I've spent a little time transcribing what I think are a few of jazz's greatest recorded drumming moments. The master Max Roach solo on Blue 7- a Sonny Rollin's tune on the recording Saxophone Colossus. Art Taylor trading fours with John Coltrane on Goldsboro Express from Bahia. And a cool 24 measure solo from Art Taylor on Trane's Slow (Slo) Blues.

For me it takes some time to transcribe jazz drummers' stuff, but it is always a great experience. I never have time to do it, so, when better but on long trips driving back and forth from Ohio to Illinois occasionally for 9 hour trips. Paper in lap - I'd pop in a recording and before I knew it I had driven the trip, with a fairy complete transcription. Granted I never remembered the trip because I was so "inside" of what I was listening to and jotting down. The next thing was to try to play it with the recording while reading what I had transcribed. I think they're pretty close to what was played and most drummers that play or teach with these seem to agree. Please check out the samples. Pick up the original recordings and learn from these masters.

Max Roach's solo on Blue 7 is incredibly musical! I sent this in to Modern Drummer a few years ago for the fun of it and they printed the whole thing (Lars Ulrich on cover). I also included a simple breakdown of the solo. I was lucky enough to see him in D.C. right after they published it. He said, "Oh, you're the one who did that? Good job and thank you.." It was such an honor to meet him - a true pioneer of jazz as we will forever hear it.

Arthur (Art) Taylor performs an incredibly musical and groovin' solo here on Trane's Slow Blues