Steve Smith – Wilcoxon Rudimental Challenge – Solo 142

Here is the “142nd Solo” from the Charley Wilcoxon book, The All-American Drummer. The 142nd Solo utilizes all 26 of the original drum rudiments. I recorded the solo for the Facebook page Wilcoxon Rudimental Challenge which documents all 150 solos from The All-American Drummer. Check out this Facebook page organized by Kevin Lehman, there are many fantastic variations on Wilcoxon’s solos. My approach to Wilcoxon is to play the solos with “swing interpretation.” My first drum instructor Billy Flanagan, a big band drummer and teacher from the Boston area, had me play these solos straight and swung when I studied with him from 1963-1972. - Steve Smith