Either way, the patterns can be tricky for those unused to African concepts like, say, the placement of hi-hat accents in Gnawa music. The exercises also require a particular loose-limbed feel that falls between straight and swung time. This ensures that the student never drifts too far out to sea. Samba often ends the recorded examples with short fills that are not written into the exercises. Though this may be confusing at first, the fills give the player an idea of how to authentically embellish what is presumably an exotic drumming style.
Many new books are just older books with an added cd.
This stuff will keep me occupied for years. His book is a gem. I can see by the first few exercises I have my work cut out for me.