Pedro Ahets - Diggin' Into the Source

A wonderful new jazz drumming book showed up in my inbox the other day. Argentinian jazz drummer Pedro Ahets has compiled an impressive collection of 65 drum transcriptions, featuring solos by iconic jazz drummers such as Art Blakey, Art Taylor, Billy Higgins, Louis Hayes, Max Roach and many, many more.

Pedro was nice enough to take some time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions about his new book.

Pedro Ahets - Diggin' Into the Source

1. Tell us all about your new book! What is it all about and what are the goals of your text?

"Diggin' Into the Source" is a compilation of drum solos that I’ve transcribed over the course of the past eight years.

My objective in transcribing drum solos was to discover and understand how those phrases were constructed and how they relate to each other. Also, I wanted to analyze the common threads and differences between different drummers, highlighting the subtleties of each one’s style, and what makes each one unique. The solo selections were based on the drummers that inspire me.


2. What was the motivation and inspiration for putting this together?

I was motivated by my desire to understand the musical language within each solo, and to search out ways to incorporate it in my own playing. I’m also fascinated by the ways in which the masters of the instrument used rudiments to construct and combine their phrases in order to develop a powerful musical statement.


3. How do you recommend students and teachers approach working through this?

I recommend memorizing the solos, phrase by phrase. Feel the balance and the identity of each phrase, and then learn the next one.

It’s also important to disassemble each phrase, re-orchestrate it, stretch it, and shrink it. Try to find what you like, and if you find something good, keep it, repeat it and try to improvise with it.


4. What future book projects do you have in mind?

I think I'm going to do an exercise book based on the solos or maybe a compilation of comping transcriptions.

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Learn more about Pedro, his wonderful book and his music at his website www.pedroahets.com

You can also contact and order his book from him directly at pedroahets1@gmail.com

Jazz Truth: Herlin Riley

Thanks to frequent Four on the Floor contributor and CJSW Jazz Today radio program host Tim Mah for sharing this great interview with Herlin Riley.

I've borrowed the title of today's blog post Jazz Truth from pianist George Colligan's wonderful blog of the same name which, unfortunately, hasn't been updated in some time.

However, I used this as so because I think it's really important to acknowledge the wisdom that Masters such as Herlin Riley share with us.

Check out this insightful interview with Herlin Riley and Stanton Moore:

I'm also reminded of something I once heard Kenny Washington say: Watch, Listen and Learn

As always, when the Masters speak...we listen.

Incidentally, I also recently subscribed to Stanton Moore's on-line Drum Academy and look forward to digging into a wealth of material to practice in the year to come.

Mel Lewis and Big Band Drums

Thanks to Paul Wells and Jess Birch of the Good Hands Drum Shop in New York City for sharing this wonderful piece featuring Mel Lewis' custom made maple Pearl drum set:

I've been playing a lot of big band drums lately this Fall, rehearsing and performing regularly with Calgary's 9th Avenue Big Band, the new edition of the former Prime Time Big Band, that was directed by the late Dave Jones.

I've played with a lot of big bands over the years, basically since I even started playing the drum set and jazz music, going way back to high school and all the way through university. While it's not what I do exclusively, it is something that I really enjoy and has provided me many opportunities over the years. 

As I get older, I really think that Mel Lewis is likely my favourite drummer when it comes to big band drums. Whenever I find myself in New York City on a Monday evening, I make sure that I'm at the Village Vanguard to catch John Riley with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra

I've checked out a lot of Basie over the years and all the drummers that drove that band back in the day (including Sonny Payne, Harold Jones, Rufus "Speedy" Jones, Butch Miles, Dennis Mackrel, Jo Jones, etc.). Louie Bellson, Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa were also the first jazz drummers I heard and that caught my attention before I discovered the likes of Max Roach, Art Blakey, Elvin Jones, Roy Haynes, etc. 

I also have to thank Chuck Dotas, Gordon Foote, Brent Ghiglione, Hugh Fraser, Dean McNeill, Dave Jones and Bob Moyer who directed many of the bands I played in over the years and introduced me to a lot of different big band music that demanded a variety of specific ways of playing. I enjoy the challenge of playing with a larger ensemble and I consider it a privilege to play in a good band on a regular, weekly basis.  

