I stumbled across <a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/mHtXWCwlAIg" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/mHtXWCwlAIg</a> and have never seen this particular trick, which is very cool. I am probably just out of the loop - maybe some of you here use it. At about :16 seconds in he does it and a few other times as well. He seems to do a rimshot, allowing the brush wires to rebound on the head, but gets a really controlled and extended roll from it with one hand. It's really hip!

I remember when I first saw someone do that---I was blown away.

Since then, I've discovered that it's a trick nearly as old as brushes themselves.  It's best with brushes that have rubber handles or a rubber covering on the ferrule, else you'll have a distracting "clack" that is hard to disguise.  It can also be done somewhat with the fulcrum on the very beginning of the bristles, if you've plastic or metal handled brushes.

Well, while the actual rebound stroke by itself comes somewhat easily to one experienced with sticks, mixing it up in a rhythm or pattern takes a bit of hand independence.

Overall, I find that a good way to get comfortable with brushes is to practice all of the usual patterns at ballad, swing, and jump tempos with either hand---that is, practice riding with the right hand and swirling with the left as usual---then switch, while keeping the same grip (assuming traditional grip), preferably while not stopping the rhythm and maybe just adding a fill to transition if necessary.  Sort of like playing rudiments hand to hand.  And, as always, start slow and work up to speed.

Wow - that Hamilton/Smith jam was freaking GREAT.

       

Yeah, you couldn't have said it any better.  Amazing!

That was cooler than a    

I suggest checking out Hamilton on the Diana Krall Live in Paris DVD.  He's just a master.