Rhythm's Talk: Drum Book & CD

Kenneth Nash's decades of performing with accomplished creative musicians inform every exercise and groove in this book. The inclusion of recorded explanations from the author himself transforms what could be a static text into an interactive learning experience where you hear exactly how these rhythms should sit and breathe.

Rhythmic explorations that respect tradition while embracing the creative evolution Nash experienced performing at the highest levels. The grooves pulse with the weight and sophistication of working music, not exercises for their own sake.

Drummers and percussionists who want to expand their vocabulary in Latin and Afro-Cuban grooves and understand how these rhythms function in jazz contexts. This book serves players ready to move beyond basic patterns into the nuanced, ensemble-aware approach that working musicians need.

• Listen to Nash's recorded explanations before attempting each rhythm. His phrasing and interpretation establish the authentic feel you're aiming for on the kit.
• Isolate the Afro-Cuban foundation within the jazz grooves. Understanding how clave and tumbao inform the drumset patterns will deepen your time feel and flexibility across styles.
• Practice the Calypso, Merengue, and Rumba rhythms slowly at first, letting your hands and feet find the natural pocket before building speed.
• Use the two complete Rumba percussion ensemble passages to develop listening skills across a full rhythm section and understand your role within layered polyrhythmic textures.

Integrate specific grooves into jazz ensemble rehearsals to elevate the rhythm section's command of Latin feels. The complete Rumba ensemble passages work especially well as teaching tools for understanding how drums anchor a full percussion section.

• Playing Calypso, Merengue, and Rumba rhythms with authentic feel
• Understanding Afro-Cuban clave and its application to jazz drumset grooves
• Listening and coordination in percussion ensemble textures
• Developing flexibility across multiple related but distinct rhythmic traditions
• Translating recorded performance models into personal execution