Last night I was down at Cafe Bolero (Belden and Western in Chicago). I listened for a set and a half and bugged my buddies in the band for more ideas bout phrasing with the clave. Then I sat in for a set. It was a blast, as always.
Mike's post about jazz guys often crossing the clave really piqued my interest. I THINK I feel this stuff just fine, but I had to admit that I really have not focused on the clave before. I've always focused on the tumbao bass and piano montunos.
When I bugged the guys in the band about it, they had some good advice. I have taken to learning piano montunos - on PIANO (as part of my piano training). While the guys in the band applauded my effort to really learn their music correctly, they urged me to sit down at my DRUMSET first and practice playing cascara rhythms in the right hand wile playing the clave in the right. Then I should play the cowbell rhythms in the right hand against the clave, etc. They wanted me to practice both 2-3 and 3-2 in both son and rumba form. THEN I should work on the montunos with a tumbao bass in the left hand.
What I found REALLY interesting was the fact that everyone I showed the piano montunos to had a tough time telling which clave they fit (even the really seasoned Latin musicians!)!! I wasn't rally sure what to amke of this. One fellow who plays in this band is an expert pianist and trombone player in the idiom. He wrote a fine graduate paper on the matter. He wasn't availalbe to answer the questions. I hope he's there next week. I wo9uld love to hear his ideas on these written montunos.
Several of the guys in this band are teachers running highly respected Latin jazz programs (as is our own Mike McLaughlin). These programs are aimed at youth. Alas there are no programs for middle-aged seasoned musicians who are struggling to really master this music and truly respect it for the first time. So, I guess its the night clubs for me!
TTFN
ND