The only good thing to come out of the loss has been the past week being absolutely filled with people posting Chick's music everywhere. A particular one that jumped out at me was this live video of a very early incarnation of Return to Forever. It's basically the first version of the band with Chick, Stanley Clarke, Joe Farrell, and Airto. Flora Purim is missing, though, and Bill Tragesser is on percussion behind a young Airto that we get to see on kit rather than his usual percussion setup. Those first two albums are my favorite version of the band, and some of my favorite Chick material period.
Friday, February 19, 2021
Dig This - Chick Corea and early Return to Forever, Live
The only good thing to come out of the loss has been the past week being absolutely filled with people posting Chick's music everywhere. A particular one that jumped out at me was this live video of a very early incarnation of Return to Forever. It's basically the first version of the band with Chick, Stanley Clarke, Joe Farrell, and Airto. Flora Purim is missing, though, and Bill Tragesser is on percussion behind a young Airto that we get to see on kit rather than his usual percussion setup. Those first two albums are my favorite version of the band, and some of my favorite Chick material period.
Friday, February 12, 2021
More tips on the Kiko Freitas-style samba
1. Don't be afraid of rebound. We're often fed the idea that we should be able to stroke out everything on a feather pillow. That's all very well and good, but that doesn't mean that we always should stroke everything out. The "syncopa" rhythm that Kiko plays in his left hand is imitating a few different instruments of the bateria, but mostly the repinique. Kiko points out that stylistically the repique is played with a group of three notes that come out of one motion, or throw of the stick. It's this rebound that actually creates that distinctive swing. So don't try to chop out each individual note. Throw the stick and let it do a lot of the work for you. Which brings me to my next point....
2. Don't think of the downbeat as your starting point. Initiate the motion on the last 16th note of the rhythm. So, rather than thinking "1ea, 2ea", think "a1e, a2e". Again, this will strengthen that characteristic swing feel.
Here is the whole interview. They had some technical difficulties, but it's worth sticking it out as they share some great information.
Friday, February 05, 2021
Marcio Bahia RLL sticking
It's pretty much the same principal as my 3-5-7 exercise, in which you play odd groupings over duple meter. But as I said back then, resist the urge to think of this as 3/16 or 3/8 over 4/4 or 2/4. Just think in whatever meter the groove is in and play 16th notes with a RLL sticking in your hands.
Marcio takes this concept a step further by incorporating accents. Once you're comfortable with placing accents on each part of the sticking you can play some common rhythms that accompany the foot parts. The RLL sticking will give you some interesting orchestrations of those rhythms if you leave your right hand on the hi-hat or ride, and your left hand on the snare and/or toms. From there you can/should improvise with both the accent placements and the voicings around the kit.
Wednesday, February 03, 2021
You Be the Drummer - Christian McBride, "Fingerpainting"
Friday, January 29, 2021
Solo Transcription - Gaylord Birch, "Yes We Can Can" live
Tuesday, January 26, 2021
Transcription - Gaylord Birch, "Yes We Can Can"
Fast forward a few years and my buddy from college, Steve Bidwell, posted about Gaylord on his blog, which reminded my that I had never finished this post. Long story short, here we are. Gaylord is killer, there's a cool transcription below, and you should also check out Steve's blog.
Saturday, January 23, 2021
Broken air conditioner snare drum solo
Thursday, January 21, 2021
Steve Jordan practice loops
Friday, January 08, 2021
A Jazz Drummer's Listening List
Bebop/Hard bop
Clifford Brown and Max Roach
Clifford Brown and Max Roach
Art Blakey
Moanin’
We Three
We Three
Miles Davis
Workin’
Cookin’
Steamin’
Relaxin’
Milestones
Bag’s Groove
Kind of Blue
Dizzy Gillespie
The Giant
Sonny Side Up
Art Pepper
Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section
Art Pepper +11
Thelonios Monk
Monk’s Dream
Brilliant Corners
Hank Mobley
Soul Station
Roll Call
No Room for Squares
Wynton Kelly
Smokin’ at the Half Note
Wes Montgomery
Full House
Ahmad Jamal
Live at the Pershing
John Coltrane
Blue Trane
Giant Steps
Bill Evans
Everybody Digs Bill Evans
Sonny Rollins
Way Out West
Saxophone Colossus
Freedom Suite
Oscar Peterson
Affinity
“Modern” - 60s, 70s, early 80s
Miles Davis
Four & More
My Funny Valentine
ESP
Miles Smiles
Nefertiti
Filles de Kilimanjaro
In a Silent Way
Bitches Brew
McCoy Tyner
The Real McCoy
Ornette Coleman
The Shape of Jazz to Come
John Coltrane
A Love Supreme
Herbie Hancock
Maiden Voyage
Empyrean Isles
Cecil Taylor
Conquistador
Joe Henderson
Inner Urge
The Kicker
Kenny Dorham
Una Mas
Eric Dolphy
Out To Lunch
Chick Corea
Now He Sings Now He Sobs
Return to Forever
Light As A Feather
Keith Jarrett
Standards vol 1 & 2
Changes
Dave Holland
Conference of the Birds
Pat Metheny
Bright Size Life
80/81
Question & Answer
Wayne Shorter
Night Dreamer
Speak No Evil
Wynton Marsalis
Standard Time vol. 1
Larry Young
Unity
Bill Evans
Sunday at the Village Vanguard
Trio 64
Trio 65
Waltz for Debby