Anyways, here's a few favourite clips of Mel Lewis to check out including a link to masterclass with Mel at North Texas State Univeristy circa. 1983:

https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1553310/m1/

And here's an older one that I've shared before, a great lesson from Christopher Smith on Mel Lewis' "Rub-a-Dub" phrase. Make sure to check out Smith's fantastic book The View from the Back of the Band - The Life and Music of Mel Lewis

Tony Williams!

A recent Facebook exchange with drummers Brooke Sofferman and Eric McKinley Thompson regarding the recent release of certain Miles Davis recordings from his performances in France 1963-64 prompted me to revisit another track that caught my attention some time ago.

I look forward to checking out these new discoveries, however it seems some of them might have appeared on an earlier collection that Columbia re-released around 2007-2008 as well.

I remember this as I was studying with Terry Clarke in Toronto at the time and he played me this particularly interesting and previously unreleased version of Bye Bye (the theme) recorded in Antibes circa. 1963 (originally part of the concert released as Miles in Europe).

Check out this extended version of their set closer which features a brilliant solo from Tony Williams, including moments of him improvising over Ron Carter's walking bass line:

 

I thought that was pretty hip when I first heard it and it still blows my mind today!

Anyways, here's a few more great Tony Williams solos for some inspiration:

Hey does anyone know how I can watch this documentary Tony Williams in Africa (1973) ???

https://web.library.yale.edu/film/news/nfpf2020

Roy! Haynes!

A few days late here with this blog post as I've been preoccupied lately, finishing up an impending grant application due imminently (fun times...)

The great Roy Haynes passed away last week at the age of 99 and I just wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the legacy of this great musician.

Roy Haynes was a prolific jazz drummer who's career spanned decades, playing with the likes of Louis Armstrong, Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk, Sarah Vaughn, John Coltrane, Chick Corea, Stan Getz, Pat Metheny and so many, many more.

Haynes, affectionately know as "Snap Crackle", was an icon who lifted the bandstand with his uncompromising and unique style and personality, on and off the drums.

Lenny White has often referred to the Magnificent Seven, a distinguished club of the greatest of the greats that includes Kenny Clarke, Max Roach, Art Blakey, Philly Joe Jones, Elvin Jones, Tony Williams and, of course, Roy Haynes. Haynes was the last of these Titans among us and now he's gone. I feel a great sense of duty to up hold the high level of musical integrity that these artists set for the rest of us.

I was fortunate to see Haynes perform on numerous occasions, notably with his Fountain of Youth and Birds of a Feather bands. Probably my most memorable memory of hearing Roy play was a mind-blowing duet with Kenny Garrett on Charlie Parker's My Little Suede Shoes at the Blue Note in New York City circa. November 2001 (sitting in the front row, in front of Haynes' glittering Yamaha drums of course, with my friend and bassist Solon McDade). 

I also shared a brief 60 second elevator ride with Roy Haynes at an IAJE convention when I was 18 years old. I knew he was going to be at the conference so I kept my CD liner notes to Now He Sings, Now He Sobs in my back pocket in case I had the opportunity for an autograph. The liner notes were well worn, crumpled and bent out of shape by the time I stepped in that elevator but Mr. Haynes kindly obliged and I got my autograph.

I distinctly remember when and where I was when I first heard Roy Haynes on record. After I heard his intro to Solar from Question & Answer with Pat Metheny and Dave Holland, played over loud speakers in my high school band room, I was hooked. I've never heard or played the drums the same since then.

Thank you Mr. Haynes for your lifetime of music.

Here's a few articles that have been making the rounds lately:

• Rembering Roy Haynes with Adam Nussbaum from UK Jazz News

• Wonderful commentary from Vinnie Sperrazza's Substack Chronicles including a wonderfully curated playlist to listen to

• Obituaries from NPR's Ben Ratliff and the New York Times's Nate Chinen

• Todd Bishop's thoughts on Roy Haynes via his always excellent blog Cruiseship Drummer

• Three great columns from Ethan Iverson including Farewell to Roy Haynes, John Coltrane and Roy Haynes and Roy Haynes and the Piano Trio (great commentary and insight from Billy Hart here too!)

• Ted Gioa on Roy Haynes

Here's a few of my favourites clips of Roy Haynes that I often watch for some inspiration (feel free to offer your favourites as well...):