A concert hall will sound completely different than a club or an outdoor venue. I also check the overall sound of the drum set. Does it sound dead or resonant? Does it trigger a room frequency? Is the floor tom or bass drum triggering a harmonic of the mounted tom? If have to play a house kit, ll check the tuning of the last drummer. Usually it’s close, but not quite what I’m looking for. I'll work with the bass drum first. I prefer a round sound with a good amount of attack for most gigs. If I want a more resonant sound, I'll tune both heads up and tune the batter slightly lower than the front. If there's too much sustain, I'll muffle the batter head with a towel or small pillow (placed between the head and the pedal, on the opposite side of the spring). I'll also give the sound engi- neer the option of placing the microphone on the playing side, near the floor tom, in order to get more attack, If there’ still too much sustain, I'l tighten the front head a quarter turn or so. This gives me a round sound with a nice attack, which feels good on stage and sounds good through the PA. system. Next, I'll work on the snare. The perfect snare sound to me has a healthy balance of “fat” and “crack.” Tap around the edge, and listen to the harmonic tone. If it’s not even all around, bring up the lower tones (or bring down the higher ones). Next, check the overall sound and pitch range of the drum. Are the snares too loose or too tight? Are you getting a fat enough sound versus a high timbale sound? Does the drum articulate all the strokes clearly at all dynamic levels? Hit it in the center, then near the edge. The drum should sound good either way. On a tom, the bottom head usually determines the pitch and the top head determines the response. If you want a pitch bend, tune the top head lower. If you want more of a post-bop or even timbale-like sound, tune the top head higher than the bottom. Ifyou want a quicker decay, put a small piece of tape onthe bottom head and a small piece on the top. Be sure to move it around, and try not to lose the tone. In general, my concept of tuning is to try to fit the dynamic range of the musical situation. If its a small acoustic chamber ensemble, chances are I won't be coming in there with a kit tuned only for rock. Ifit's a louder electric situation, ll tune the drums to respond at the higher volume levels. With Oregon, I need to be able to get a big sound from a whisper to a shout. Try tuning before muffling. If the drums are in tune, you may not need mufiling or tape. But don't forget: where you hit is just as important as how you tune. Since 1989, I've used Vic Firth sticks, brushes, and mallets. I think it's very important to have many sounds at your fingertips. With a change of sticks, mallets, or brushes, the sounds you make on one drum are only limited by your imagination. Have a couple of pairs of lighter sticks as well as heavier ones, for different applications and sounds. Then, invest in a good pair of wire brushes and soft mallets. Sometimes you need a sound with the attack of a stick, but with the volume of a brush. This is where rods or bundles come in handy. Vic Firth makes different models of the Rute (“sticks bundled together” in German). By sliding the ring closer to the tip, you can get a good backbeat sound on the snare; when