Gift Certificates

EditorsPick: 09/08/06 (Back in stock! Here is great big oversized fan-book of Salsa and all of its main and significant practitioners. El Cuaderno Latino De La Salsa is more of a huge reference manual or study guide than a literary or academic thesis. There's is even space at the end of each section where you can write in your own notes, schoolbook style. That's fine... and it make perfect sense: D.J. Gary Dominguez is as big a salsa fan as they get, and here he fills the pages with not only factual and discographic data of about 100 or so important individuals and bands, but with his personal observations as well. Kind of like a big public diary of the World of Salsa According to Gary - it's a lot of fun, too. Here is a small selection of some of the artists covered here: Lalo Rodriguez, Lebron Brothers, Marvin Santiago, Ray Barretto, Roberto Roena, Ruben Blades, Arsenio Rodriguez, Hector Lavoe, Fania All Stars, Eddie and Charlie Palmieri, Willie Rosario and many, many others. 587 pages. In Spanish. Recommended.)
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This book is a road map to rhythm for any musician. It's for guitar players intrigued by the rhythms of world music. It's for keyboard players who've studied scales and chords and now want to study rhythm in a systematic way. It's for drummers, bass players, and sax players who want to groove and solo with a deeper understanding of rhythmic structure. Whatever your instrument, if you want to play funkier and don't mind using your head to do it, this book is for you. The patterns in this book come from African and Afro-Cuban rhythms, the source for the groove in most contemporary music. But our purpose here is not to teach any specific style of drumming. Our purpose is to illuminate the subject of rhythm in general so you'll be able to navigate comfortably in any rhythmic territory. There is a CD included that assists you right from the start in creating a three-dimensional context to work within.

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"I highly recommend this excellent book for beginners. I'd use it with my own students." --Luis Conte, Afro-Cuban multi-percussionist. After working through only a few chapters of this book,you'll be albe to join with others to play the irresistible rhythms that form the roots of salsa. This is the only complete, step-by-step course on conga drumming. The clear text, vibrant illustrations, and simple charts make learning to play authentic Afro-Cuban rhythms easy even if you're not a musician. The warm friendly tone of the writing creates the intimate feel of private lessons. And you can hear all 175 rhythms in the book on the CD that's included inside.

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EditorsPick: 06/12/01 (A very resourceful tool for diverse, popular drum patterns.)
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All you need is one drum. It can be a djembe, a conga, or anything else you can get your hands on. Whether your goal is to play in a band, jam in the park, or just drum along with your favorite CDs, this book will show you how, step by step. This book is filled with great dance grooves. Many of them are adapted from drumset patterns used in rock, pop, and funk music. Others are based on traditional African or Afro-Cuban rhythms. You can play all these grooves in a wide variety of musical styles and settings. And you can hear how each one sounds on the CD that comes with the book. Table Of Contents:
Who This Book Is For And How It Works
How To Read The Charts & Work With The CD
Playing Position
The Patterns:
Lesson 1: Slap On The Backbeat In Four
Lesson 2: Kassa
Lesson 3: Straight-eighth Feel
Lesson 4: One-bar Clave
Lesson 5: Hip-hop
Lesson 6: Kpanlogo
Lesson 7: Tumbao Rock
Lesson 8: Paradiddle Funk
Lesson 9: 3/4 Time
Lesson 10: Slap On The Backbeat In 6
Lesson 11: The 6/8 Bell
Glossary
Blank Charts

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This book is a complete, step-by-step course for beginners on how to play djembe. Right from the start you'll be learning interlocking parts for some of the most popular West African rhythms: Kuku, Djole, Kassa, Madan, Suku, Sunguru, Bani, and Tiriba. After working through only a few lessons, you'll be able to put the parts together and start playing these irresistible rhythms with your friends.
The CD that comes with the book gives you a chance to hear how each part sounds separately and how the parts for each rhythm fit together. It was recorded by Joh Camara, a master drummer from Bamako, Mali. Each rhythm lasts at least five minutes, so you'll have plenty of time to play along. And when Joh solos during the final three minutes of each track, you'll feel the thrill of playing your part along with and ensemble and lead drummer.
Table of Contents include:
Understanding the Charts
About the play-along CD
Playing Position
West African rhythms in four and the basic strokes
West rhythms in six
Tuning your Djembe
Glossary and Sources for further study.

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EditorsPick: 06/12/01 (This is one of the best instructional books out there that focuses specifically on methods to develop complex soloing strategies. Many great examples and exercises are outlined to allow you to understand the secrets that the best players use every day. Highly recommended.)
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This book is for advanced hand drummers who want to play complex solos using simple sequences of hand strokes. Whether you play djembe, conga, or ashiko, the practical hand-pattern strategies explained here will help you get the ost out of your hands with the least amount of effort. And whether you want to solo in a traditional African or Afro-Cuban ensemble, in a drum circle, in a band, or in your living room along with your favorite CDs, SECRETS OF THE HAND will help you take your playing to the next level. This book is organized into two main sections. The first covers the five basic hand-pattern strategies and the second covers five strategies for creating the illusion of speed. Each new strategy builds on the ones before it. And while you're learning the strategies, you'll also be learning over a hundred patterns that should be a fountain of ideas for you when you solo.

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If you've got a drumset and you know how to make the basic strokes, you're ready to get started. This book uses an ingenious method that makes complex rhythms magically emerge out of simple sequences of body movements. Within days you'll be playing world-beat and funk grooves that usually take months to master. Our method is based on a style of playing called "linear drummig." "Linear" simply means you only play one note at a time. That's why it's great for beginners. Instead of learning separate parts for your hands and feet and then layering one on top of the other, you only have to learn a single pattern that moves note by note from limb to limb. It's as easy as connecting the dots.

