The Ten Must-Have

Grooves for your

Rhythm Section

Barb Catlin
CASMEC Conference - 2/2013

1. Two-feel swing:
Main focus:
Pulse centered around half notes.
Good for use on A sections of AABA form or for first part of
tune to break up the 4 feels.
DRUMS:
Hi-hat on 2 & 4 w/ ride in half note patterns.
Little to no comping on snare.
BASS:
Copies pattern on ride cymbal.
Bass walks a few measures here & there-usually at end of
phrases.
PIANO/GUITAR:
comp in elongated figures. Be the harmonic pad not too
busy.
GUITAR:
Freddie Green (four on the floor) works on slower to medium
tempos

Drums can do a hi-hat figure as variation:

2. Four-feel swing:
Main focus:
Quarter note groove!
Bassist and drummer are best-friends with the quarter note!
DRUMS:
Focus on quarter notes on ride. Spang-a-lang is secondary to
groove!
Cross-stick on 4.
Variation: cross-stick on 4 - next measure toms on 4+
Never comp with cross-stick.
Variation: Can free comp on open snare.
Always save 2 & 4 (open or cross-stick) to drive the band. Use
sparingly.
No (or VERY light) feathering( four on the floor) on bass drum.
Change cymbals for color and phrase highlights.
BASS:
Walks. Line up with ride cymbal.
PIANO/GUITAR:
Piano/guitar comp with elongated, simple figures combined with
shorter patterns.
Compers should use space, especially on faster tempos.
Always anticipate the chords; dont get behind in the changes.
Trade off comping for soloists. Stay with soloist for duration
dont change every chorus.
GUITAR:
only use Freddie Green on appropriate tunes and tempos (like
a Basie tune!), otherwise can get vertical, especially on fast
tempos.
Piano and guitar CAN comp together-one using pads (simple and
elongated rhythmic patterns) and one using sparse, rhythmic
patterns.
Play the quarter note game: Have the bassist look at the
drummers ride cymbal where the stick hits; have the drummer look at
the bassists pulling hand. Have the bassist play random quarter notes
(or blues or rhythm changes) and vary the tempo widely and have the
drummer follow where they place the quarter notes exactly using only
quarter notes on the ride. Have them switch roles. Then have them
close their eyes to do the same. Finally, go back to whatever tune you
are working on they will be tuned into the quarter note by now!

Listen:
Kind of Blue by Miles Davis with Jimmy Cobb (drums) & Paul
Chambers (bass) or anything with Jimmy Cobb!
Soul Station by Hank Mobley with Art Blakey (drums) & Paul
Chambers (bass)
Watch: Miles Davis & John Coltrane: So What
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1hT2u1jwcs

3. Jazz Shuffle
Main focus:
4 feel swing with triplets highlighted-still quarter notes!
Strong backbeat feel on 2 & 4
DRUMS:
Communicate triplet feel with hi-hat or snare.
Mix up the shuffle pattern with straight ahead 4 feel especially
on solos.
BASS:
Bass walks as in 4 same as 4 feel swing.
PIANO/GUITAR:
Piano/guitar comp to highlight triplets
Lay into repetitive patterns to groove

Variation for drums: Ride cymbal with quarters/spang-a-lang, triplets

on snare:

Listen/watch: Youtube video: Drums Steve Gadd Shuffle groove

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4ABE9gcKao

4. Bossa Nova (medium tempo Brazilian groove)

Main focus:
Brazilian feel of light, acoustic guitar comping
Think sixteenth notes on a shaker -Dance-like!
DRUMS:
Ride or hi-hat pattern eighth notes
cross-stick on snare with Brazilian rhythm 2 bar pattern.
Kick drum: half note-emphasis on 1 & 3-Surdo drum
BASS:
Bass centered around half-note pulse with kick drum
Accent beat 3.
PIANO/GUITAR:
Piano comp using Bossa rhythm (cross-stick pattern) or longer
duration patterns
GUITAR:
Guitar comps cross-stick pattern lightly
Plucked chords is traditional

Heres another common Bossa 2 bar rhythm:

5. Samba (faster tempo Brazilian groove)

Main focus:
Emphasis on 1 & 3-especially 3!
Light-not heavy -Dance-like!
DRUMS:
Emphasis on 1 and 3-especially 3
Snare and ride play samba pattern-start w/ unison then add
Light and low
BASS:
Bass centered around half-note pulse w/ kick drum-beat 3!
PIANO:
Piano comps within the same snare pattern (agogo) w/ drums
And/or elongated pads while guitar plays rhythmically
GUITAR:
Guitar comps snare pattern (or long duration patterns)
Plucked and light chords
PERCUSSION: Bossa & Samba:
Shakers and triangle, not congas or cowbell light
Samba: Pandeiro, Tamborim, Cuica, Agogo
Look it up DO NOT GUESS!
Important Brazilian percussion roles:

(Samba continued) Good starter samba-unison in hands for drums:

Have drummers play these with any two voices/percussion and

piano/guitar comp same pattern:
Ex.1

Ex. 2

Ex. 3

Ex. 4

More challenging patterns for drummers:

6. Ballad
Main focus:
longer durations & space
Beautiful, expressive sounds; not boring!
Round/horizontal, not vertical
DRUMS:
Use variety of patterns with brushes, mallets etc. Use cymbals
for color and move around kit.
Side to side, lateral motions, leave one brush on head at all
times
Use articulation on snare to create rhythmic information for the
band, not only the hi-hat.
Make hi-hat fluffy & open, not vertical/clicky
Need a coated head (or etched - Evans J1)
BASS:
Long sustained notes in bass with vibrato
Joel DiBartolo said, Love every note. Make every note as
beautiful as possible.
PIANO/GUITAR:
Piano/guitar comps with simple sustained figures.
BALLAD TIPS:
ALWAYS morph gently into double time and back-its still a
ballad.
Never go directly from a ballad/brushes to straight 4 ease into
2 feel, then 4 feel.
Always feel free to STAY in ballad you dont always have to go
to double time! Let your set breathe with space, color, and
beauty.
Excitement comes in many forms
WATCH: Jeff Hamilton Brush stroke technique and demo song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMlbw0VbVuc
Watch: Peter Erskine Brush Lessons #1-6: Developing a Legato Sound
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeMhe0CT-wM
Watch: Vic Firths Drumset 101 with Steve Houghton for lots of tips
on all styles!
http://www.vicfirth.com/education/

7. Jazz Waltz
Main focus:
Swing in 3!
Emphasis on two main rhythms:

DRUMS:
Hi-hat on 2 (or 3)
BASS:
Bass patterns between dotted half, dotted quarter, and walking
PIANO/GUITAR:
Piano/guitar feels comping in one longer durations
Drum Ex. 1

Drum Ex. 2:

Listen: Miles Davis Someday My Prince will Come

Bass pick-up info:
Underwood
Fishman Full Circle ($225-250)
Wilson ESP (more $$$)

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8. Cha-Cha (Cuban medium tempo groove)

Main focus:
Cuban - medium tempo based on Danzon
Emphasis on all four quarters (cowbell)
DRUMS:
Imitate cowbell with cross-stick on all quarters
BASS: Variation of Tumbao pattern-using V7 chord (even over ii7)
PIANO/GUITAR:
Play cha-cha clave (Danzon 2-3 pattern)
PERCUSSION: congas, timbales, bongos, guiro, cha-cha bell

Another piano cha-cha pattern:

LISTEN: Oye Como Va Tito Puente, Morning Clare Fischer

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9. Mambo (Cuban up tempo groove)

Main focus:
Emphasis on beat 4, not 1!
Piano plays montuno
Son clave (2-3) or (3-2) depends on melody
DRUMS:
kick drum does a tumbao related pattern
alternate toms
BASS: Traditional bass tumbao. Reset on 1 if needed!
PIANO:Piano comps a montuno (arpeggiate chords 2 octaves
apart)
GUITAR: Guitar comps clave
Mambo 2-3 son clave:

Listen: Mambo #5 Perez Prado, Manteca Dizzy Gillespie

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10.

Songo (Cuban upbeat groove)

Main focus:
Contains many rhythmic styles & variations
DRUMS: Kick drum w/ bass on tumbao
BASS: Bass tumbao w/ variation
PIANO: montuno patterns
GUITAR: clave patterns

Books:

Salsa Guidebook for Piano & Ensemble by Rebeca Mauleon (Sher Music)
Latin Percussion for Gringos by Dom Moio (website) or any of his books
Rhythm Section Workshop for Jazz Directors by
Shelly Berg, Lou Fischer, Fred Hamilton, Steve Houghton (Alfred)
Jazz Piano Mark Levine
Voicings for Jazz Keyboard Frank Mantooth
Serious Electric Bass by Joel DiBartolo
Rufus Reid Bass Lines Jamey Aebersold Transcriptions of Play-a-longs
Ray Browns Bass Method (Hal Leonard)
Joe Pass Guitar Method or anything by Pat Martino or Joe Diorio

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Barb Catlin

Cell: 602.432.2678

Email: barbcatlin@gmail.com

Bio:
Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Barb Catlin has become one
of the Southwests leading jazz educators and pianists. Her extensive touring,
cruise ship, and show playing include work with top entertainers such as Smokey
Robinson, Michael Crawford and many others. Barbs performances have gained
her local and national recognition; her trio was voted as an Arizona Favorite by
KJZZs Listeners Poll and Barb was named by Downbeat Magazine as a Player
to Catch.
Barb majored in music education on woodwinds at California State
University at Fresno and completed her Masters in Music Education with an
emphasis in Jazz Studies on piano from Arizona State University. Barb recently
returned to her home state of California, where she is currently teaching at CSUN
and Pomona College. During her 18 years in Arizona, Barb was the Director of
Jazz Studies at Mesa Community College in the Phoenix-metro area and had
eight highly successful years as Musical Director of the award-winning youth
honor jazz program, The Young Sounds of Arizona. Her students have been
featured in the Grammy Jazz Bands, Wynton Marsalis All-American Jazz
Ensemble, the Dave Brubeck Institute, and the Mancini Institute. Her enthusiasm
for playing, real-life approach to education, and expertise in the rhythm section
has made Barb a popular clinician and adjudicator at the high school and college
levels. Recently Barb was a featured adjudicator and soloist at Fred Sturm's
Lawrence Jazz Festival, Kris Berg's Collin College Jazz Festival and director of
the Arizona All-State Clinic Jazz Band and the Central California Honor Jazz
Band. In April 2011, Jazz in Arizona awarded Barb their Lifetime Achievement
Award for her outstanding contribution to jazz education in the state of Arizona.
Many thanks to my good friend, Dom Moio, who helped with the drum parts. Dom is
the drum professor at Arizona State University. He is a well-respected educator and
performer. Please check out his books:

Latin Percussion in Perspective
Bebop Phrasing for Drums

Latin Percussion for Gringos
The Jurys Out


The Language of Jazz

30 Duets for Snare Drum

30 Duets for Sightreading

50 Ways to Syncopation

Just Duet w/ Steve Gadd

Deep Grooves II w/ Steve Gadd
Deep Grooves

Available Mel Bay & website

Available Mel Bay & website

Available on website

Available on website

Available on website

Available on website

Available on website

Available on website

Available on website
Available on website

Available on website

www.dommoio.com

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