you slide the ring closer to the hand, the cymbal articulation speaks more clearly. The more experience I get, the more I'm convinced that you are the instrument, and whatever gear you play should reflect who you are. Your drums should sound like you. Always strive for the best sound and feel. WORLD JAZZ DRUMMING)lrom arp aas pur arayy yno 398 ‘Buyonoesd dae ysn{ ‘seouangur aaneBeu vo sum mmok aysemq4u0q "Uva NOK ax a|snUH Aeld pue oar] wHaDIed Og stopramy + “yooups ur [Jam op osye OYA ing quaumnsur satp Ae(d wes Apo jou oY asorp o} spreme Yseo snorsUMUE ame aroyy, “aBaqjoo pur joorps ysry ut dn eBeraav aujod apesB snok dooy “srompaduros moX 1aa0 aBeyueape ue nok ani8 [IM I pue uTea| o} a[qyssodum you say “sIsNUT pear oy UTEOT « “aratp 198 nox aiofoq asatp aonoerg Todo] Yee 10} SyHoUTNMbar wrexo amp se fem se ‘pajsod syuawormbar woprpne exp Jo sou! Puy [NOX ‘uoeBasaAUT |p e op pur auTTuO of “(aapftag se Tons) [ooYPs a]snuTe asooyD Nok TAM + “nof az suopoure moé 39] 3,10 "worEM mod uy sp wp8uans mos ‘raked ureay v ag “urea} v HO ax.NOK ‘puEge UTarE NOs Woy + ay WON Ure9y Pu Yoeqpady 30H “WED NOK se suBIDIsNUL Joyo AUBUE se TPM AEIq@ + “Aqyurey mos pte ay] Mok Konsap Aare TEM asou, TOOT pure snp wo Aeme KES + quoUAsu -MO{ Jo sioeAOUUT pu ‘siayseUL KOISTY ay InOgE Uw NOK Te WET + ‘oJsna umo moX ayearD OF TOTEM Woy seapt jo [euasre we nok onrS TEM sry, ‘edomg pur ‘eIsy ‘eouTy ‘eoOMIY Tpnog ‘weagqEey axp wroxy sophas se Yons ‘somes yeosnur iuaraytp ApmIg + “hep & moy Ue 10] op 71000 nok Suypautos aonserg “And ysnf yuop ‘sonseId nok way + oq wea nok 3s9q arp. aq 1919q Pos os ‘sanfuMyzoddo oures oxp 30} suBIOISNU Jamo Jo spaxpuNt, tpim Supaduros aq [Nox uawRAsUT Mok Aphis PUL JoYove poo v PULL + SdlL TWNId INOS quomusalay‘Afoxé (ah-foh-SHEH) Afro (AH-froh) ‘Agog0 (ah-go-GOH) Baio (by-OW) Batueada (bah-too-CAH-dah) Bembé (behm-BAY) Biguine (bih-GEEN) Bomba (BOHM-bah) Calypso (cahl-IP-soh) Candombe (can-DOM-bay) Chacarera (cha-ka-REH-1a) Cha-cha-cha (chah-chah-chah) Chandé (shahn-DAY) Compa (COHM-pah) Cumbia (CUM-bee-ah) Danz6n (dahn-ZOHN) Festejo (fes-TEH-ho) Gwan Bele (gwahn-beh-LEH) Joropo “Por Corillo” (hor-OH-poh “pohr cor-BE-yo") Joropo “Por Derecho” (hor-OH-poh “pohr de-REH-choh”) Lands (lahn-DOH) Mambo (MAHM-boh) Maracatti (mah-rah-cah-TOO) Marcha (MAR-shah) Marcha Rancho (MAR-shah HAHN-shoo) ‘Marinera (mar-ee-NAY-rah) Mazurka Nuit (mah-Z00-kah nooee) ‘Mazurka Pike (mah-Z00-kah PEE-kay) ‘Merengue (meh-REHN-geh) Merengue Venezolano (meh-REHN-geh vehn-eh-zoh-LAHN-oh) Milonga (mil-ON-ga) Onda Nueva (Ohn-dah NWEH-vah) Partido Alto (paht-TI-doh AHL-toh) Plena (PLAY-nah) Reggae (REH-gay) Rumba Guaguanco (ROOM-bah wah-wahn-COH) Samba (SAHM-bah) Soca (SOH-kah) Songo (SOHN-goh) ‘Timba (TEEM-bah) Vals (vahls)m | jo | APPENDIX B | INSTRUCTIONAL BOOKS Adolfo, Antonio. Brazilian Music Workshop. Advance Music, 1993. Chapin, jim. Advanced Techniques for the Modern Drummer. Warner Brothers Publications, 2002. Chester, Gary. The New Breed. Rick Mattingly, Modern Drummer Publications, 2006. Crook, Hal. Ready, Aim, Improvise. Advance Music, 1999. Fanfant, Jean-Philippe. Afro Caribbean Grooves for Drumset. Shet Music Co., 2008. Faria, Nelson and Cliff Korman. Inside the Brazilian Rhythm Section. Sher Music Co., 2005. ‘Malabe, Frank and Bob Weiner. Afro-Cuban Rhythms for Drumset. Warner