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This book contains the transciptions to the popular CD "Abriendo Puertas."

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This book has the transcriptions for the popular "Mi Tierra" CD.

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EditorsPick: 01/31/08 (Jean-Philippe Fanfant is from Guadaloupe in the French Caribbean. He comes from three generations of great musicians. One of the top studio drummers and performers in Paris, he is a co-leader of the group Sakésho, and has recorded more than 300 albums with artists such ass Kassav, Angelique Kidjo, Le Grand Mechant Zouk, Mario Canonge, Andy Narell, Ralph Thamar, Zic Band, Tania St. Val, Beethova Obas, Edith Lefel, Toure Kunda, Tony Chasseur, Philippe Lavil, Dede St. Prix, Jocelyne Beroard, Laurent Voulzy, Julien Clerc, Maxime LeForestier, Slai, Patrick St. Eloi, Oliver N'Goma, Thierry Cham, Tania Maria....He performs all over the world and is always attuned to different music and cultures.
Includes Instructional Audio/Video CD.
[from the cover notes]
With rhythms from Trinidad & Tobago, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Cuba, Jamaica and more. 47 pages plus audio CD.)
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Guitarist, arranger, and composer Nelson Faria was born in Belo Horizonte, MG, in 1963. When he was a child he moved to Brasilia, DF, where he began his guitar lessons. In 1983, he moved to Los Angeles where he studied with big name guitarists such as Joe Pass, Howard Roberts, Frank Gambale and Ted Greene. After returning to Brazil he became one of the most sought after musicians to lead workships, clinics and seminars. He has released a book on improvisation (entitled "A arte da improvisacao") and a instructional guitar video ("Toques de mestre") and a solo CD ("Ioio") as well. Mr. Faria presently is teaching guitar and improvisation at the Estacio de sa University in Rio. He also performs with many fine Brazilian artists such as Milton Nascimento, Edu Lobo, Toninho Horta, and many others. And by the way, he leads his own group too.

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EditorsPick: 11/06/03 (Part listener's guide, part memoir, Rites of Rhythm is a musical journey through Cuba and its cultural outposts in the United States. The Buena Vista Social Club phenomenon gave many listeners their first taste of Cuban music, but Farr takes us further, initiating the reader into the deeper mysteries of the music by interviewing the masters of Cuban music, from Chucho Valdés and Eliades Ochoa to Los Muñequitos de Matanzas and Papi Oviedo. Along the way, he profiles such legends as Benny Moré and Arsenio Rodriguez.
This is the first comprehensive exploration of Cuba's rich musical and mythological heritage and the extraordinary impact it has had on American popular culture. Jory Farr's travels to Cuba's Old Havana, Santiago, the Sierra Maestra mountains, and the Cuban music scenes in New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles will give music aficionados everywhere the key to understanding the music they love.
-- From the book jacket Highly Recommended.)
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The music of Cuba is primordial and poetic: steeped in sex, drenched in mysticism, and at one exotic and familiar. Jory Farr, whose articles about Cuban music earned him a Pulitzer Prize nomination in 1990, has carried on a love affair with the culture and the country for over a decade...
261 pages, hardcover

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EditorsPick: 05/31/08 (Esteemed musicologist Raul Fernandez (University of California at Irvine, Smithsonian Institute) has compiled some of the more important interviews he has done (and he has done hundreds) in this fascinating book. Some of the personalities he has chosen here are Mongo Santamaria, Tata Güines, Israel "Cachao" López, Richard Egües, Chocolate Armenteros, Bebo Valdes, Ignacio Piñiero, Celina Gonzalez, Celia Cruz, and Leonard Acosta.
A collectors Must-Have.
169 pages. In Spanish.
Hablando de música cubana presenta una poderosa agrupación todos estrellas, conformada en la percusión por Mongo: Sonando en cubano y Tata: Tumba, Tumbador, Tumba. Continuando con dos leyendas vivientes de la música cubana. Cachao y Bebo en los capítulos; La magia de Cachao y El músico que llegó del frío. En los vientos aparecen Richard Egües y Chocolate Armenteros en Una flauta mágica y Sabor a chocolate. Las voces son Celina y Celia en Celina en su punto y Celia de América. Acertadísima la inclusión en este all stars cubano del Maestro Leonardo Acosta: música, periodista, prosista, poeta, crítico, musicóligo, intelectual y humanista de primera línea como lo podrán apreciar los lectores en el artículo Leonardo: Por arribita. Como un plus especial, Fernández nos ofreces la oportunidad de rememorar la inmensa figura de Ignacio Piñeiro: Un abuelo de la salsa.
Sólo leer los títulos de los capítulos produce alegría y nos predispone a embriagarnos por los oidos como diría el sabio cubano Fernando Ortiz o a soñar por la oreja como dice el boletin del periodista Joaquín Borges-Triana, así que la lectura de Hablando de Música Cubana tiene que complementarse con sus correspondientes audiciones musicales. No sé por qué, pero asocio estas líneas a un coro que dice que hay que gozar la vida, porque la vida es corta, y seguro que con lectura de este libro vamos a gozar un rico vacilón. ¡Échale salsita!
- Rafael Bassi Labarrera, Curramba, 20 de octubre de 2007)
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EditorsPick: 08/28/07 (Spanning a one hundred year period, Dr. Figueroa gives us a month by month (in fact, day by day!) almanac of important events in Latin American music relating to salsa, Latin jazz, mambo and other Afro-Latin related genres. The only one of its kind! 200 pages. Recommended.)
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EditorsPick: 08/28/07 (The Spanish spoken in the islands of the Caribbean is a rich blend of the linguistic contributions of many cultures. The Spanish Royal Academy of Languages has given legitimacy to many of these terms, accepting them into their prestigious dictionary. The majority, however, remain without offical sanction even though they are part of the active vocabulary of millions of speakers. The focus of this glossary is on the African contribution to Caribbean Spanish.
This glossary is intended primarily for singers, musicians and others interested in Afro-Caribbean culture. It is a very modest beginning to what we view as a lifetime project of gathering these gems of oral communication for inclusion in future similar publications. May the great orishas of the African people be pleased!
(from the introduction)
Recommended.)
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EditorsPick: 08/28/07 (La inspiración le llega a los compositores por diversas vías. A veces, surge de sus propias vivencias, en otros casos proviene de las experiencias ajenas. Ante todo, el autor, tiene que ser un buen observador de la vida. Es por eso que casi todas las composiciones tienen una razón de ser que constituye una historia digna de contarse. En esta serie me propongo relatar la historia de algunas de las canciones más populares de nuestra música.
Como todos sabemos, las canciones se componen de letra y música. Muchos de los compositores tienen el talento de escribir letra y música para sus creaciones. Otros, dependen de letristas que contribuyen los versos para la música. Agustín Lara, el gran poeta de la canción, escribió la letra para sus canciones. En cambio, Rafael Hernández de vez en cuando dependió en letristas como Bernardo San Cristóbal S., Gustavo Palés Matos y Antonio Cruz y Nieves. Claro que esto no le resta mérito a quien escribió la letra de "Preciosa," "Tú no comprendes," "El buen borincano" y Lamento borincano." (from the introduction)
Recommended.)
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EditorsPick: 08/28/07 (Fame is fleeting, so the saying goes, and even the biggest names in show business fade into relative obscurity with the passing of time. That is the case with the great Puerto Rican pianist, composer and bandleader Noro Morales. In writing this book honoring his memory, the author is aware that most of today's Latin music fans may not know who Noro Morales was. Nevertheless, the data included herein about his personal and artistic life may help the readers to know this legendary artist and to better understand and enjoy Latin American music. (from the introduction) Recommended.)
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EditorsPick: 08/28/07 (Why this book? - Writing about a person whom I admired as a talented performer and who was also a dear friend is not an easy task. How does one portray him objectively as an artist and as a man? It may be difficult, but I will give it my best try.
Soon after Tito Rodriguez died, I promised myself that I would write a book about him to insure that the new generations get to know him. It has taken me more than 30 years to fulfill that promise, but as they say: "Better late than never.".... (from the introduction) Recommended.)
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Book/CD or book/cassette combination for Brazilian rhythm instruction for the drumset. Comes in a protective heavy plastic storage envelope.

