How to Play Drums in a Big Band: Drumset Book & CD

This book cuts through the noise of generic jazz drum instruction by focusing exclusively on what drummers need to know for big band. Thompson grounds every principle in real repertoire, Basie, Latin, contemporary, so students aren't learning abstract concepts but rather absorbing the rhythmic DNA of the styles they'll actually play.

Playing drums in a big band is as much about serving the ensemble as it is about swinging. This book captures that balance, the interplay between freedom and structure, the way a well-placed kick drum accent can shape an entire phrase, the distinct rhythmic color each era demands.

Drumset players who've mastered basic jazz grooves and are ready to function within a big band section, from high school jazz ensemble participants to college students preparing for large ensemble auditions. This is also valuable for drummers stepping into professional big band situations who need a refresher on stylistic conventions.

• Study the recorded accompaniments carefully before playing along; the ensemble timbre and sectional balance will teach you dynamics and placement you won't find in notation alone.
• Lock into the specific comping language of each style. Basie-era big band requires a different cymbal and kick drum conversation than ECM-influenced contemporary jazz.
• Use the suggested examples as starting points, not endpoints. The goal is to internalize the vocabulary well enough to respond to what the rest of the band is doing.
• Listen for how the drummer sits relative to the timekeeping instruments in each recording; your role shifts depending on whether the band has a strong bass player leading or needs more foundational support.

Assign specific sections to students preparing for big band auditions or participating in jazz ensemble rehearsals. The broad stylistic range makes it useful throughout the year as your ensemble learns repertoire in different idioms, allowing students to reference the relevant examples as you program different arrangements.

• Comping patterns across multiple big band styles (swing, Latin, contemporary)
• Kick drum vocabulary and placement within ensemble texture
• Cymbal color choices and dynamic control appropriate to style and era
• Reading and interpreting drum charts in a section context
• Time-feel and swing interpretation across different big band traditions
• Responding to ensemble dynamics and balancing individual voice with group sound