Bros., 1994. Moses, Bob. Drum Wisdom. Modern Drummer Publications, 1984. Netto, Alberto. Brazilian Rhythms for Drum Set and Percussion. Berklee Press, 2003. Ramsay, John. The Drummer’s Complete Vocabulary as Taught by Alan Dawson. Paul Siegel, Alired Publishing Co. Inc., 1998. Reed, Ted. Progressive Steps to Syncopation. Alfred Publishing Co. Inc., 2007. Riley, John. The Art of Bop Drumming. Dan Thress, Warner Brothers Publications, 1994. Stagnaro Oscar. The Latin Bass Book. Sher Music, 2005. Uribe, Ed. The Essence of Brazilian Percussion and Drumset. Warner Bros., 2000. Various. The Rough Guide to World Music, Vol. 2. Rough Guides, Ltd., 2000. DVDs ‘Alex Acuiia, The Rhythm Collector, Drum Workshop DVD, 2007. Ignacio Berroa, Mastering the Art of Afro-Cuban Drumming, DCI Video, 1995. Jose Luis “Changuito” Quintana, The History of Songo, DCI Video, 1996. Pablo Pefia, New World Drumming, Berklee Press, 2007. Poncho Sanchez, Fundamentals of Latin Music for the Rhythm Section, Cherry Lane Music, 2006. Various Artists, A Great Day in Harlem, Home Vision Entertainment, 2006. Various Artists, Calle 54, Miramax Films, 2001 Various Artists, Drumset Artists of Cuba, Chuck Silverman, Video. Artists/Recordings John Abercrombie, Timeless, ECM, 1974. Alex Acufia ‘Alex Acufia y su Acuarela de Tambores, Rhythms for a New Millennium, Tonga, 2000.72 _ WORLD JAZZ DRUMMING) Justo Almario Eva Ayllon, Eva! Leyenda Peruana, Times Square, 2004. Batacumbele, Con Un Poco De Songo, Disco Hit, 1981. Jim Beard, Advocate, Pid, 2007. Black Stalin, To the Caribbean Man, Wizards MCR-147, Makossa M2342, 1979. Art Blakey, Free for All, Blue Note, 1964. Joao Bosco, Gagabiro, Barclay, 1985. James Brown, In the Jungle Groove, Polydor/Umgd, 1986. —Motherlode, Polygram, 1988. — Star Time, Polydir/Umgd, 1991. Rudy Calzado Cubarama, A Tribute to Mario Bauza, Efa, 2001. Cesar Camargo Mariano, Duo, Trama, 2002. Michel Camilo Mario Canonge, Trait d’union, Melody, 1995. Dori Cayimmi, Brasilian Serenata, Warner Bros/WEA, 1991. —Kicking Cans, Warner Bros/Wea, 1993. William Cepeda, My Roots and Beyond, Blue Jackal, 1995. Cortijo y su Combo, Bl Alma De Un Pueblo, Polygram, 1958. J.C. Coronel, Abranzandoo Mi Cultura, BMG/Ariola, 1996. Chick Corea, Now He Sings, Now He Sobs, Blue Note, 1968. John Coltrane Quartet, Crescent, GRP Records, 1964. Domingo Cura, Quena, Charango, y Bombo, Orchard Records, 2003. Miles Davis, Four and More, Sony, 1966. —Kind of Blue, Sony, 1958. —Milestones, Sony, 1958. —Nefertiti, Sony, 1967. Paquito D'Rivera, Reunion, Messidor, 1991. —Portaits of Cuba, Chesky, 1996. —Tropicana Nights, Chesky, 1999. —Live at the Blue Note, Half Note Records, 2000. —Funk Tango, Sunnysie, 2007. Ensamble Gurrufio, El Cruzao, Independent, 1994. Bill Evans, Sunday at the Village Vanguard, Riverside, 1961. DP Express, David, Superstar, 1978. Fabiola De La Cuba Osvaldo Fattoruso/Mariana Ingold, Candombe En El Tiempo, Ayui, 1994. Les Freres Déjean de Pétionville, Jout lavie ou, MCY, 1981. Carlos Gardel, The Very Best of Carlos Gardel, Nostalgia, 2008. Joao Gilberto, Amaroso, Warner, 1977. Jerry Gonzalez and the Fort Apache Band, Crossroads, Milestone, 1994. Willy Gonzalez, Verse Negro, PAI. Willy Gonzalez y Grupo, Pergamino, Acqua, 1999. Chabuca Granda ‘Ti Raoul Grivalliers, Mi Bel2-A, Ethnic, 1996.APPENDIX Sources