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EditorsPick: 09/09/03 (Terrific new book documents interviews conducted by the Cuban novelist Leonardo Padura with some of salsas most important figures, including Wille Colón, Johnny Pacheco, Israel "Cachao" Lopez, Juan Formell of Los Van Van, and many others. 200 pages, soft cover. Highly recommended.)
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In this collection of masterfully crafted interviews with some of the most famous creators of the music we call salsa, prizewinning Cuban novelist Leonardo Padura Fuentes explores the genesis of the music, its rise in popularity, its social context, and its artistic legacy. Filled with personal revelations by the musicians, historical detail about their lives and times, and colorful anecdotes about their identities, friendships, and intellectual commitment of some of the most inventive artists of our time.
In his brilliant introduction about the idols of Latin music since the 1920s and throughout the book, Padura takes up the old dispute about the relationship of salsa to the Cuban music known as 'son', but the book is not a search for origins. Rather, through his conversations with a group of extraordinarily articulate musicians, he reveals how the aesthetics of salsa filled a cultural void, trasnforming popular Latin and Caribbean dance music, and creating a new generation of musicians who would establish a new model, the 'salsero,' an artist who combined music and social consciousness.
Leonard Padura Fuentes is a Cuban writer whose novel 'Mascaras' won the Spanish literary prize Premio Cafe Gijon. His other writings include 'La Puerta de Alcala y otras Cacaerias, Vientos de Cuaresma, Pasada Perfecto, and Culture and the Cuban Revolution. He collaborated with the director of the film about Cuban music and salsa, 'Yo soy, del son a la salsa.
Contents...
Conversation in La Catedral with Mario Bauza
Willie Colón: The Salsa Kings Don't Just Play Songs of Love
Johnny Ventura: Merengue Can Be A Very Serious Thing
Johnny Pacheco: From The New Tumbao to the Old Tumbao -- The Great Chronicale of Salsa
Juan Formell: It Ain't Easy, It Ain't Easy
Cachao López: My Language is a Double Bass
Wilfrido Vargas: I Am Merengue
Papo Lucca: FromPonce to Heaven (Without a Doubt)
Adalberto Alvarez: Sonero In a Car
Juan Luis Guerra: With and Without Hat
Nelson Rodriguez: With Salsa Until 2000
Radamés Giro: The Tangents of Salsa
Conclusion: 10 Reasons and Five Opinions to Believe (or Not) in the Existence of Salsa
200 pages.

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EditorsPick: 02/25/03 (New instructional book and 2-CD package by Mr. Gajate Garcia, Latin Percussion's own drum expert. Here he focuses on bongos and hand percussion. Well done.)
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Play Bongos & Hand Percussion Now is a step-by-step method that teaches all fundamentals of bongo playing, along with instruction on the most commonly used hand percussion instruments. A must for all students who wish to learn the basic styles, patterns, techniques, maintenance, and history from world-renowned artist/teacher Richie Gajate-Garcia, this package contains two CDs with Richie performing all exercises and has play-along tracks to practice with. Styles include Cuban/Puerto Rican/Dominican and pop/rock/funk/R&B, along with a section on school jazz band use. This package is a complete study of the bongo drums and should be fun for all who use it. Also includes an in-depth study of all basic hand percussion instruments, such as shaker, bells, cabasa, triangle, tambourine, maracas, and more. The book has 103 pages.

