Rumba: Afro-Cuban Conga Drum Improvisation - Reseña

Latin Beat Magazine, March, 2002 by Rudy Mangual

By Cliff Brooks

74 pages/2 Play-Along CDs

Mel Bay Publications, Inc./MB99189BCD/ISBN 0-7866-5954-8

This self-teaching method book is designed to aid in learning to play Afro-Cuban quinto licks and solo techniques, based on what the author calls the "Cliff's Method"--a teaching method that brings together two different learning approaches for Afro-Cuban drumming. The first step is through written notation; the second is to learn by simply listening and feeling the rhythms. What a concept! Supposedly this approach helps ingrain the learning process at a deeper psychological level. The two play-along companion CDs provide bass drum downbeats for all the learning exercises in the book. This combination of instructional tools does ensure proper pulse and timing of each exercise when properly executed by the student. A number of handclap exercises are included to aid in achieving good timing in your playing. There's also a section on hand coordination and reading exercises. The last three sections of the book take you to the quinto drum (the smaller conga drum primarily used for soloing) introducing you to the "quinto ride" (a short simple rhythm played over and over while changing its rhythmical structure ever so slightly). Next is the introduction to the "quinto phrase," comparable to an expression from a poet in a verse; this is the stuff that gives music an accent, that special touch from a musician answering or communicating with another musician. Phrases are exercised in different forms and in conjunction with ride flow exercises. And finally you get to the "quinto solo" section where you combine everything that you have learned previously in the book and express yourself freely through the syncopation of Afro-Cuban rhythms. When you feel comfortable practicing to the rhythm of the guaguancó, you've completed the course. A glossary of terms is also included to familiarize you with the Afro-Cuban drumming language. After you master this book you'll be ready to tackle Volume II, available soon.