Guaco, Gaitas Platinum, Foca, 2005. Clave ¥ Guaguanco, Noche de la Rumba, Tumi, 2001. —Songs and Dances, Xenophile, 1994. Juan Luis Guerra Herbie Hancock, Maiden Voyage, Blue Note, 1965. —Speak Like a Child, Blue Note, 1968. —Thrust, Columbia, 1975. Los Hijos Del Sol, Los Hijos Del Sol. Irakere, Calzada del Cerro, Areito, 1975. Antonio Carlos Jobim, Stone Flower, CTI, 1970. —Passarim, Verve, 1987. Elvin Jones, Earth Jones, Quicksilver, 1982. Edu Lobo, Sergio Mendes Presents Edu Lobo, EMI, 2004. Israel “Cachao” Lopez, Descarga Cubana, Panart, 1958. Lord Kitchener, Klassic Kitchener Volume 2, Ice, 1994. Lord Kitchener and Mighty Sparrow, 16 Carnival Hits, Ice, 1992. Machito, Various Artists, The Original Mambo Kings: An Introduction to Afro-Cubop 1948-1954, Verve, 1994. Bob Marley and the Wailers, Rastaman Vibration: Deluxe Edition, Island, 1974. —Narty Dread, Island, 1974. Hector Martignon, A Foreign Affair, Candid Records, 2000. Sergio Mendes, Brasileiro, WEA, 1992. —Oceano, Polygram, 1996. Pat Metheny, Bright Size Life, ECM, 1975. Pat Metheny Group, Offramp, ECM, 1981. —The First Circle, ECM, 1984, Charles Mingus, Mingus Ah Um, Columbia, 1999. Airto Moreira, Free, CTI, 1972. Andy Narell, Fire in the Engine Room, Heads Up, 2000. —The Passage, Heads Up, 2004. —Tatoom, Heads Up, 2007. Neal and Massey's Trinidad All-Stars Steel Orchestra Maceo Parker, Roots Revisited, Polygram, 1990. —Mo' Roots, Verve, 1991, Hermeto Pascoal, Zambumbe-Bum-A, Warner, 1979. —Festa Dos Deuses, Intuition, 1992. Rosa Passos, Pano Pra Manga, Velas, 1995. —Aaul, Velas, 2002. ‘The Philadelphia Experiment, The Philadelphia Experiment, Ropeadope, 2001 Astor Piazzola, Zero Hour, Nonesuch, 1992. Perez Prado & Beny Moré, El Barbaro Del Ritmo: 1948-1950, Tambao, 1893. Dafnis Priento, About the Monks, Zoho, 2005.4 Tito Puente, Un Poco Loco, Concord, 1987. —Top Percussion, RCA, 1960. —Dance Mania, RCA, 1958. —Puente in Percussion, Fania, 1956. Lucia Pulido, Lucta, Gaira, 1995. Rafaelito Arias y su Conjunto Elis Regina, Essa Mulher, WEA, 1980. Relator, Vintage Kaiso, Nostalgia, Rape. Ritmo Oriental, Historia Del Ritmo, Vol.1, Qbadisc, 1993. Ismael Rivera, Sonero #1, Sony International, 1990. Mario Rivera Arsenio Rodriguez, El Rey del Son Montuno, Rice, 2004, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Live in Havana, Messidor, 1986. David Rudder and Charlies Roots, This Is Soca, London, 1987. Sakesho, Sakesho, Heads Up, 2002. —We Want You to Say..., Heads Up, 2005. Horacio Salgan, Tango for Export, Leader, 1997. Luis Salinas, Musica Argentina, DBN, 2003. Emiliano Salvador, Nueva Vision, Qbadisc, 1973. Wayne Shorter, Native Dancer, Sony, 1974. —Night Dreamer, Blue Note, 1964. Oscar Stagnaro, Mariella’s Dream, Songosaurus, 2004. Tipica 73, Tipica 73 Canta: Adalberto Santiago, Fania, 1973. Toots and the Maytals, The Very Best of Toots and the Maytals, Island, 2001. Peter Tosh, Legalize It, Sony, 1976. Totico, Totico ¥ Sus Rumberos, Montuno, 1982. ‘Toto La Momposina, La Candela Viva, Real World, 1993. ‘Tower of Power, Back to Oakland, Warner, 1974. Diego Urcola, Viva, CamJazz, 2006, Chucho Valdes, Live at the Village Vanguard, Blue Note, 2000. Los Van Van, The Legendary Los Van Van, Vanvanéate, Continental Music, 1998. ‘Various Artists, Antologia Del Candombe Vol. 1, Orfeo/IODA, 1991. Various Artists, Antologia