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EditorsPick: 04/10/01 (One of our favorite educators, and Latin Percussion's (LP) head clinician, Richie Gajate Garcia has just released his first book/CD conga instructional package, and we are happy to offer it.)
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'Play Congas Now' is a step-by-step method that teaches all the fundamentals of conga playing. You will learn hand positions and techniques, basic reading skills, different styles of rhythms and patterns, tuning and maintenanace, drum set and school jazz band applications, and a brief history of the conga drums. The accompanying CD includes all exercises and has play-along tracks to practice with. The styles covered in the book are AFro-Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican, pop, rock, and R&B rhythms. 'Play Congas Now' is a must for the beginner who wants to get started on congas or an intermediate player who wants an excellent practice tool to refine his or her skills.

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EditorsPick: 04/20/05 (New timbale instructional by percussionist Richie Gajate Garcia. This is a book and 2-CD package. Recommended.)
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This book is for the beginning to intermediate-level player but includes some advanced techniques and exercises. After travelling the world doing clinics, performing with a wide variety of groups, attending seminars, and listening and sharing musical ideas with different musicians from many cultures, I have seen how the love for Latin drumming (in this case, the timbales) has become very popular throughout the world. People of all backgrounds are finding and feeling the joy, fun and camaraderie that comes from playing the timbales. This book will provide the beginning techniques necessary for both students and future professionals alike. How far you go is up to you.
In this book you will begin to study the timbales, tuning, and sounds and patterns played in a traditional and nontraditional setting. You will also look at other types of set-ups that are used along with the timbales: the addition of a bass drum and snare drum and other percussion instruments that would be used in a more contemporary setting.
You will also find a section on reading simple notation, which I feel is important to the understanding of the patterns being taught. Later, this will open up a whole world of new possibilities for your playing. There are also many play-along exercises in different styles for you to practice, as well as stick control exercises to develop your hand technique. 91 pages, includes 2-CDs
Spanish Text Included.

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EditorsPick: 08/28/06 (Perhaps the most detailed text about one of the most influential composer and bandleaders in Latin music.
Highly Recommended. Notes from the book's jacket:
Arsenio Rodriguez was responsible for crucial developments in Latin music's important musical genres, SON MONTUNO, MAMBO and SALSA, but his accomplishments have never received the attention they deserve. This fascinating book explores Arsenio's place in the trajectory of Cuban music from pre-revolutionary Cuba to New York, Los Angeles and beyond, giving Arsenio his due not only as an extraordinarily creative musician but as a life-long participant in anti-racist struggles. It is a model of interdisciplinary scholarship, giving equal attention to the historical context and musicological structures that gave Arsenio's music its power and meaning - Deborah Pacini, Director of American and Latino Studies Programs and Associate Professor of Anthropology, Tufts University.
A major contribution to the study of Latin American music and music in general. Its audience will range from scholars to the general public interested in AFRO-CUBAN music and popular music traditions, especially those of Latin America and related music in the U.S. Rodriguez is very deserving of a book on his musical life and stylistic innovation of the Cuban Son and its indelible effect on Latin music. Garcia pays homage and respect to his subject and has developed some extremely rich data and intricate analysis on the musical legacy of Arsenio Rodriguez - Steven Loza, University of Los Angeles, and former Director, Arts of the Americas Institute, University of New Mexico.
An engaging, timely, and thoroughly researched work that explores the accomplishments and legacy of one of Cuba's most important musicians and bandleaders, Arsenio Rodriguez Scull. Garcia's book fills a void in Cuban and Latin American popular music scholarship, painstakingly outlining the details of Arsenio's strong AFRICAN PLAYING STYLE, and how his musical creations were deeply tied to race, class, and cubanidad. No other book so skillfully combines biography with a convincing cultural analysis of how music both emerges from and contest specific ideologies of race, class, and national identity. This book promises to be the definitive biography of Arsenio in the English language--comprehensive and unstinting in its attention to detail. - Katherin Hagedorn, Associate Professor of Music at Pomona College, and author Divine Utterances: The Performance of Afro-Cuban Santeria. David F. Garcia is Assistant Professor of Music at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Softcover, 210 pages.)
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In the "Funky Beat," David focuses on combining funk and jazz with Afro-Cuban rhythms to extend his own innovative style. By dissecting his grooves and musical choices for each song on the CD, David demonstrates how to develop your own musical skills and how to create your own signature sound. Includes eight charts and two CDs mixed with and without drums so you can play along. As a bonus, David transcribes and explains many of his signature Tower of Power grooves including: "Man From The Past," "Squib Cakes," "On The Serious Side," "Soul Vaccination," "Vuela Por Noche," "If I Play My Cards Right," "Ebony Jam," "Drop It In The Slot," "Can't You See," "The Oakland Stroke" and "What Is Hip?"

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Tiempo includes CDs of original music mixed with and without drum set for play-along and separate rhythm tracks for jamming.
Talking Drums, known worldwide for their mastery in combining Afro-Cuban and funk music, now present their latest collection of powerful grooves and unique compositions in a band setting.
TIEMPO drops you into the center of pulsating rhythms and melodies in a play-along format. Although TIEMPO is geared toward drum set and percussion players, it is equally advantageous to all intstrumentalist who want to understand how TALKING DRUMS' rhythmic concepts fit with contemporary music.
TIEMPO is a book of history, origins, traditions, influences, and adaptability to modern styles but mostly, we hope, of inspiration.
TALKING DRUMS:
David Garibaldi: Tower of Power, Gino Vanneli, Natalie Cole, Patti Austin, Wishful Thinking, Planet Drum, The Buddy Rich Orchestra, and The Yellowjackets.
Michael Spiro: Bobby McFerrin, Eddie Palmieri, Giovanni Hidalgo, Ella Fitzgerald, Changuito, Ignacio Berroa, Andy Narell, Doctor John, McCoy Tyner, and Gilberto Gil.
Jesus Diaz: Dizzy Gillespie, Planet Drum, Bobby Womack, Changuito, Andy Narell, Tito Puente, Sheila E., Bobby Carcasses, Giovanni Hidalgo and QBA.
Special Guests: Norbert Stachel - Woodwinds
Rebeca Mauleón - Keyboards
Marc Van Wageningen - Bass

