Good jazz books

While it's good and entertaining to refresh your ears with new music, you should also consider listening to a single album for an extended time period, say, a week. Getting really intimate with a few tunes will, in my opinion, benefit you more than listening to a whole bunch of different material. As you get familiar with the performances, you start picking up new details and nuances you previously didnt'n know existed, thus giving you more enjoyment and appreciation for the music.

It's the same as with practicing: you can't work on something just for a day and expect lasting results.
I have some records which I listen to again and again. Jeff Tain Watts "Bar Talk" for example. and some of the Dave Kikoski stuff. I just find jazz drummers that I like and search up spotify for their discographies.
 
While it's good and entertaining to refresh your ears with new music, you should also consider listening to a single album for an extended time period, say, a week. Getting really intimate with a few tunes will, in my opinion, benefit you more than listening to a whole bunch of different material. As you get familiar with the performances, you start picking up new details and nuances you previously didnt'n know existed, thus giving you more enjoyment and appreciation for the music.

It's the same as with practicing: you can't work on something just for a day and expect lasting results.

I agree

when I first fell in love with jazz I would listen to the same record every day for a month or more......just couldn't stop listening to certain tunes.

I still do that

right now Art Blakey - A Night At Birdland Vol. 1 has been on my turntable for at least a week ....just can't take it off
 
So, jazz drummers I'm studying/watching now: John Riley(obviously), Bill Stewart, Alan Dawson, Ari Hoenig and Jeff "Tain" Watts. Any more drummers I should pay close attention to?
 
So, jazz drummers I'm studying/watching now: John Riley(obviously), Bill Stewart, Alan Dawson, Ari Hoenig and Jeff "Tain" Watts. Any more drummers I should pay close attention to?

These are great players you list!

Be sure to check out the John Riley recommendations as well listed in his books.

Not sure who you've been but there are so many it's crazy. It's a life long process but without no exceptions these should and must be on your list if you haven't already:

- Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers. This was considered the Hard Bop Academy. Almost all the monsters came from here.
- Philly Joe Jones
- Elvin Jones
- Billy Higgns
- Roy Haynes
- Tony Williams
- Max Roach

There's years of potential listening wrapped up with each of these masters.

Other names: Al Foster, Jack DeJohnette, Charlie Persip, Winard Harper, Herlin Rliey, Harold Jones, Jeff Hamilton...............
 
I quick update: I've decided to start learning trad grip, because it feels better and is more dynamic. My teacher noted that my left hand comping sounded a bit "sterile" and "clinical" when i was playing/comping with american/french grip(especially when I was playing from notation). I will probably only use the trad when playing jazz and jazzy-type stuff and use french when I need something more loud/explosive.
 
I quick update: I've decided to start learning trad grip, because it feels better and is more dynamic. My teacher noted that my left hand comping sounded a bit "sterile" and "clinical" when i was playing/comping with american/french grip(especially when I was playing from notation). I will probably only use the trad when playing jazz and jazzy-type stuff and use french when I need something more loud/explosive.

I think that is great Thaard

I know you are an advanced player and have a good jazz teacher so I am confident that you will develop this properly and affectively

if I have one bit of advice it would be to be sure you develop that thumb and being able to control the stick with it ....even without using any wrist motion

I have found in my years of playing trad grip that this has helped me greatly...... especially with soft strokes used in comping , particularly at up tempos
 
I quick update: I've decided to start learning trad grip, because it feels better and is more dynamic. My teacher noted that my left hand comping sounded a bit "sterile" and "clinical" when i was playing/comping with american/french grip(especially when I was playing from notation). I will probably only use the trad when playing jazz and jazzy-type stuff and use french when I need something more loud/explosive.

I am the last person to tell anyone what grip to use, but I think this is a worthwhile endeavor. Jazz comping really presents a unique challenge to the left hand that I find trad grip is perfectly suited for. YMMV. Good luck and keep us posted.
 
thanks for the feedback guys. Yeah, I'm watching jojo mayers dvd atm and practicing the thumb and index+middle finger. I'll hopefully get to record some jazz playalongs soon
 
A HUGE "Thank You" to Anthony Amodeo for "The Inner Game of Tennis" tip.......I went out, bought it and read it cover to cover. VERY cool. An eye opener.

(See below for Anthony's advice re-pasted)

I just thought of this ......have you ever read the book...The Inner Game Of Tennis by Timothy Gallwey ?

I highly recommend it

it is not a jazz book obviously ....but deals with the mental aspect of tennis which he calls the "inner game" and everyones very critical "self 1" and our instinctual "self 2"

any time you read the word "tennis" think "drummming" ....and anytime you read the word "racket" think "stick"......

it is quite amazing what you can find out about yourself in this book and I recommend it to not only any drummer.....but any musician, athlete, teacher, lawyer, policman,.....whatever......it applies to anyone with a passion to do what they love to do ...

check it out ....it will indeed help with your quest to properly learn jazz....I promise

here is a bit of a summary on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUdTxXkecr8
 
A HUGE "Thank You" to Anthony Amodeo for "The Inner Game of Tennis" tip.......I went out, bought it and read it cover to cover. VERY cool. An eye opener.

(See below for Anthony's advice re-pasted)

I just thought of this ......have you ever read the book...The Inner Game Of Tennis by Timothy Gallwey ?

I highly recommend it

it is not a jazz book obviously ....but deals with the mental aspect of tennis which he calls the "inner game" and everyones very critical "self 1" and our instinctual "self 2"

any time you read the word "tennis" think "drummming" ....and anytime you read the word "racket" think "stick"......

it is quite amazing what you can find out about yourself in this book and I recommend it to not only any drummer.....but any musician, athlete, teacher, lawyer, policman,.....whatever......it applies to anyone with a passion to do what they love to do ...

check it out ....it will indeed help with your quest to properly learn jazz....I promise

here is a bit of a summary on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUdTxXkecr8

you are welcome and I am glad you enjoyed it and found it useful
 
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