Frankie Malabe Drum Clinic Handout

Book cover for Afro-Cuban Rhythms for Drumset by Frank Malabe

I went to a drum clinic by Frankie Malabe years before the popular book Afro-Cuban Rhythms for Drumset came out. I’m pretty sure it was sometime between 1989 and 1991 at a shop called Preferable Percussions in Minneapolis.

I have an audio copy of the clinic that I’m working on converting. In the meantime, here’s a copy of the handout:

Single sheet of drumset music with various afro-cuban beats written out

Rhythms Covered on the Handout

  • Guaguancó
  • Mozambíque
  • Songo
  • Bembé
  • Merénge
  • Jaléo
  • Apanpicháo

I highly recommend getting the book if you don’t have it.

Book cover for Afro-Cuban Rhythms for Drumset by Frank Malabe

Jimmy Cobb Interview

A couple of months ago in New York at Smoke I got to see Jimmy Cobb play a set with Harold Mabern, John Webber and Eric Alexander.

He sounded great and after the show I got meet him, which was a huge thrill.

This morning I saw that Jon McCaslin shared a new interview with Jimmy Cobb over on his fantastic Four On The Floor blog and I want to help spread the word. Enjoy!

Like the Jack DeJohnette interview, this one comes from Dom Famularo’s Artist Series interviews that you can check out on The Sessions website.

Jack DeJohnette Interview

I’ve been listening to a lot of Jack DeJohnette lately and stumbled across this recent interview with him.

There are some great stories here, including the time that Jack covered for Elvin Jones on a John Coltrane gig when Elvin didn’t make it back for the second set.

He also talks applying the rudiments in a liquid way, playing with Miles Davis and Jackie McLean, and hanging out with Roy Haynes.

This video is part of Dom Famularo’s Artist Series interviews that you can check out on The Sessions website.


Ron Carter Interview

Here’s another favorite of mine from the site that is full of wisdom.