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David Garibaldi & Talking Drums are three world-renowned drummers who are the first to come together to combine Afro-Cuban and Funk rhythms in what you will soon recognize as "melodic" compositions. The trio created an outstanding approach that clearly explains the intricate workings of Afro-Cuban rhythmic styles for musicians at any level to comprehend. You will also gain a better understanding of the history and origin of these styles. This is a how-to book not only for drumset, conga, and timbale players but also for bassists and all instrumentalists who want to understand how these rhythms fit into contemporary music. Contents Include: Ochosi; Guiro, Bembé, Yongo(Nongo), Rumba Colúmbia, Guaguancó. Guaramina; Arará, Pilón, Mozambique, Comparsa/Conga, Guaramina. Osain; Osain, Conga Santiago, Merengue, Rumba Iyesá; The Drumset; Building A Concept, What is Clave?, 4/4 The Drumset, 6/8 The Drumset. Plus Discography and acknowledgements.

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EditorsPick: 11/06/00 (This is the only instructional text (CD included) that we have seen that focuses exclusively on Matanzas style Lucumí batá drumming. Well researched by Nanette Garcia.)
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Although batá drumming as a performance art outside of a ritual context extends back more than sixty years, it has yet to shed its ritualistic origins. These remain an essential part of the way a batá ensemble performs and provide a crucial key to understanding a batá performance as a musical or purely aesthetic spectacle.
After fours years of intense study with Frankie Malabe getting the basics down I began studying with Felipe Garcia Villamil with whom I had the unique opportunity to step inside the world of the religion of Santeria. This experience deepened my understanding of the liturgical basis of the batá ensemble. Felipe kept strong ties between the rhythms or toques and the deities or orichas, as was natural for him to do. In this way I was able not only to learn the basic rhythmic patterns, an activity that could have been no more than a dry academic exercise, but also to experience, firsthand, something of the spiritual context that provided the primary impulse in the creation of these patterns. Contents include some of the following:
Tuning the drums
Playing the drums
Hand positions
Methods of learning the batá drums
Improvisation
The Oro Seco
Order of the Orichas
Transcriptions of toques of all the orichas.
Included at the end of the book is a glossary, discography and bibliography for further study.
- N. Garcia
44 pages. CD included.

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EditorsPick: 10/27/98 (One of the best texts on Salsa just got better with an update and new CD (included). Highly recommended)
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This is new edition of the classic textbook now contains a CD. "Salsa!" provides an overview of the history and key rhythms of what is known as salsa. It includes a cultural history tracing the music from its African roots to the new songo style. An in-depth discussion of "clave," the key rhythmic priciple behind all salsa music. Clear musical examples and rare photographs. The included CD features great new tracks from Orquesta Gitano, John Amira, musical examples from the book, and more! Softcover, 160 pages.

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Puerto Rican music in New York is given center stage in this original and lucid study. Exploring the relationship between the social history and forms of cultural expression of Puerto Ricans, Glasser focuses on the years between the two world wars. Her material integrates the experiences of the mostly working class Puerto Rican musicians who struggled to make a living during this period with those of their compatriots and the other ethnic groups with whom they shared the cultural landscape. Illuminating a neglected epoch of Puerto Rican life in America, Glasser shows how ethnic groups settling in the United States had choices that extended beyond either maintenance of their homeland traditions or assimilation into the dominant culture. Her knowledge of musical styles and performance enriches her analysis, and a discography offers a helpful addition to the text.
253 pages.

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Original Price: $29.98
Now: $25.48

Here's another first class product from Manhattan Music. Like the Malabe-Weiner instructional this too is a book/CD or book/cassette combination. "Funkifying The Cláve!" comes in a protective heavy plastic storage envelope. New for 1996 is the bilingual 90 minute video in which six tunes are used to demonstrate the following: clave and tumbao, songo, guaguancó, Afro-Cuban 6/8, cha-cha-cha, and Mozambique.

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Original Price: $19.95
Now: $16.96

The Latin Solo Workout for Guitar by Andrew D. Gordon, internationally acclaimed author and instructor is aimed at giving guitarists the opportunity to practice solo improvisational ideas while playing along to 20 exciting Latin rhythm tracks of drums, percussion, bass, piano, guitar and organ. It is important to play and learn from other musicians but if one is unable to do so then incorporating this product into your practicing routine is the next best thing. By playing along with the rhythm tracks of the CD, your improvisational skills will definitely improve.
There are 20 different "grooves" consisting of 1 Calypso groove, 8 Mambo grooves, 6 Salsa grooves, and 5 Songo grooves. Each track is approximately 2 and a half minutes long, giving the musician enough time to practice improvising over each groove. The 20 grooves consist of a variety of tempos and keys. The book contains in total over 200 riffs or improvisational ideas, also recorded on the CD after each rhythm track, so that the guitarist can experiment using many different permutations and should be used as a starting off point for one's own improvisations.

