My "Ticket to Ride" -- Sight-Reading Skills

Drum Parts that are representative of
some of the challenges I have faced...

Drum Charts Slide Show
PopUp the charts and play the audio files linked below

(slide 1)
The key to success in the Lab band Program at the University of North Texas is the ability to sit down and play "at-sight" any chart in the book and and make it sound like you have been playing the chart for months. Goes without saying that you gotta make the band swing as well. The best reader/big band player makes the One O'Clock Band at NTSU!

(slides 2 & 3)
Without a doubt... some of the most difficult and most interesting music I have played... Burt knew EXACTLY what he wanted to hear and expected it EVERY time!! Have a look at the way the changing time signatures make the pieces feel as though they are 'floating'. Promises, Promises was the most difficult of all... to make it swing and flow through the constantly changing time signatures.
Recorded live at MGM Grand, Vegas from the house mixing board

(slide 4)
The Overture to the Tony Orlando TV Special video-taped at The Sahara Tahoe Hotel in Lake tahoe.
Tony Orlando's First Special Video Clips

(slide 5)
I played Rita's act when she opened for Tony several times and I played for her when she opened for Sammy davis, Jr., at Harrah's in Lake Tahoe. There was a click track for this chart for background vocals which added another layer of difficulty. George Gaffney was Rita's conductor, a friend from chicago!
Recorded live at the Las Vegas Riviera

(slide 6)
Anka's act was a real challenge... this chart demonstrates the requirement of being able to switch from one style to another... Anka had the best of everything, musicians, arrangers, etc. The show was a ball-buster!!

(slide 7)
Lainie is a great singer who never seemed to put it all together. This is the drum part from a VERY FAST arrangement of a really great tune, "Johnny One Note". hard enough with a trio... really a challenge with a band!! The complete drum part is over 12 pages -- a challenge in itself!

(slides 8 & 9)
When the parts say "percussion" they are NOT kidding!! Zorba/Cabaret/Fiddler all required drumset, timpani, xylophone, orchestra bells, assorted "traps" -- blocks, cowbells, triangles, tambourine etc., gong, and some latin instruments.
2007 American Federation of Musicians Broadway Contract
Doubling explained on page 17
The challenges of playing this type of show are:
- Devising a set-up scheme for all the instruments so that you can reach and play them.
- Learning the "coreography" of the parts -- getting from one instrument to others
- Avoiding the temptation to "ad-lib"
- Playing the show the 900th time and making it sound "fresh"

(slide 10)
Drummer works with a keyboard player and the coreographer to build and rehearse the dance sequences in a TV show (Van Dyke & Co.), TV Movie (Love Boat) or a feature film, Fast Forward. Part of the process is creating the drum parts with all the dance cues so they can be used for the pre-record sessions.