Thanks for the info on Congajoy. I was wondering about that video and had posted an inquiry a while back. I am in a rut with my playing. Everything we play in the band is 'R & B', Soul, POP, etc. I loved the latin style patterns, but can't use them on some tunes, so I adjust the pattern. Plus, I can't 'transcribe' a part from an album/cd because I don't have the seasoning and experience that tells me that I am listening to 2 conga players/timbales or one conga player and a set drummer etc , The videos and books recommended will help me discover new sounds and versitilty. Another reason for my quest to gather some good instruction videos and books... A couple of gigs ago, I have found out that when we have a 'fill in' set drummer that some of my patterns don't work with different styles of drumming. You can't count on your memory of the album or cd practice to bail you out, you got to find a flow and be able to adjust. Humbling experience came upon me like a brick. We were in the middle of Shaky Ground, I knew that the part I usually played was not fitting with what the fill in drummer was doing, but couldn't decide what groove or what I needed to change to fall back into the pocket and Boom... my solo came up and he was still playing something that didn't go with my 'pattern' I was used to using. Took all I could do to make it through the solo, if I had been practicing 'techinque' and different patterns like I should have, I think I would not have fallen prey to the great left footed god. You know the one that you can't find the 'beat', like Zappa said, "the beat goes on and I'm still wrong". I pride myself in listening and trying to adjust and flavor what the other players are doing, but when everyone drops out for you to solo... and you are "the" wrong foot, it would have helped greatly to have some 'tools' to use. Another reason to practice and listen passively all styles of music, not just Latin, or R & B. There also needs to be a video on:
"How to work and play well with other players in the same band"
"A guide to playing with others: don't walk on other peoples solos, tune your instrument, stay in the same key with the others"
"10 rules to follow when you are playing with others (#1 Listen, #2 .... etc"
"Guide to finding the 'breaks' on a song, when you don't know what the song is and have never heard it before"
and my favorite
"Don't kill him, he's just a guitar player"
My teachers soon to be favorite: "I said it was Cumbia, not Country: a guide to something besides bolero and cha cha cha" and "Clave is your friend"
All in good fun. Thanks for the help and comments. There is Lots and lots to learn.
Peace,
Congabebe