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Original Price: $19.95
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The Latin Solo Workout for "C", "BFlat" and "EFlat" intruments by Andrew D. Gordon, internationally acclaimed author and instructor is aimed at giving most instrumentalists the opportunity to prctice solo improvisitional ideas while playing along to 20 exciting Latin rhythm tracks of drums, percussion, bass, piano, guitar and organ. It is important to play and learn from other musicians but if one is unable to do so then incorporating this product into your practicing routine is the next best thing.
By playing along with the rhythm tracks of the CD, your improvisational skills will definitely improve. There are 20 different "grooves" consisting of 1 Calypso groove, 8 Mambo grooves, 6 Salsa grooves and 5 Songo grooves. Each track is approximately 2 and a half minutes long, giving the musician enough time to pratice improvising over each groove. The 20 grooves consist of a variety of tempos and keys. The book divided into three sections; the first section for "C" instruments such as: piano, guitar, vibes, violin, flute, etc: "BFlat" instruments such as: tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, trumpet, etc. And "EFlat" instruments such as: alto and baritone saxophones.
The book contains in total over 200 riffs or improvisational ideas, also recorded on the CD after each track, so that the musician can experiment using many different permutations and should be used as a starting off point for one's own improvisations. Book and CD Package. 83 pages.

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EditorsPick: 05/24/04 (Legendary recording engineer Irv Greenbaum has published his memoirs about his half-century of working with the giants of salsa like Ruben Baldes, Willie Colon, and Celia Cruz (Greenbaum was the head engineer for Fania records), as well as James Brown, Nina Simone and many others. Filled with may humorous anecdotes and photos of the performers. With a forward by Oscar Hijuelos.
269 pages, softcover. Recommended.)
Original Price: $12.95
Now: $11.01

"Over time, I became acquainted with the wide range of his experience. You name the musician or personality, and it seems that Irv Greenbaum has worked with him: luminaries like Thelonius Monk and Art Blakey, Ray Barretto and Tito Puente, to name a few. Here is a man who has modulated the balances of Nina Simone, Betty Carter, and... Boris Karloff! My own heart was touched particularly by his stories about the kindness and gentility of certain musicians, and of his contacts with some of the more idiosyncratic musicians he'd encountered. His stories- indeed the arc of his career in the music business- seemed to me eminently worthy of a book, an, thank the stars, Irv Greenbaum has written it.
- From the forward written by Oscar Hijuelos

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EditorsPick: 09/12/06 (Terrific instructional book and CD package - one of the only that we have seen to focus entirely on the Cuban Tres guitar. Jon Griffin had studied in Havana with Julian Fernandez (Irakere) and Dr. Olavo Rodríguez. He's recorded with Richard Egües, Enrique Pla, Angel Bonne, Roberto Garcia, Yosvannny Terry and many others. from the liners...
El Tres Cubano: The distinctive sound of the Cuban tres underpins many Cuban styles of music. Here is a complete guide to playing and understanding this evocative instrument as well as an introduction to son and the other Cuban styles, including nengón, changui, danzon, guaguanco, and mambo. Includes: Chords, scales, exercises, montunos, CD with demonstration tracks and more! 60 pages plus CD complete with detailed audio examples. Highly Recommended.)
Original Price: $16.95
Now: $14.41



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EditorsPick: 01/14/08 (Back in stock! In what might possibly be the finest text in English exclusively about Afro-Cuban Santeria, Katherine J. Hagedorn had thoroughly explored "the enduring cultural and spiritual power of the music of Afro-Cuban Santeria and the process by which it has been transformed for a secular audience."
Includes an audio CD with examples of twenty songs to the orishas, or Afro-Cuban deities, performed by prominent musicians, including Lázaro Ros, Francisco Aguabella, Alberto Villareal, and Zenaida Armenteros.
296 pages, includes audio CD.
Highly Recommended.)
Original Price: $24.95
Now: $21.21

In Divine Utterances, Katherine J. Hagedorn explores the enduring cultural and spirtual power of the music of Afro-Cuban Santeria and the process by which it has been transformed for a secular audience. She focuses on the integral connections between sacred music performances and the dramatizations of theatrical troupes, especially the state-sponsored Conjunto Folklorico Nacional de Cuba, and examines the complex relationshops involing race, politics, and religion in Cuba. The music that Hagedorn describes is rooted in Afro-Cuban religious tradition and today pervades secular performances that can produce a trance in audience members in the same way as a traditional religious ceremony. Hadgedorn's analysis is deeply informed by her experiences in Cuba as a woman, scholar, and apprentice bata drummer. She argues that constructions of race and gender, the politics of pre- and post- Revolutionary Cuba, the economics of tourism, and contemprorary practices within Santeria have contributed to a bluring of boundaries between the sacred and the folkloric. As both modes now vie for primacy in Cuba's burgeoning tourist trade, what had once been the music of a marginalized group is now a cultural expression of national pride. The Compact Disc that accompanies the book includes examples of twenty songs to the 'Orichas,' or Afro-Cuban deities, performed by prominent musicians, including Lazaro Ros, Francisco Aguabella, Alberto Villarreal, and Zenaida Armenteros.
Katherine J. Hagedorn is associate professor of music at Pomona College.
296 Pages, plus audio CD

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Original Price: $24.95
Now: $21.21

Ghana, West Africa, is the source of many rhythms throughout the world. In this book, ethnomusicologist and drumset artist Royal Hartigan, with the help of Ghanaian master drummers Abraham Adzenyah and Freeman Donkor, have adapted West African rhythms to the drumset. Concentrating on four rhythmic groups - sikyi, adowa, gahu, akom - each chapter introduces the traditional instruments and rhythms of each style. Each drum and bell pattern is then adapted to its appropriate voice on the drumset. This step-by-step organic approach allows each drumset example to speak to you, increasing your rhythmic understanding of West African drumming, music and culture. The accompanying CD features a Ghanaian drumming ensemble as well as selected drumset adaptations.

