Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band Play-Along Series: Drums, Volume 2: Drum Book & Online Audio/Software

This book pulls straight from Goodwin's recent recording sessions, giving drummers access to genuine Big Phat Band charts rather than generic play-alongs. The TNT 2 Custom Mix software removes boundaries; students can isolate the drums, slow tempos, or loop sections without sacrificing the sound quality and authenticity of working alongside the actual ensemble. Learning from transcriptions of the band's lead drummers accelerates taste and phrasing in ways no simplified etude collection can match.

Energetic and groove-oriented, ranging from medium and very fast swing feels to funk and Latin textures. Playing alongside the Big Phat Band's recorded section creates an immediacy and musicality that transforms solitary practice into genuine ensemble participation, even in a practice room.

Advanced high school drummers and college jazz ensemble drummers ready to engage with professional-level material and stylistic depth. This is ideal for students pursuing jazz studies who benefit from learning alongside recorded masters rather than playing to generic accompaniment tracks.

• Listen to Goodwin's recorded albums before diving into the charts. Hearing the full arrangement and the drummer's role within the ensemble texture clarifies style choices and pocket decisions that the page alone won't convey.
• Use the custom mixing software to isolate the rhythm section first. Lock into the bass and piano comping, then gradually add horns back to understand how the drums anchor the larger voicings.
• Study the solo transcriptions with the same intensity you'd apply to the written sections. Understanding how the band's drummers approach variation, dynamics, and timekeeping off the page deepens your own interpretive choices.
• Shift tempos gradually using the software. Start slow enough to execute articulation cleanly, then incrementally increase speed as your muscle memory and time sense solidify. Funk grooves and fast swing require different physical approaches.

Assign individual charts as solo repertoire for jazz ensemble auditions and recitals, or use them as sectional material during jazz band rehearsals to build drummer confidence within ensemble contexts. The variety of grooves and tempos makes these charts excellent for demonstrating swing, funk, and Latin playing as complementary rather than separate disciplines.

• Playing behind horn sections with appropriate pocket and dynamics
• Executing fast swing and medium swing grooves with accuracy and feel
• Funk and Latin rhythm playing with precision
• Transcription and solo analysis from professional recordings
• Listening and responding to ensemble phrasing in real time
• Tone, articulation, and dynamic control across groove styles