Del Candombe Vol. 2, Orfeo/IODA, 1995. Various Artists, Argentina — Zambas ¥ Chacareras, BUDA, 1999. Various Artists, Batucada Capoeira, Soul Jazz, 2003. Various Artists, 0 Samba — Brazil Classics 2, Luaka Bop, 1989. Various Artists, Perico Ripiao: Stripping the Parrots, Corason, 1995. Various Artists, Real Rumba, Corason, 1994. WORLD JAZZ DRUMMING]About the Author ‘MarkWalker (b, 1961), born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, comes from a long line of artists and musicians. His first serious musical education began in his | teens, when he had the good fortune to study theory, harmony, and drumming with the “dean of percussion,” Roy C. Joel Spencer and percussion with Milton Cardona. He became a very active player | on the Chicago scene, performing in a | wide variety of contexts. He eventually | worked with many of the city’s top musi- | cians, performing and recording | constantly. He became a first-call session | musician and began performing with Paquito D’Rivera in 1989, with whom he —————— still performs. He also toured and recorded with pianist Lyle Mays while still living in Chicago. ‘After moving to New York in 1995, Mark joined the Caribbean Jazz. Project, featuring Paquito, Dave Samuels, and Andy Narell, with all of whom he still has musical relationships. 1n 1996, he recorded with the legendary group Oregon, and in 1997 became a member of the band. In 1997, he also joined Michel Camilo, touring with his trio extensively for two years and recording pop projects produced by Camilo. During this time, he toured and recorded with Cesar Camargo Mariano, the great pianist from Brazil. He also appeared with Paquito D’Rivera and Panamericana in the Latin Jazz. documentary Calle 54 (Miramax films). bcAfter teaching at Drummers Collective, he was appointed Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music in 2001 and ‘was promoted to Professor in 2008. He relocated to the Boston area with his family in 2005. He now writes for and leads his own groups locally as well as touring and recording internationally with Oregon Page Driior and ea wea and Paquito D’Rivera. In 2008, he earned a Grammy nomination for best instrumental composition for his piece “Deep Six,” recorded by Oregon. He recently won his fifth Grammy award for best Latin Jazz for the CD Funk Tango, by the Paquito D’Rivera Quintet, on which his tune “What About That!” is featured. ‘Mark Walker is an artist and endorser of Yamaha drums, Paiste cymbals, Remo drumheads, Vic Firth sticks, and LP percussion. He also uses Glenn Cronkhite hand crafted cymbal and stick bags. Left to right: Oscar Stagnaro, Alex Brown, Mark Walker, Barack Obama, Diego Ureola. Photo by Mark Walker.[ABOUT THE AUTHOR 7 Mark Walker Selected Discography Patricia Barber, Modern Cool, Blue Note, 1998, with Dave Douglas. —Café Blue, Blue Note, 1994. Ana Belén, Lorquiana, BMG, 1999. Produced by Michel Camilo. Rudy Calzado & Cubarama, Tribute to Mario Bauza, Termidor, 2001, with Paquito D’Rivera. ‘The Caribbean Jazz Project, Here and Now: Live in Concert, Telarc. 