Fusion Fills

By Peter Erskine Published In DRUM! Magazine's April 2008 Issue

Jazz came up the river from New Orleans; then swing begat bebop; bop begat post-bop; rock spawned fusion; and improvisational creativity reached a peak or nadir, depending on your point of view. Regardless, the following fusion fills are jazz, and they’re exciting and fun. Play these at the tempo indicated, and experiment with dynamics as well as with intensity. Intensity is like forcing too much air out of a balloon; WHOOSH! Push too hard, you’ll break the balloon or make an embarrassing sound. Good jazz is cool when it’s hot. Be funky. Be accurate. Be intense. Be bop? (Um … no.)

DRUM! Notation Guide

Peter Erskine has played with Weather Report, Steps Ahead, and the Stan Kenton Orchestra, and holds an honorary doctor of music degree from Berklee College Of Music. http://petererskine.com