Modern Jazz Solos for Drum Set, Episode 3: Roy's Ruse
Modern Jazz Solos for Drum Set:
Lesson Series with Rich Thompson
Episode 3: "Roy's Ruse"
We're excited to present this episode in a series of "Jazz Solos for Drum Set" lessons with Rich Thompson, Associate Professor of Jazz Studies, Contemporary Media and Drum Set Instructor at the Eastman School of Music. In each of these lessons, Rich will perform a solo from his books, "Jazz Solos for Drum Set" and "Modern Jazz Solos for Drum Set" which features the musical styles of legendary Jazz drummers throughout history. In each lesson, Rich shares his insights into the background of the artist, lists essential recordings and dives into the details of the solo to help you understand the context and stylistic approach of each drumming master.
In the solo "Roy's Ruse," you'll learn about Roy Haynes soloistic style from his playing on his quartet's "Out of the Afternoon" recording.
ABOUT THE MUSIC (excerpted from "Modern Jazz Solos for Drum Set")
Roy's Ruse - Dedicated to Roy Haynes
Roy Haynes was born in Boston (MA) in 1926. He has been a constant innovative force in jazz drumming since the late 1940's and he's still playing at the time of this writing. Roy's early influences included Chick Webb, Jo Jones and Sid Catlett. Haynes worked with many local Boston bands in the 1940's, but in 1945 at the age of 19, he was called to play in New York City with Luis Russell at the famous Savoy Ballroom. Whenever Roy was not playing or traveling with Russell, he spent his days hanging out and performing at Minton's on 52nd Street. Many musicians and historians cite 52nd Street and the nightclubs that were located there as the birthplace of BeBop.
After leaving Russell in 1947, Roy Haynes began working with Lester Young. In 1949, Haynes worked with miles Davis, Bud Powell and Charlie Parker. Parker (or "Bird" as most people referred to him) loved Roy's playing and kept him in the band until 1953. Between 1954-1959, Haynes toured and performed around the world with renowned vocalist Sarah Vaughan. In 1959 and 1960, Roy toured and recorded with Thelonious Monk. Between 1961-65, Haynes made eight records with Eric Dolphy, worked and recorded with Stan Getz and subbed for Elvin Jones in John Coltrane's famous quartet. Haynes went on to record and perform with Chick Corea starting in 1968 on the famous "Now He Sings, Now He Sobs" album. Roy also lent his drumming talent to John Scofield in the 1990's and is credited as one of modern drummer Bill Stewart's main inspirations.
As a bandleader, since the late 1950's, Roy Haynes has featured many great jazz musicians, including Booker Ervin, Roland Kirk, Phones Newborn Jr., Tommy Flanagan, Ralph Moore and Donald Harrison. Roy has garnered many top awards including: a Grammy nomination for Chick Corea's 1987 "In Europe" album, a 1988 Grammy with McCoy Tuner and Pharaoh Sanders on the "Blues for Coltrane" album, a Living National Treasure of Jazz Award in 1988, an Honorary Doctorate in 1991 from Berklee College of Music, was inducted into the International Academy of Jazz Hall of Fame in 1993, received the French Chevalier des I'Ordres Artes et des Lettres - and I can't remember when Roy wasn't included in the top ten drummers of Downbeat Magazine's annual reader's poll.
Haynes style is referred to by many as "spreading the rhythm" or "suggesting the beat." The drummers he's known to influence are too numerous to mention in this brief synopsis, but a few include: Elvin Jones, Jack DeJohnette, Jeff Watts, Bill Stewart and almost all serious jazz drummers of the day. This solo entitled "Roy's Ruse" was influenced by drumming on his solo CD "Out of the Afternoon" and the tune "Evidence" from a Thelonious Monk CD called "In Action." Notice how the solo makes use of Hayne's "chatter" type of sound in the intro and also captures his propensity for using three beat cross rhythms to skip over the bar lines and give it that "Haynes Twist."
Suggested Listening:
Roy Hanes "Out of the Afternoon"
Thelonious Monk "In Action"
Chick Corea "Trio Music Live in Europe"
Chick Corea "Now He Sings, Now He Sobs"
Thelonious Monk "Live at the 5 Spot" Vol 1 and Vol 2
- Rich Thompson
Check out the original recording of "Out of the Afternoon":
Modern Jazz Solos for Drum Set
by Rich Thompson
Modern Jazz Solos for Drum Set was written by Rich Thompson to supplement the solo literature available to high school and college drum set players. Each solo pays homage to a famous jazz drummer. A full performance CD includes all the tunes in the book and will enable students to have immediate feedback as well as a chance to play along with each solo. Short biographies with suggested listening examples have been included for each piece.
Collection Contains: Foster's Fare; Roy's Ruse; Adam's Air; Puttin' It On; Sum Of Bill; Joey's Bet; Brian's Bop; Jack's Journey; Gadd's Groove; Cobb's Cadence
RICH THOMPSON
Rich Thompson has been in demand as a top call drummer in Rochester for the past 25 years. Besides serving as the drum set instructor at the Eastman School of Music since the fall of 1996, Rich has toured, performed, and recorded with the “who’s who” of jazz greats including pianist James Williams (Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers), The Count Basie Orchestra, Tito Puente, Frank Foster, The Byron Stripling Quartet, saxophonist Rich Perry, the Bill Dobbins Trio, Harold Danko, Marion McPartland, Trio East (which includes Clay Jenkins and Jeff Campbell), trumpeter Snooky Young, guitarist Gene Bertoncini, Carl Fontana, Phil Woods, Joe Pass, and a host of others too numerous to mention. The Boston Globe cited Rich as “the drummer who drove the Basie sound” when he appeared with them at the Boston Jazz and Blues Festival.
Rich has been touring this country and abroad with the Byron Stripling Quartet for the past five years. His new CD entitled “Trio Generations” was released in May of 2012 on Origin Records. It was included on the long list for two Grammys. His new CD entitled “Less is More” was recorded with trumpet sensation Terell Stafford, pianist Gary Versace, and bassist Jeff Campbell and was released in March of 2013 on Origin Records also. In 2016 Rich recorded “Have Trumpet Will Swing” w/the Bryon Stripling Quartet and in 2017 “I Believe in You” by the group Triocity was released. Triocity features multi-saxophonist/reedman Charles Pillow and bassist Jeff Campbell.
Rich performs regularly with numerous symphonies in the U.S. and Canada, the world renowned “Jazz Cruise” and clubs throughout the U.S. and Europe with the Byron Stripling Quartet. His clinics and performances have taken him as far as France, Thailand, Japan, Switzerland and Newfoundland. Rich has written four drum set books published by Kendor Music USA and Advance/Schott Music-Germany. Visit Rich on his website to listen to clips or watch a video of his trio at the Rochester International Jazz Festival.