Jazz Drumming Essentials and More

Mat Marucci

Mar 2012 · Mel Bay Publications

About this eBook

This book is designed for the drummer who has had some experience playing other styles of music but has a desire to learn some techniques and styles of jazz. It is assumed the reader has a knowledge of notes, measures or bars, time signatures, musical notation, and drum notation. A knowledge of the drum rudiments is also desirable. Though the book is meant as an overview to teach basic and essential jazz techniques, it will take someone who is willing to put in the time and practice from being a total jazz novice to the level of being a competent drummer in the jazz idiom. In addition to learning the essential knowledge required to play jazz, the student will also accomplish many intermediate and advanced techniques. I should note that I wrote this book EXACTLY as I teach jazz drumming techniques in my private lessons. This system has been developed and refined over the years and has given excellent, proven results that have produced some fine drummers, many of whom went on to build careers playing and teaching jazz. I am hoping that this book will inspire the reader and student to delve further into the jazz idiom and develop his or her technique and knowledge to the highest level. And even if the student goes no further in the jazz idiom, I am confident that the book will open doors to other avenues that the drums can take and will be benefit the reader in any style of music he or she chooses to play.

About the author

Mat Marucci is an active performer, author, educator, and clinician listed in Who's Who in America, International Who's Who in Music (Cambridge, England) and the Institute of Jazz Studies (Rutgers University). His performing credits include jazz greats Jimmy Smith, Kenny Burrell, James Moody, Eddie Harris, Buddy DeFranco, Les McCann, Pharoah Sanders, and John Tchicai among others. Mat has numerous critically acclaimed recordings to his credit as a leader and others as a sideman, including those with John Tchicai and Jimmy Smith, and is also the author of several books on drumming for both Lewis Music and Mel Bay Publications. His recordings and books have garnered four and five star reviews in Jazz Times, Jazziz, Modern Drummer, Downbeat and Drum! magazines and have also received nominations for awards. Additionally, Mat has written numerous articles on drumming for Modern Drummer and Downbeat magazines and for the Percussive Arts Society's Percussive Notes and Percussion News. He has also been an adjunct faculty member for both American River College (Sacramento, California) and The Jazzschool (Berkeley, California) and is an endorser for Zildjian cymbals, Remo drumheads, and Vic Firth drumsticks.