The Evolution of Western Drumming Cheatsheet 1).

Origins in Africa All modern rhythms can be traced back to their roots in civilizations thousands of years old. The rhythms and the drums that play them served many functions: from communication between peaceful or warring states (the low drums in Ghana, the Mridangam in India), religious ceremonies, and aggrandized mating rituals. BEMBE- A rhythm in 6/8 originating from West Africa whose inuence can be heard in contemporary western music, from Jazz, R&B, even Top 40, not to mention much of the music of Latin America. Cuban music in particular utilizes the bembe in a highly authentic and complex way. BEMBE: |6 |8 OR |6 |8 1 D e + D a 2 D e D | + | a D 3 e D + a | D | 1 D trip let D 2 trip D let D | 3 | trip D let 4 D trip let | D |

The DNA of contemporary western music is inscribed heavily with rhythmic information from West Africa as a result of the enslavement and forced transportation of many of its peoples to the New World in the 16th through the 19th century. The intermingling of African rhythms and melodies (as well as those of indigenous Americans), and European instruments and harmony formed the music we call jazz. 2). Migration to Latin America and North America A) Latin America There are two notes within Bembe that can be removed. The remaining notes make up the core of the Bembe rhythm and account for its feeling. In Afro-Cuban music (as well as other forms of Latin Music) this is referred to as the Clave, or Key. 6/8 CLAVE |6 |8 OR |6 |8 1 D e + D a 2 D e | | + a D 3 e D + a | | 1 D trip let D 2 trip let D | 3 | trip D let 4 D trip let | |

The clave can also can be played in 2/4 duple time (often the rhythm sits somewhere between these two subdivisions). The rumba clave represents the duplitization of the 6/8 bembe "clave". These Claves can be written in two four time. You will notice that the rst measure has three hits, while the second measure has only two. Its therefore called 3/2 clave. 3/2 RUMBA CLAVE: |2 |4 1 D e + a D 2 e + a | 3 D | e + D a 4 D e + a| |

The son clave is another common 2/4 variant on bembe. You can hear it in Montuno, and Cha cha. 3/2 SON CLAVE: |2 |4 1 D e + a D 2 e + D a | 3 | e + D a 4 D e + a| |

Either of these patterns may be reversed depending on the melody of the tune. The result:

2/3 RUMBA CLAVE: |2 |4 1 e + D a 2 D e + a | 3 | D e + a D 4 e + a | D |

2/3 SON CLAVE: |2 |4 1 e + D a 2 D e + a | 3 | D e + a D 4 e + D a | |

B) North America Congo square in New Orleans is famous as the original melting pot of European and African musics. Driven by fear of slave revolts, laws were passed forbidding blacks from playing traditional African instruments. They were, however, permitted to play European marching band instruments. Hence the original of whats some times called the New Orleans Street beat or New Orleans Feel. Notice the rhythmic similarity to the duplitized bembe "clave" (3/2 son/rumba clave). "New Orleans Feel" (swung 8ths) |4 |4 1 D + 2 + D 3 + 4 D + | 1 | + 2 D + 3 D + 4 +| |

This rhythm was played in march step with large bands. Snare drummers would play embellishments to these rhythms, and the bass drum played both unison and counterpoint. Cymbals often were played on 2 and 4. 3). Traps kits, Swing, and Bebop The emergence of the bass drum pedal in the early 20th century gave additional freedom (and responsibility) to drummers. These kits were used most often in Vaudeville acts, army bands as well as early swing bands, and had a contraption to hold wood blocks, and other miscellaneous percussion. Contraption was shortened to traps as slang. The thirties saw the emergence of the high hat pedal (or sock cymbal). Early jazz drummers played their beats between the sock cymbal snare drum and bass drum. By the forties, drummers such as Kenny Clarke began moving the focus of the groove to the ride cymbal playing embellishments on the following pattern. Jazz Ride Cymbal Pattern (swung 8ths) |4 1 + 2 + |4 D D D

3 D

4 D

+ D

| 1 | D

2 D

+ D

3 D

4 D

+| D|

At this point the bembe clave itself seems to have outwardly disappeared. But its essence has permeated the jazz feel. The rolling triplet eighth note character to the ride cymbal pattern could just as easily be expressed in 6/8 |6 |8 1 D trip let 2 D trip let D | 3 | D trip let 4 D trip let | D |

GLOSSARY OF ESSENTIAL TERMS Grid: A way of visualizing the different subdivisions occurring in a piece of music. Duple Time - a way of counting and feeling time based on subdivisions divisible by two, such as Eighth notes (two beats per quarter note) Sixteenth Notes (four beats per quarter note) Triplet Time- A way of counting and feeling time based on subdivisions divisible by three such as Eighth note triplets (three beats per quarter note) Sixteenth Note Triplets (six beats per quarter note) Straight Eighths- Eighth notes that equal exactly one half of a quarter note. Each eighth note is equal in duration Swung Eighths- A short hand way of writing a kind of eighth note that falls within the triplet grid. Eighth notes that fall on the beat are equal to two eighth note triplets in duration, while eighth notes off the beat are equal to one eighth note triplet. The resultant rhythm has a lilt to it. It can be counted One (trip) Let Two (trip) let Three (trip) let Four (trip) let (parenthesis silent).

CATALOG OF MY FAVORITE DRUMMERS Warren "Baby" Dodds - King Oliver, Jelly Roll morton, Louis Armstrong Sonny Greer- Duke Ellington Papa Jo Jones - Count Basie Kenny Clarke Sonny Payne - Count Basie Orchestra Philly Joe Jones - Miles Davis Roy Haynes - John Coltrane, Chick Corea, Oliver Nelson Max Roach - Sonny Rollins, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker Art Blakey - Art Blakey and the Jazz Messangers Gene Krupa - Himself, Benny Goodman Ed Thigpen - Oscar Peterson Elvin Jones - John Coltrane, Joe Henderson, Hank Jones, Thad Jones Tony WIlliams - Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock Jack Dejohnette - Miles Davis, Keith Jarrett Buddy Rich - The Buddy Rich Band Greg Hutchinson - Joe Henderson Jeff Tain Watts - Wynton Marsallis, Branford Marsallis Eric Harland - SF jazz collective Brian Blade - Wayne Shorter, Joshua Redman Ringo Starr - The Beatles Mitch Mitchell - Jimi Hendrix John Bonham - Led Zeppelin Keith Moon - The Who Clyde Stubbleeld - James Brown Changuito - Inventor of Songo Tito Puente - Tito Puente Orchestra Pedrito Martinez - Pedrito Martinez Group Jamey Haddad - Paul Simon, Steven Shehaan Ignacio Berroa - Dizzy Gillespie David Garibaldi - Tower of Power Steve Gadd - Paul Simon, Steely Dan, Everybody Vinnie Colaiuta - Frank Zappa, Herbie Hancock, Everybody Bernard Purdie - Everybody ?uestlove - The Roots Changuito