This funky drum groove is from "Phantazia" which appears on the 1977 Harvey Mason album, Funk In A Mason Jar. My transcription is from the first four measures of the bass solo, starting at the 3:20 mark of the tune.
To truly appreciate this groove, you really need to listen to Harvey perform it. I've provided the full track for you here (Educational Purposes Only) since the album is hard to come by.
I highly recommend working on this notated passage at a slow tempo, getting the sticking and coordination down first, then begin working towards performance tempo (quarter-note equals 120
bpm).
Unaccented Snare drum notes should be played as ghost-strokes; work to keep these sounding quieter than the HiHat strokes to achieve a nice blend and balance. The HiHat eighth-notes in measures one and three should be given a little weight on the downbeats. I call this technique the "rocking motion" because the hand uses a push/pull or open/closed movement to emphasize the pulse of the music.
Notice the smooth open HiHat sounds that Harvey employes. He sounds very relaxed and sophisticated; nice.
Phantazia
Electric Piano – Dave Grusin
Bass, Soloist – Anthony Jackson
Arranged By [Horns] – Harvey Mason
Arranged by [Rhythm] – Dave Grusin
Synthesizer [Mini Moog], Soloist – Ronnie Foster
Written by – Dave Grusin
Percussion – Steve Forman
Guitar, Soloist – Lee Ritenour
Trombone – Bill Watrous, Dick "Slyde" Hyde*
Trumpet – Chuck Finley, Gary Grant, Jerry Hey, Kenny Mason
Synthesizer – Ian Underwood
Percussion, Drums – Harvey Mason
Bart Elliott is a degreed professional musician and founder of the Drummer Cafe. His 30+ years in the music industry, over 100 albums to his credit, as well as his understanding of contemporary and classical music, makes him a complete and skilled master musician. A highly sought after drummer and percussionist, both live and in the studio, Bart is widely known as a top music educator and gifted teacher, appearing as a guest artist and clinician throughout the USA.
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