PHILLY JOE JONES STICKING - APR 2007

RLL RRL RRL

Philly Joe Jones had one of greatest feels in jazz. He swings like crazy , and he is the undisputed master of trading 4's. Of course his extended ideas are amazing too, but he has an unparalleled grace when shifting between playing time and soloing on the drums.

Many years ago, while studying with Michael Raynor in Chicago, I began to meticulously transcribe a number of Philly's solos, including his 4's with Red Garland on Billy Boy (Miles Davis - Milestones). When you focus one drummer like this, you begin to see patterns emerge. Much of what Philly plays is distinctly rudimental. You can hear that influence all over his records - lots of ruffs, drags and triplet based rolls. In particular Philly likes to play triplets with accents (in yellow) to create three beat phrases -

1+a - 2+a - 3+a - 4+a / 1+a - 2+a - 3+a - 4+a / 1+a - 2+a - 3+a - 4+a

This is a nice way to move things along, and a simple way to add some tension to a solo by playing "over the bar line."

After a few weeks, I was sure I had the Billy Boy 4's down, and i went in to play them for Michael. Although I nailed the rhythms, he was correct in pointing out that my feel was lacking. Everything sounded square and sterile - especially those 3-beat triplets that I was playing with a very simple - RLR LRL RLR.

Michael, having spent time with one of Philly's students, hipped me to the sticking that he was using. It's a simple, elegant, and immeasurably swinging solution to an otherwise stiff idea.

RLL RRL RRL RLL / RRL RRL RLL RRL / RRL RLL RRL RRL

Sometimes spiced up with a left hand accent accentuating the dotted quarter note:

RLL RRL RRL RLL / RRL RRL RLL RRL / RRL RLL RRL RRL

It's important to work on the sticking without accents until it becomes comfortable. Once you get it up to speed, add the accents and hi hat on 2 & 4. Check out the recording I mentioned above and listen for the pattern. Try it with alternating strokes, then double strokes, then with RLL RRL RRL. Which sounds more swinging to you?

Next month I will look at various applications of this pattern, breaking it into smaller chunks and moving it around the kit. I'll also talk a little about where it shows up in modern drumming vocabulary.