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EditorsPick: 04/10/01 (Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez is one of Cuba's finest exports. His mastery of applying Afro-Cuban rhythms to the drum set is known world-wide. This is his first instructional book-CD package. If you are a percussionist, it is a must-have.)
Original Price: $24.95
Now: $21.21

'Conversations In Clave' is the ultimate technical study of four-way independence based on Afro-Cuban rhythms. This detailed and methodical approach will develop four-limb coordination and expand your rhythmic vocabulary. Understanding the clave and the relationship between eighth-note and triplet rhythms will help you master the multiple and complex rhythms of Afro-Cuban styles. This rhythmic style dates back before the drum set was invented, but today one drummer has the ability to cover the sounds and language of the entire Afro-Cuban percussion section. However, you must first develop the skills and master the freedom to move within the music. By studying the exercises in this book, and most of all, listening to the music, you will enhance your playing in all styles as you gain facility and independence on the drum kit. 136 pages. Practice CD included.

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EditorsPick: 06/08/06 (Here's the first book/CD instructional package by who many consider the worlds best living conguero.
Every exercise in the book is contained on the CD. In addition, the CD Rom contains video clips of each of the basic strokes, so besides hearing the correct tones, you can view the proper playing techniques.
If you are a beginning player you should certainly take advantage of knowlege that Giovanni is offering here.
Recommended.)
Original Price: $24.95
Now: $21.21

The Ultimate Conguero is designed to get you started with the correct basic techniques that will provide a foundation for your entire conga playing. When anyone hears or sees Giovanni perform they are impressed by his technique, his musicianship and his ability to make the music come to life. Developing those skills takes years of playing and practicing but the basics on which he has built his playing technique are are those that are taught and demonstrated in this book and on this CD. These techniques, grooves, solo and play-alongs can be practiced on a conga practice drum or any conga drum. The last two pages show you how to adapt all of the techniques learned in multiple drum situations. Every exercise in the book is contained on the CD. In addition, the CD Rom contains video clips of each of the basic strokes, so besides hearing the correct tones, you can view the proper playing techniques.

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Original Price: $19.95
Now: $16.96

A Fun, Musical, Hands-On Book & CD For Beginning Hand Drummers Of All Ages. Topics include: An Historical Overview, General Hand Drumming Tips, Playing the Natural Tone, Playing the Bass Tone, The Upbeats, Group Drumming Games, Playing the Slap Tone, Rhythm Evolution, Group Drumming Rhythms, Playing the Muff Tone, Traditonal Rhythms, Play Along Drums Jams, CD Track List.

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EditorsPick: 07/27/05 (The first thing you'll notice about Salsa Talks! is its size and heft. It's a big 11-1/4 inches wide, and, at over four pounds, you'll think twice about popping it into your backpack. Over ten years in the making, Salsa Talks is clearly the new "bible" of urban Latin dance music and its colorful story. This comprehensive and beautifully printed book has hundreds of detailed photographs and personal stories by many of the legendary figures that are part of salsa's history: Mario Bauzá, Rubén Blades, Celia Cruz, Joe Cuba, Oscar D'Leon, Andy González, Larry Harlow, Israel "Cachao" Lopez, Papo Lucca, Ralph Mercado, Louie Ramirez, Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez, Johnny Pacheco, Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, Richie Ray and Bobby Cruz, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Bobby Valentin, Roberto Roena... these are just a few of the luminaries that share their amazing stories. Mary Kent turns out to be not only a first rate photographer, but an astute listener who gets her subjects to open up with candor. The story of salsa unfolds with clarity and color in her subjects own words.
Smartly edited by Aurora Flores, and designed with great flair by José Pacheco and Jeanne Euker. This is one of those rare books where the design is as good as its content (or vice versa) - it has a pleasurable easy to read format. Very well done, indeed.
Whether you are a student of salsa or consider yourself an expert, your collection is simply incomplete without this wonderful book. It is a must-have. Over 400 pages, hardcover.
Very Highly Recommended.)
Original Price: $59.95
Now: $50.96

Salsa Talks! Is a Look at Who's Who in salsa music. For budding fans to full-fledged salsa experts! Read the personal stories of your favorite salsa artists in their own words. Catch the feeling of the Palladium and Cheetah night clubs in their heyday.
Salsa Talks! Features candid artist stories told to Mary Kent and photos taken by this "photographer of the stars." This book is a must for any music lover and educator, an entertaining way to learn about the most important unifying element of the Hispanic culture: its music. Whether you are an ardent fan or student or just curious about the fastest growing population in America, you will refer to this book again and again.

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EditorsPick: 02/12/01 (Still one of the best instructional references for comprehending Latin rhythms, this package was originally published in 1973 and features some of the finest percussionists in Latin music.)
Original Price: $39.95
Now: $33.96

A no-nonsense fully illustrated guide (complete with two CDs) to the correct execution of Latin rhythms. The need for instructional material on Afro-Cuban drumming has existed for years, particularly since much of the music has been handed down in the oral tradition. The stress in these two CD volumes is on Cuban rhythms in their typical form. The bomba and plena of Puerto Rico are also presented, as well as the merengue from Santa Domingo. The musicians contributing their knowledge and talent to this package are some of the finest in Latin music. Complete with a 16 page fully illustrated guide with photos and transciptions.

