Inside the Big Band Drum Chart

Steve Fidyk

Jul 2015 · Mel Bay Publications

About this ebook

Inside the Big Band Drum Chart is a first of its kind drum method that uses traditional and contemporary arrangements performed by a 17 piece jazz ensemble as the vehicle to study beats, musical form, ensemble phrasing, articulation, and interpretation. For each arrangement, there is 'talk through' information explaining how the composition is played as well as transcriptions of key beats and melodic information that connects the 'written drum part' to the music.

The 248 page book includes online access to a 2.5 hour audio recording and an hour long video demonstrating every exercise in the text. Also included are anecdotes and interviews with legendary big band drummers and arrangers such as Louie Bellson, Jake Hanna, Phil Wilson, Mark Taylor and Bob Curnow.audio/video.

About the author

Jazz drummer, author, and educator Steve Fidyk has toured and recorded with Maureen McGovern,

New York Voices, Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer, The Capitol Bones, The Taylor/Fidyk Big Band, an

ensemble he co-leads with Stan Kenton arranger Mark Taylor, and is currently the drummer with the

Army Blues Jazz Ensemble from Washington D.C.

As a leader, Fidyk’s discography includes: Big Kids (U.S. Roots), A Perfect Match (Write Groove),

and Live at Blues Alley (OA2) and can be heard on over 50 recordings as a contributing artist.

As an educator, Fidyk has authored: The Drum Set SMART Book, Inside the Big Band Drum Chart, Jazz

Drum Set Independence 3/4, 4/4, and 5/4 Time Signatures, and an instructional DVD entitled Set Up and

Play! For information on these methods, please visit www.melbay.com.

He has also recorded over 75 jazz play-along volumes for the Hal Leonard Corporation and

contributed drum transcriptions to Drum Standards and Peter Erskine’s The Drum Perspective.

Fidyk has served on the faculty at Wilkes University, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, George Mason

University and The University of Maryland and is presently a member of the jazz faculty at Temple

University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He holds a Masters Degree in Jazz Studies from the University

of Maryland and a Bachelors in Music Education from Wilkes University.

Steve Fidyk plays Ludwig Drums, Zildjian Cymbals, Vater Drumsticks, Remo Drumheads, DW

Pedals, and Latin Percussion products.