Best of Roots Jam African & World Drum Rhythms

Learn and remember djembe rhythms the easy way, with visual box notation.

Whether you are a beginning drummer mystified by complex traditional polyrhythms, or an advanced drummer seeking a ready resource of new rhythm inspirations, the Roots Jam series provides you with an essential and comprehensive toolkit of beats, lessons, and tips for practice and performance. Now you can access the grooviest, funkiest, and most popular world rhythms from the Roots Jam collection under one cover. This updated compilation organizes rhythms from a variety of ethnic traditions for easy reference.

• See at a glance how ensemble parts and polyrhythms fit together.
• Use the easiest handing for ballet dunun parts.
• Recognize the basics of creative or complex hand drum solos.
• Mix and match fun ensemble arrangements and breaks.
• Access audio tracks to match the written notation.

Nowick Gray is a drumming performer and teacher with thirty years of experience playing West African rhythms. His popular Roots Jam rhythm books, YouTube videos, audio compositions and instructional web pages have helped beginning, intermediate and performing drummers understand and play traditional African-based rhythms since 1996.

West African rhythms (mainly from Guinea) appear in force (58 strong) in Best of Roots Jam, supplemented by the iconic Olatunji rhythms from Nigeria, and a curated basket of Afro-Latin arrangements from Brazil, Cuba and Haiti. The Middle East and India are represented here too, along with contemporary fusion modes including funk, high life, hip hop and tribal beat samples. Rounding out this compilation is an updated list of bell and percussion patterns, selected breaks, and charts for traditional and ballet style dununs. And a comprehensive list of print and audio resources for further study and enjoyment.

Empower yourself to take that quantum leap, to the full ecstasy and power of the drum. Pick up your copy of Best of Roots Jam today by clicking the Buy Now button at the top of this page.