Essential books for jazz drummers

This is a list of books that I consider essential for anyone who wants to learn jazz drumming:

1.  Progressive Steps to Syncopation for the Modern Drummer

This book is a classic reading text that I recommend not so much for the book itself, as for the curriculum that has been built up around this book over the years.  "Syncopation" has been used as the basis for innumerable exercises for developing jazz coordination, most successfully and famously by Alan Dawson in the following book on this list. 

2.  The Drummer's Complete Vocabulary

This book is full of a lifetime of useful and challenging exercises from the famous Rudimental Ritual that goes through all the rudiments over a bossa-nova style foot ostinato, to fifty different ways to play through "Syncopation", to soloing ideas and more.  Going through this book will give a drummer all the technique necessary to thrive in a jazz setting.  

3.  The Art of Bop Drumming

This book is the best general survey of the all the practical elements of jazz drumming.  It includes things like an extensive compilation of smart comping and soloing ideas, brush techniques, illuminating discussion of how jazz drummers approach their instrument, a thoughtful list of suggested recordings, and a play along CD with charts.  John Riley also wrote a great follow up book called "Beyond Bop Drumming" that I would recommend for more advanced drummers.

4.  Buddy Rich's Modern Interpretation of Snare Drum Rudiments

My teacher, who was himself a student of Henry Adler, took me through this book as my formal introduction to the rudiments.  Although the way the book is organized is pretty quirky, if you know how to navigate it, it is the smartest and most thorough book rudimental method book I know of.

5.  Modern Rudimental Swing Solos for the Advanced Drummer
This book is a great compilation of musically interesting snare drum solos.  Although it suffers from some weird organization, and the solos are a bit hit or miss, for the most part you couldn't ask for a better introduction on how to put together a drum solo.  Another reason for this books enduring appeal is that Philly Joe purportedly carried it around with him and practiced from it religiously. 

6.  Groove Essentials the Play-Along
This book is making the list largely for its excellent "World" section.  In today's musical environment, being a jazz drummer means being at least somewhat familiar with a wide variety of musical styles from all over the world.  This book is the best I have found for covering all the most important of these styles in some depth, and with useful play-along tracks. 

7. The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings

Modern jazz drummers are expected to have some grasp of the history of jazz, and with around 100 years worth of jazz recordings to learn from, it is easy to get overwhelmed.  This book is the best single resource to help drummers learning to navigate the history of jazz.