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EditorsPick: 06/17/07 (Latin music is being discovered by more people every year, especially in the jazz world. Up till now, however, virtually none of it was available in print. This 580 page book is the first professional-level Latin fakebook ever published. It features the best classic and contemporary salsa, Latin jazz and Brazilian music. It includes detailed arrangements of tunes exactly as performed by Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, Milton Nascimiento, Cal Tjader, Ruben Blades, Ray Baretto, Andy Narell, Toninho Horta, the Fania All Stars, Celia Cruz, Irakere, Arsenio Rodriguez, Tom Jobim, Ivan Lins, Mario Bauza, Djavan and many others. The "Latin Real Book Sampler CD" is also available separately.)
Original Price: $39.98
Now: $33.98

Contemporary Salsa:
RAY BARRETTO Amor Artificial, Indiferencia, Aguaradiente de Caña, Guararé, Indestructible, Arallué, Pura Novela, Vive Y Vacila.EDDIE PALMIERI Palo Pa' Rumba, La Malanga, Bomba De Corazon, 1983, Páginas De Mujer RUBEN BLADES Pablo Pueblo, Camaleón, Siembra FANIA ALL-STARS Nací Moreno, Juan Pachanga, Sin Tu Cariño, Encántigo MANNY OQUENDO AND LIBRE Elena, Elena, Estoy Como Nunca and more! PUERTO RICO ALL-STARS El Cantar Del Coquí, Changüirí TITO PUENTE Dejame Soñar, Te Desafío, Ran Kan Kan, Picadillo NG LA BANDA Un Tipo Como Yo, Lo Que Siento Es Le Lo Lay IRAKERE Bailando Así, Lo Que Va a Pasar LOS VAN VAN Sandunguera, Que Sorpresa, Muévete ISSAC DELGADO Son De Cuba A Puerto Rico, Dime Tú Que Lo Sabes LOUIS RAMIREZ Amentes, Déjala Que Baile Sola CONJUNTO CESPEDES Virgen De La Caridad...AND MORE!
Brazilian Music:
IVAN LINS Lua Soberana, Sambadouro, Sonhos, Leva E Traz, Amor, Aparecida TOM JOBIM Outra Vez, Retrato Em Branco E Prato, Look To The Sky, So Danço SambaTONINHO HORTA Mountain Flight, Aqui Oh, Meu Canario Vizinho Azul JOAO BOSCO A Nivel De, Coisa Feita, O Bebado E A EquilibristaMILTON NASCIMENTO Vera Cruz, Don Quixote,Novena AIRTO Mixing, Tombo in 7/4, Anatelio (The Happy People) LENY ANDRADE Rio, Vai Amigo, A Fonte Secou EGBERTO GISMONTI Lôro, Frevo DJAVAN Flor De Lis, Jogral LEILA PINHEIRO Um Samba, Bésame GAL COSTA Luz Do Sol, Tapete Mágico TANIA MARIA Come With Me, Yatra-Ta...AND MORE!
Latin Jazz:
TITO PUENTE Second Wind, Eastern Joy Dance, Linda Chicana, Cha-Cha-Cha, María Cervantes, Flight To Jordan MARIO BAUZA Lourdes' Lullaby, Mambo Inn ANDY NARELL Kalinda, Natty Stick, Hannibal's Revenge CAL TJADER Sabor, Alonzo, Mamblues DIZZY GILLESPIE Manteca, Tin Tin Deo DANIEL PONCE Latin Perspective, Oferere, Midnight Mambo SEIS DEL SOLAR Entrégate, Decisión AZYMUTH Club Morocco, Cascade Of The Seven Waterfalls DAVE VALENTIN Danzón For My Father FT. APACHE BAND To Wisdom The Prize CHICK COREA Armando's Rumba...AND MORE!
Salsa Classics:
ARSENIO RODRIGUEZ Dile a Catalina, Dame Un Cachito Pa' Huele, La Vida es un Sueño BENY MORÉ Y Hoy Como Ayer CELIA CRUZ Soy Antillana, Bemba Colorá, YerberoModerno CONJUNTO CHAPPOTTIN Camina Y Prende El Fogón, Que Se Fuñan JOHNNY PACHECO La Esencia Del Guaguancó, El Agua Del Clavelito, etc. PEREZ PRADO Mambo #5, Mambo #8 ORQUESTA SENSACION Suavecito, Bruca Manguá
Standards:
Capullito De Alelí, Compadre Pedro Juan, Contingo En La Distancia, Déjala Que Siga Andando, Lamento Boricano, Mayeya No Juegues Con Los Santos, Me Voy Pa'l Pueblo, Frenesi, Solamente Una Vez, Son De La Loma, El Manisero, Cachita, Y Tu, ¿Que Has Hecko?, Echale Salsita, Obsesión, Rico Vacilón, La Comparsa, La Engañadora, A Mí Qué, Bésame Mucho, Lágrimas Negras, Pare Cochera...AND MORE!

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Original Price: $27.95
Now: $23.76

This newly revised second edition contains over 100 detailed photographs of ethnic instruments and techniques, plus numerous rhythmic examples for drummers and percussionists alike. The first part of Volume I contains over 50 African, Cuban and Brazilian conga rhythms in ensemble. Also included are 15 contemporary popular conga rhythms with adaptations for drum-set. Other chapters in Part One include "Clave and Bell Patterns," "Salsa Music," "Reggae," plus a chapter on "Accompanying Instruments." Part Two is a developmental overview of Western music idioms which have benefitted from African and South American influences. The first topic examined is the classical approach to the snare drum. Concepts of rudimental playing are then adapted for drumset with the presentation of the jazz idiom. Following the study on jazz drumming are chapters on rock, jazz-rock fusion and funk; all of which include basic discussions and rhythmic examples applicable in many musical situations. This first volume should provide the student with an added awareness of rhythm and variation using a number of available instruments and techniques.

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Original Price: $25.00
Now: $21.25

This text is designed for drummers and musicans who want to learn and apply African rhythm in traditional or contemporary music formats. As a hands on method book, "Masters Drummers of West Africa" introduces material within a more familiar "westernized" playing field: rhythms are presented using the standard staving and notation system, balafon melodies have been transposed to the key of "C" to retain the single-tiered feel of the traditional balafon, annotations and analysis are written in concise, down-to-earth English.
...much more! 198 pages.

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