2005. Latin Grammy Award winner. —Birds of a Feather, Telarc, 2003. Grammy Award nominee. —Mosaic, Telarc, 2008. —Island Stories, Heads Up, 2008, with Paquito D’Rivera, Dave Samuels, and Andy Narell. —The Caribbean Jazz. Project, Heads Up, 1997, with Paquito D’Rivera, Dave Samuels, and Andy Narell ‘The Caribbean Jazz Project with Diane Schuur, Schuur Fire Featuring the Caribbean Jazz Project, Concord, 2005, with Oscar Castro-Neves. Guillermo Carrasco, Una A La Vez, EMG, 2003, with Steve Khan. Castro-Neves and Dave Samuels. William Cepeda, My Roots and Beyond, Blue Jackal, 1998, with Slide Hampton and Paquito D’Rivera. Paquito D'Rivera, Funk Tango, Paquito, 2007. Grammy Award winner. —Live at the Blue Note, Half Note, 2000. Latin Grammy Award winner. —Iropicana Nights, Chesky, 1999. Latin Grammy Award winner. —Portraits of Cuba, Chesky, 1996. Grammy Award winner. —100 Years of Latin Love Songs, Heads Up, 1998. —Paquito D’Rivera and the United Nation Orchestra Live at Manchester Crafisman's Guild, MCG, 2002. Grammy Award nominee. —Reunion, Messidor, 1991, with Arturo Sandoval, Giovanni Hidalgo, and Danilo Perez. —Tico! Tico!, Chesky, 1989. Paquito D’Rivera & the WDR Big Band, Big Band Time, Termidor, 2003, with Claudio Roditi. Linda Eder, It Time, Atlantic, 1997. —And So Much More, Atlantic, 1994. Joe Gallardo & the NDR Big Band, Latin Jazz Latino, Skip, 2006. Gandini/Marconi/Reijseger/ Walker/WDR Big Band, Tango ¥ Postango, NRW, 2008. Fareed Haque, Opaque, Blue Note, 1995. Romero Lubambo, Rio DeJaneiro Underground, Aosis, 2002, with Cesta Camargo Mariano and Ivan Lins. —Love Dance, Aosis, 2002, with Cesar Camargo Mariano. Michael Manring, Drastic Measures, Windham Hill Jazz, 1991, with Paul McCandless and Steve Rodby. Paul McCandless, Premonition, Windham Hill Jazz, 1991, with Steve Rodby and Lyle Mays.WORLD JAZZ DRUMMING) Moretti/Braden/Liebman, Latin Genesis, Fall River Music, 2005, with Dave Liebman. Michael Philip Mossman/WDR Big Band, Misa Afro Cubana, Messador. Andy Narell, Tatoom, Heads Up, 2007, with Mike Stern and Luis Conte. —Fire in the Engine Room, Heads Up, 2000. ‘Andy Narell and Lord Relator, University of Calypso, Heads Up Records. David Onderdonk and Mark Walker, Loose Contact, Southport, 1993. Oregon, 1000 Kilometers, CamJazz, 2007. Nominated for two Grammy Awards (including best instrumental composition for "Deep Six" by Mark Walker). —Prime, CamJazz, 2005. —Live at Yoshi's, Intuition, 2002. —Oregon in Moscow, Intuition, 2000. Nominated for four Grammy Awards. —Northwest Passage, Intuition, 1997. Cathy Richardson Band, Delusions of Grandeur, Ca$h Rich, 2007. Sonia Rosa, Depois Do Nosso Tempo, Avex, 2006, with Ceasar Camargo Mariano, Ivan Lins, and Oscar Castro-Neves. Ed Saindon, Depth of Emotion, Independent, 2007, with Dave Liebman. Arturo Sandoval/WDR Big Band/Michael Philip Mossman, Mambo Night, Messidor. Fred Simon, Since Forever, Naim, with Paul McCandliss and Steve Rodby. —Open Book, Columbia, 1991. Jon Weber, Simple Complex, Second Century Jazz, 2004, with Gary Burton, Bric Alexander, and Avishai Cohen. Phil Wilson. Phil Wilson's Pan American All Stars Celebrate the Music of Antonio Carlos “Tom” Jobim, Capri, 2006. Various Artists, Calle 54 Soundtrack, Miramax, 2001. Grammy Award nominee.DRUMS /WORLD JAZZ arich your drumming with world crythmsand sounds! World ‘music presents many learning. opportunities and challenges, especially for drums and percussion Learning grooves ftom the Caribbean und South America will make you « more complete masician, land give you more ideas for creating, your own