~ Suggested Resources ~

Listening

by David E. Fox

"A lot of learning in music is like any other discipline: you must first master the basics and then you can move on to creating your own voice and innovating. Mastering the basics requires a fair amount of discipline and practice. Diligently working from textbooks and written exercises that are considered the standard for learning the instrument will help to increase your skill.

In order to fully grasp the styles and concepts in any given musical idiom, you will need to hear the ways in which these styles and concepts are interpreted by recognized masters of that idiom. It is also important to research the influences that shaped the development of these styles and artists. Although there are several ways to interpret a given style, you should start with the masters and move forward from there.

The importance of LISTENING to many styles and artists can not be emphasized enough. You must embrace your record collection and seek out the knowledge that is there. There is NO complete curriculum nor book that will tell you what to listen for and how to truly create your own voice.

You should be able to find most of the below listed texts and recordings at a local library, through relatives, or at the school as well as most record and/or music stores (please don’t think you need to buy all of these albums. The main focus is that you expose yourself to them). Use your resources like the internet and library.

    Listen to the albums but also read the liner notes to find out:
  • Who is on the album?
  • When was it recorded?
  • What other albums are these artists on? Find THOSE albums. Compare.
    Ask yourself these questions:
  • Why are they playing this way?
  • How is their playing affecting the group?
  • How is the group affecting their playing?
  • What instruments are they using? For example: what drums, what cymbals, how many?
  • What would I do in this situation? Visualize!

Following the suggestions above will serve to make your listening experience more productive."

© 2006 - David E. Fox, All rights reserved.

Texts/Method Books

Genre Instrument
(suggested by)		 Materials
Jazz Trap Set
(Dave Fox)		 Stick Control - George Lawrence Stone
Syncopation - Ted Reed
Future Sounds - David Garibaldi
The Art of Bop Drumming - John Riley
The Sound of Brushes - Ed Thigpen
Sticking Patterns - Gary Chafee
Alan Dawson book - John Ramsay
Drum Wisdom - Bob Moses

Recordings

Genre Instrument
(suggested by)		 Materials Artist
Jazz Trap Set
(Dave Fox)		 Miles Davis
Kind of Blue		 Jimmy Cobb
Jazz Trap Set
(Dave Fox)		 Miles Davis
Milestones		 “Philly” Joe Jones
Jazz Trap Set
(Dave Fox)		 Benny Goodman
Live at Carnegie Hall or ANY!		 Gene Krupa
Jazz Trap Set
(Dave Fox)		 Buddy Rich
Big Swing Face,
or This One’s for Basie		 Buddy Rich
Jazz Trap Set
(Dave Fox)		 Buddy Rich and Max Roach
Rich vs. Roach		 Buddy Rich, Max Roach
Jazz Trap Set
(Dave Fox)		 Sonny Rollins
Saxophone Colossus		 Max Roach
Jazz Trap Set
(Dave Fox)		 Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers
A Night in Tunisia,
Moanin’,
or The Big Beat		 Art Blakey
Jazz Trap Set
(Dave Fox)		 John Coltrane
A Love Supreme		 Elvin Jones
Jazz Trap Set
(Dave Fox)		 John Coltrane
Giant Steps		 Arthur Taylor
Jazz Trap Set
(Dave Fox)		 Miles Davis
Four and More, Miles Smiles,
or E.S.P.		 Tony Williams
Jazz Trap Set
(Dave Fox)		 Chick Corea
Three Quartets or Friends		 Steve Gadd
Jazz Trap Set
(Dave Fox)		 Any! Roy Haynes
Jazz Trap Set
(Dave Fox)		 Duke Ellington,
Count Basie,
Charlie Parker,
Thelonious Monk,
Dave Brubek,
Oscar Peterson (with Ed Thigpen on Drums) 		Various



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