Groove Session: Book & CD

This book tackles something most ensemble directors struggle to teach: the feel of a groove. Rather than abstract rhythm exercises, Hufschmidt grounds everything in 15 real songs that students actually want to play, making the rhythmic concepts stick because they're embedded in music that swings and moves.

Rhythmically alive and infectiously playable. The material spans swing, funk, samba, salsa, and reggae, so your ensemble gets to inhabit different grooves and feel how timing and phrasing shift across cultures. It's the kind of book that gets musicians moving in their seats.

Any ensemble director working with jazz, rock, funk, or pop ensembles who wants students to understand how groove happens rather than just play the notes. It's equally valuable in high school jazz bands, college combos, and community music programs where contemporary styles matter.

• Work through the preliminary exercises before tackling the full arrangements. The timing and phrasing drills build the muscle memory that makes the songs feel natural rather than mechanical.
• Use the CD as a reference for style authenticity, but don't let your ensemble hide behind it. Have them play without the recording once the arrangement is secure so they own the groove independently.
• Pay attention to how different sections interact rhythmically. Funk and R&B in particular demand that every voice understands its role in the overall pulse, not just its own line.
• Rotate which students sit in different chairs during rehearsal. Experiencing rhythm from the drums' perspective, then the bass, then the melody line builds empathy for how grooves actually work.

Build a full concert around these 15 songs and pair it with a masterclass on groove styles. The variety of musical traditions also makes this ideal for cultural diversity programming or thematic concerts exploring rhythm across genres.

• Swing timing and shuffle phrasing
• Funk and R&B rhythmic phrasing
• Afro-Cuban and Brazilian rhythm feels (salsa, samba, reggae)
• Rhythmic independence and interaction in ensemble settings
• Style-specific articulation and feel
• Listening and responsive playing within a groove
• Understanding the relationship between timing precision and perceived groove