sound and solos ‘Many jace greatshave been inspired by world traditions Paquito D'Rivera, Oregon, Lyle Mays, Caribbean Jizz Project, Ardy Narell, Cesar Camargo Mariano, and Michel Camilo, Author Mark Walker has worked wit all chese artists and others. Let him show you the auilieatie way to play world rhythms on the drum set! “The accompanying CD includes groove examples and play-along tricks of Mark Walker's original musi, featuring puest artists such as Paquito D’Riveral You will ‘= Adapt traditional percussion patterns to the drum set * Play dozens of Caribbean and South American ‘arooves with knowledge and swing Orchestrate each groove for diferent situations + Perlormadvanced concepts, suchas chart reading, transitions, and independence * Be prepared for many creative musieal situations, through knowledge of more styles and grealer mastery of drumming fundamentals ‘Mark Walker is 1 multiple-Crammy Award winning tartist, who is currently « member of Oregon and the Paquito D’Rivera Quintet, He is a professor of percussion at Berklee College of Music 2 sting ay ect ta pea te) ili herklee press “You doa’ have to be Austrian to play Mz, nl Mark Waker sstally adapting onlerpeney cadet 0, is the best example of assimilating aad suc celemenis of the most differing cultures to the o jazz langage, We've been togetber for 9 couple of and L ca thik of & mone versatile, useful, sn ll sro drummer. [a other words, Mask is my favorite! Asa music ‘educator, he aso Anas how 19 share his knowledge ins very nderstandale way. atu hat is what he gives you in this bok Paquito D'Rivera, Maes Grammy Winning Revurding Arist ‘Mark Walker is truly exceptional, Not only ishe ons of the mos 1 and intuitive viruoso om drums and percession that T played with, healsois extremely knowledgeable of the oes, tradition, anc] mechanies of various Latin music forms. that he performs, That he is also su adept a communicating the so ‘3 Wella he spi f the asic inthis Book sun eppuctuniy for salt take advantage of Ralph Towner, Grammy-nominated guiturs, pans, synthesis, composer, ECM reconlng artist and co-founder of Oregon “Mark Wath has that rare ability to sound comp sand seutive in ny setting and yet describe in great detail just whit it dong. Tis bok contains a great deal ofthat detail In World Jazz Devinesing, Mark demonstrates an encyclopedic inoaledge of the fisld he surveys storing not oly the specitics| ‘ofthe shsthmsinvulved ut prseiea, creative and always mosial ‘ays of pplng them.” Iyle Mays, Pianis/Composer {the Pat Metheny’ Group) ~Auniguely comprehensive lonkatcontemporary jazz dum ing ‘Samba, mmo, bait, chacarer, fesiejo, calypso and so mauch ook of wud ry thins. for us in tis Fantastic orl Herein this “one-stop shoppin “Kuds to Mark for putting ull wget book and CD," —toan Ramsty, Berklee Percussion Department Chair nd huthor of Art Blokey’s Face Messages and The Dranuners Complete Vocabulary ax Taoght by Alan Daveron “When T need a jizz drummer who ean play Afro-Caribbean, ‘Latin, and Brazilian grooves with a sal feeling of aut Teall Mark Walk, After nearly thsee hurled gies top Tknocked out by his musicality, etude, 1am contin presence of mind. Think the insights in this book apply tall ff us, and Cin sure deutimners will Find plenty of rusic in here Andy Navel, Stee! Pan Player/Bundlesder