Big Band Drumming part 3

BIG BAND DRUMMING PART 3

Last time we looked at some fundamentals of timekeeping in the big band rhythm section. Having discussed the ‘what’ and ‘how’ we should also give some consideration to the ‘why’.

What does timekeeping do in the big band? Why is comping helpful? What do fills do? Answer: they enable to horn players to play their figures in exactly the right places. Fills and solos within the context of a big band arrangement serve exactly the same purpose as keeping time on the cymbals. All that rhythmic information serves the purpose of maintaining the pulse and energy in the music. Your playing should have a rock solid foundation enabling you to control the band by means of time and dynamics. Fills and solos absolutely must have a strong, clear feeling of time. Don’t be tempted to throw in unnecessary and irrelevant chops, which only serve to muddy the waters.

One of the most important musical relationships in the big band is between drums and lead trumpet. You should pay very close attention to what the lead trumpet plays; not just for time, but also phrasing. When we play figures with the brass section our drumming should reflect what the horns are playing in two key areas. Firstly: articulation. When the horns play a short (staccato) note we should choose a sound which matches, e.g. snare, bass drum, rim shot, stick on stick, choked crash cymbal, closed hi hat etc.

If you they play a longer note, pick a longer sound, e.g. crash cymbal, ride cymbal, open hi hat, buzz roll etc.

When reading figures off charts it’s important to observe accents and articulation markings as well as note values. A quarter note with a ^ accent will almost always be played shorter than an eighth note with a > accent. These markings will help you to anticipate the phrasing of the ensemble is likely to be.

Very often drum charts may be a little short on markings indicating phrasing and articulation. As you rehearse each chart listen to what the band is playing and add accents and markings to help remember what the band is doing so you can match their figures accordingly. Always mark charts with pencil only. Use of ink may result in J K Simons style outbursts from your bandleader. Carry a 2B pencil in your stick bag. A real pro has a sharpener as well.

Secondly: dynamics and register. The drummer should always reflect the dynamics of the horn sections and importantly, the register in which they are playing. Be sure to read the dynamic markings as well as the rhythmic notation. Don’t play ‘ff’ (fortissimo = very loud) if everyone else is ‘mp’ (mezzo piano + moderately quiet). Lower pitches in the band should be matched with lower more subtle sound choices on the kit. E.g. the snare blends well with the trumpets, but trombones are better ‘pitch matched’ with the bass drum.

When the big band has rhythmic phrases to play it’s your task to ‘set up’ the figures.

There are all sorts of different rhythmic possibilities here, but certain of them are especially commonplace; none more so than the ‘and of 1’. Notated on the chart it will look like this.

On the accompanying video you’ll see me demonstrate this, and I’m using mostly swung eighth and triplet patterns, (and occasionally sixteenth notes) in varying sequences.

Practice these yourself and find combinations of single and double strokes, which fit the bill. Once you have evolved the sticking orchestrate it around the drums. The most common sequence of orchestration is snare, high tom, floor tom. Overused this can get to sound a little predictable. Try variations such as starting from the floor tom, going to the small tom and finishing on the snare. An ascending sequence of pitches can be a musical breath of fresh air. Often I’ll start on the snare, move to the small tom and come back to the snare. Again this resolves the phrase in a less predictable fashion. In short, don’t go and buy more toms until you’ve exploited all the tonal variations of a basic set of drums.

It’s unusual for an arranger to specify what we drummers are going to put where. That part is almost always up to you, and one of the hallmarks of a good, reading drummer is the ability to interpret rhythmic notation in a musical fashion. Don’t make the mistake of playing the entire line on the snare. That demonstrates good reading ability but can be lacking in musicality. A good big band drummer listens to what the other musicians are playing and should reflect melodic movement in the band. Just by sharing out a rhythmic line between the snare and bass drum you can create a melodic sense, which you won’t get from just using a single sound source.

One of the key tasks of the big band drummer is to be able to fill between figures. You will often find yourself with anything from a couple of beats to a number of bar to fill. These fills act as links in the music, which enable one ensemble phrase to be seamlessly connected to the next. Go for strong rhythmic figures which will bind the various sections of the music together rather than as much terminal velocity chops as you can squeeze into the available space.

You can see how each time I manage to come up with different permutations of rhythms, stickings and orchestrations, so rather than using muscle memory and playing licks I am genuinely improvising.

At our medium swing tempo a mixture of eighth notes and triplets would be ideal. A quarter note on the third beat of the bar immediately prior to the horns on the fourth beat will provide a clear and solid end to the fill, helping everybody to place the next phrase perfectly in time.

Remember that a change of dynamics, i.e. a crescendo or diminuendo through a fill can create musical tension and drama and really control the musical energy of the band.

