The Essence of Afro-Cuban Percussion & Drum Set: Includes the Rhythm Section Parts for Bass, Piano, Guitar, Horns & Strings, Book & Online Audio

This is an excellent guide for drummers beg, intermediate and advanced. I have not read music since I was a teen but quickly recognized the intro patterns. Like a few other reviewers I am disappointed that the guide is minus the instructional cd and recordings?

This book is a practical addition to your library for 2 reasons:1 - Almost every major Afro Cuban style preceding Timba is represented, as well as other related non-Cuban styles. This makes the book a great reference for getting you feet wet with any of these styles, on any of the instruments involved.2 - Certain sections are very developed, and contain great practice tools for the development of those particular stylestyle (the Mambo section for drumset is particularly well written).However, this book falls short in two ways;There is very little explanation of where the author got the specific versions of the patterns presented. No specific recorded performances are referanced, excluding a laundry list in an index in the back, and no credit is given to the authors sources of the patterns presented. Many of the patterns, particularly in the congas section of the book, seem to have the correct overall sound and feel, but have unorthodox stickings. Are these versions he was taught by master drumers of an older generation, or simply what he transcribed to the best of his ability from recordings? Without proper footnotes or sitations we have no way knowingA good reference, but look elsewhere for deeper information.

If you're looking for reference or study books for afro-cuban percussion, Ed's book is very good. It contains rhythm scores for several important instruments such as congas, timables, bells, bombo, guiro, clave and pailitos, as well as scores for many different song styles for these instruments. Styles include son, son montuno, bolero, yambu, guaguanco, columbia, guiro, abakua, mozambique, songo, bombo, and calypso. Ed also includes many hand exercises that are worthwhile, I'm a guitarist of many years, and learning hand independence and percussion rhythms and rudiments has been invaluable for me. I practice on congas, cowbells, claves, drum sticks (pailitos) and bass drum several times a week, and regulary use this book as reference for different songstyles. There is of course much more to the book (and of course no one can include everything) but for what I use it for I consider it a great reference book from a very talented teacher.

I'm a fiddler, not a drummer. I've been looking to expand my rhythmic ability, and I figured the salsa rhythm section would be a good place to start. It is. Now I own congas, bells, jam blocks, sticks, beaters... and I'm getting better. Will I ever gig this stuff? I don't know, but I hope so. If I were a drummer already, would this take me there pretty quick? I think so. There are other resources out there on this topic, but you really can't go wrong putting this one on your music stand.

The whole book is excellent. It is very complete and has very good information. Also the author is a great percussionist. I was impressed the chapter on the set of drums and rumbas and timbales section. Customers should note that this book is a must in the library of anyone who wishes to study this music. I would compare this book with the following works: Les Tumbaos of salsa, by Daniel Genton, Afro-Cuban Rhythms for Drum Set, by Frank Malabe, and Method Afro-Latin Percussion, by Daniel Forcada.

The book came with no damages at all, and very well protected.I didn't read the book yet. Actually, this is more of a review of the 'service' instead of the book itself, but I think it's worth it, since is not just a matter of the product, but the way it's delivered.As I live in Brazil, services like that tend to be not as good as you expected.Anyhow, that's my "review" so far.

Even though this book is mostly for the percissionist, it has valuable information about afro-cuban music and covers a bit on other non-percussion instruments. If you need background information about this kind of music and how percission fits with various instruments, then this book is for you. It's a bit techincal at times but overall it would be a great book to own. I highly recommend it!

Afro Cuban Percussionist Owner's Manual.A Must Have... Gracias Ed Uribe...

Excellent informative read

Perfect. Great book and CD's

Ed Uribe è un ottimo musicista nonchè musicologo: in questo metodo ha sviscerato l'essenza delle percussioni afro-cubane e le ha portate sulla batteria, ottimo lavoro di trascrizione con esempi audio. Ma compratelo solo se avete veramente voglia di studiare, c'è moltissimo materiale !

Questo libro da una panoramica eccellente di tutta la ritmica afro cubana molto utile per chi studia percussioni.E' scritto in inglese ed è fornito di 2 cd. se ci fossero i video sarebbe il massimo ma ci si deve accontentare.

Definitivamente de los mejores libros que puede haber, los ritmos estan muuuy bien explicados y aparte te da historia y eso como musico lo valoro mucho