Colaiuta and Gadd Inspired Fusion Grooves

Yesterday I revisited a cymbal pattern that I like. Below, the notation, with the left foot playing the hi-hat on quarter notes and the ride cymbal notated above that with the right hand:

I think I first heard this cymbal rhythm as played on the hi-hat by Narada Michael Walden on “Come Dancing,” a track from the Jeff Beck album, “Wired.” If you listen to the introductory drum groove that Walden plays at the top of the song you’ll hear it.

Inspiration for the grooves came initially from Vinnie Colaiuta’s last solo on “Ben Casey,” from the Randy Waldman album “Unreel.” If you check out that track, you’ll hear VC playing the pattern as notated above at the beginning of the solo.

Here is groove 1, loosely based on some ideas I heard Vinnie play in that solo:

The second groove also contains some Colaiuta phrases but has a little taste of Gadd’s Samba phrasing as well. I’ve never heard Steve use the cymbal pattern as notated, but I think the groove (it is definitely more of a solo type of groove) sounds interesting and may give some of you an independence work out as well. Here it is:

Finally, here is the PDF for you to print out and take to the practice room: Fusion Grooves

Have at it, I am working on this too.