Five key figures, 1950-1970s

Mel Lewis (1929-1990)

A constant favourite with musicians, Mel Lewis blended the subtlety of small group jazz with the fire and swing of the big band, most notably with the orchestra he co-led with trumpeter and composer Thad Jones. Lewis swung with intensity and depth of feeling that has seldom been equalled and his swing feel remains a benchmark and inspiration to all serious students of the genre. Calfskin heads and old, dark, Turkish K Zildjians helped him create his signature sound. Magnificently opinionated and outspoken, Mel was a man of great integrity who stayed true to his musical ideals throughout his entire career. A meeting with him in the USA in 1985 changed my direction when without being asked, he sat down at the drums and demonstrated his unique ride cymbal approach, which I promptly appropriated. The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra made its debut on Monday February 7th 1966 at the Village Vanguard in New York City, a weekly residency that the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra maintains to this day. Mel’s earlier work with the Terry Gibbs ‘Dream Band’ is also essential listening.

Key tracks

‘Mean What You Say’ (‘Presenting the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra’)

‘Cherry Juice’ (Thad Jones & Mel Lewis, ‘New Life’)

‘Blues in a Minute’ (Thad Jones and Mel Lewis, ‘Potpourri’)

Jake Hanna  (1931-2010)

The powerhouse drummer who most memorably fired up Woody Herman’s Herd in the early to mid 60’s, check out the Jazz 625 TV show on YouTube to see Hanna at his best. A swinging and driving player who had a level of versatility comparable to Mel Lewis in that he was at home with any combination from a trio to a big band, and whilst a more than capable soloist he totally eschewed chops of any kind in later years playing a two piece kit with a couple of ride cymbals. Following his tenure with Herman Jake spent many years in the LA studio scene and in his later career played jazz with small groups in preference to big bands. To spend time in Jake’s company was a pleasure. He had jokes and anecdotes about everybody and anybody in the business all delivered in his distinctive New England accent. A great musician and a huge personality both on stage and off.

Key tracks

‘Hallelujah Time’, (Woody Herman ’64)

‘Better Get it in Your Soul’ (Woody Herman ‘Encore’)

‘Apple Honey’ (Woody Herman, ‘Woody’s Big Band Goodies’)

Nick Ceroli (1939-1985)

First came to public attention as the ‘live’ drummer with Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. (Hal Blaine played on many of the band’s recordings, which were described by Buddy Rich as “almost good music”). Nick Ceroli was a constant presence on American television for many years as the drummer in Mort Lindsey’s house band on the Merv Griffin show. More importantly he maintained an active role on the jazz and big band scene in Southern California. There are terrific small band jazz recordings out there featuring Ceroli with saxophonists Art Pepper (‘Collections’) and Pete Christlieb (‘Live at Dino’s). Ceroli’s trademark in the big band rhythm section was his china cymbal, known as ‘the trash can’. You can hear him at his swinging best on four standout albums with Bob Florence’s big band in the late 70’s and early 80’s. Nick Ceroli passed away in 1985 at just 45 years of age.

Key tracks

‘Nobody’s Human’ (Bob Florence Limited Edition ‘Soaring’)

‘Rhythm and Blues’ (Bob Florence Limited Edition ‘Magic Time’)

Carmelo’s by the Freeway (Bob Florence big band ‘Westlake’)

Sonny Payne  (1926-1979)

Of all the great drummers of the ‘new testament’ Count Basie band, Sonny Payne was a driving, swinging, technically gifted player with few equals. Payne is often best remembered for his showmanship and stick tricks, but we shouldn’t be diverted from the ineluctable fact that he was a true master of the big band style who was entirely deserving of his place alongside the Buddys and Louies of this world. Check out the entire Atomic Mr Basie album and see how musical and understated he could be. The Basie band’s studio collaborations with Frank Sinatra are masterpieces too, although on the seminal Sinatra at the sands recording there are times when Sonny strays dangerously close to overplaying territory. For me one of the outstanding key elements of his style was his ability to make amazingly dramatic changes in dynamics in four or eight bar fills and really control the volume of the ensemble. That he was first choice as a permanent replacement when Buddy Rich left Harry James’ band in 1966 is indicative of the esteem in which he was rightfully held. Another giant who left far too soon.

Key tracks

‘Fantail’, (The Atomic Mr Basie)

‘Half Moon Street’, (Count Basie ‘Chairman of the Board’)

‘Counter Block’, (Count Basie ‘Breakfast Dance and Barbecue’)

Charlie Persip (1929-)

One of the few true giants still with us today, I first was introduced to Persip’s work at a very early age courtesy of a drum compilation vinyl LP. Immediately I was captivated by his sound and style, he was speaking the be bop language of Max Roach and Philly Joe Jones but combining it with speed, chops and stamina to rival Buddy Rich. In addition he had an amazing bass drum pedal technique and was able to achieve speed that many of his contemporaries required two bass drums to equal. Although attaining prominence primarily via his work with Dizzy Gillespie’s big band between 1955 and 58 he managed to avoid to all too frequent typecasting as ‘just a big band drummer’ (tell me about it!!) and recorded in small groups with a wide ranging and distinguished assortment of jazz stars of the era. A bandleader in his own right, Persip’s recordings with his own large and small groups are well worth seeking out.

Key tracks

‘The Champ’, (Dizzy Gillespie, ‘World Statesman’)

‘The Song is You’, (Charles Persip and the Jazz Statesmen)

‘Drum Solo’, (Gretsch Drum Night at Birdland)