The Jazz Drummer's Reading Workbook

Tom Morgan

General Info

Year: 2010
Edition: 1st Edition
Publisher: C. Alan
Cost: Book Cost - $0.00   |   Supplemental Books - $0.00

Overview

Morgan, Tom. The Jazz Drummer’s Reading Workbook. Greensboro, North Carolina: C. Alan Publications, 2002.

This book explains how jazz drummers have to read rhythmic figures, improvise, play with good technique, and play parts that compliment what the rest of the ensemble is playing. All of this can be difficult to accomplish without an ensemble to play along with, so this workbook provides sequential exercises that gradually add new figures and a CD to play along with. The CD allows the drummer to hear a professional play, listen to what he does, and then play along with him.

Chapters

Table of Contents
Introduction
Time and Instrumentation
Fills
Developing Jazz/Swing Fills
Downbeat Figures- Short Sounds
Downbeat Figures- Long Sounds
Downbeat Etudes
THE DOWNBEAT BLUES
Upbeat Figures- Short Sounds
Upbeat Figures-Short Sound Etudes
Upbeat Figures-Long Sounds
Upbeat Figures- Long Sound Etudes
Upbeat Figures-Short and Long Etudes
Upbeat and Downbeat- Short and Long Etudes
OUT OF THE FOG
More Ensemble Figures
SIGN OF THE TIMES
Linear Patterns
NATHAN’S NUMBER
Hemiola Patterns
THE BEAST’S DEBACLE
Discography
Combo Charts- Information

Reviews

Student Reviews

I think this book is very useful because it has a CD to play along to. The first track has the professional play and the drummer can listen and then the second track has the band without the drums so the drummer can do it on their own. This book is for someone who already knows the basics in music. For example, I know how to play drum set and read music, but I don’t know much about jazz and this book would be helpful to understand what the jazz drummer is supposed to do. It doesn’t spell everything out for the student though, it’s more of material that will help the understanding of it all.
Rating: I
Review by Ashley Feist

Works for Percussion by this Author

Morgan, Tom. A Sequential Approach to Fundamental Snare Drum. Greensboro, NC: C. Allan Publications, 2002.
Morgan, Tom. A Sequential Approach to Rudimental Snare Drum. Greensboro, NC: C. Allan Publications, 2003.
Morgan, Tom. The Jazz Drummer's Reading Workbook. Greensboro, NC: C. Allan Publications, 2010.