Extreme Klezmer Makeover Raising The Roof CD

The book comes complete with two CD's. The first is basic, slow and simple and includes the different variations listed in the book. Its a good reference tool for increasing your understanding of the rhythms and can be used to help work through dance choreography. Dancers can also use this CD to help communicate their musical wants and needs to troupe musicians. The second CD has all the rhythms played at more of a performance level with tempo changes and different levels of fill. I also introduce more advanced playing techniques into the rhythms. The last three tracks on the CD are improvised drum solos similar to what I often play for performance. Each solo shows different ways of stringing together different rhythms and a couple of ways that I like to start and stop solos.

NOTE: I am the only percussionist on these CDs, and each track was recorded in one take using one darbuka (drum) and I used the same drum for the whole project. There is no overdubbing, looping, or special effects used in recording or mastering this project. I did this in response to frustrated drummers who don't want to take apart the recordings of their favorite musicians to learn intermediate techniques and some of the different rhythms that the dancers like. I also heard a lot of complaints about JUST figuring out the pattern and then the recording would change tempo or get too fancy or the track would end and they would have to go back to square one.