Many instructional books have been written about Latin Jazz performance, but most have overlooked the bigger picture of the music. Some books only focused upon one aspect of the music, leaving musicians unaware how their instrument fit into the larger ensemble. Most publications were independently produced and lacked proper editing, so they included sloppy music typesetting as well as spelling and grammatical errors. Many books faced a small distribution that meant they only touched the small but lucky group that encountered them. For the musician new to Latin music, any book they found lacked a connection to the actual sound of the music; without hearing authentic performances, people couldn’t properly execute Latin music concepts. Musicians without access to the greater Latin scene were, in many ways, unable to easily tap into a true Afro-Cuban sound.

Sher Music Co. Changes The Landscape
The Latin music world received a large educational boost when Sher Music Co. began developing fake books and instructional materials. Bass player Chuck Sher applied both his musicality and technical knowledge to the creation of the books with quality and usefulness as a priority. Based in Northern California’s Sonoma County, Sher began with a series of books focused upon traditional jazz, including his outstanding series of legal fake books. He then tapped into the Latin music market with the comprehensive Salsa Guidebook, which was met with overwhelming success. Several more books followed, expanding on different facets of the Latin Jazz world; Latin music books soon became a cornerstone of the company’s work.

A Long Term Commitment to Latin Music
Sher Music Co. made a long-term commitment to producing quality instructional materials that provide a realistic picture of Latin music. Their books are written by knowledgeable authors with a professional background in Latin Jazz and Salsa performance. World-class performers such as Rebeca Mauleon, Oscar Stagnaro, and Carlos Del Puerto have written informative books co-authored with Chuck Sher ensuring both high quality information and a clear, readable presentation. The musical examples are meticulously notated, written to provide the musician with the clearest picture of the concepts. The notation reads easily and in large type; Sher’s musician side obviously considered readability into the publications. Many books include excellent supplementary materials including play-along CDs utilizing professional Latin musicians as a backing band. Everything about the materials bred quality works that both introduce musicians to the style and move their performance into the modern age.

Filling An Educational Need
These books not only brought Latin music to individual musicians, but they filled a larger educational need. Some colleges had instilled class about Latin music, and professors were creating educational materials continuously. The Sher Music publications became textbooks at schools like the Berklee College of Music and Musicians’ Institute. For younger musicians, the books provided an access point into the music. Young bass players, pianists, guitar players, and more could buy a book, hear the music performed authentically, and start studying it immediately. The depth of the included information allowed more advanced musicians to truly grow in the genre, and the extensive appendixes helped them continue their study beyond the book. For musicians living far from a Latin music scene, this connection was a goldmine. Many students of Latin music benefited tremendously from the Sher Music Co. books.

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Without a doubt, Sher Music Co. has played an important role in Latin music’s growth over the past 20 years. Let’s look at some of their books that have made an impact.

The Salsa Guidebook - Rebeca Mauleon
This must-have method book opened the door to the Latin music world for a generation of musicians. The book includes countless notated examples for bass, piano, percussion, and more. Most importantly, Mauleon discusses how the parts interconnect and isolates their function within the ensemble. Instead of getting a glimpse of one instrument, Mauleon focuses upon the greater musical experience, spelling out the big picture. In addition, Mauleon highlights important instrumentalists in most categories and provides an extensive discography. She followed this very successful book with the 1997 publication The Latin Real Book, 1999’s 101 Montunos, and the 2000 CD/Book combination Muy Caliente! - Afro-Cuban Play-Along.

The True Cuban Bass - Carlos Del Puerto & Silvio Vergara
This book took the mystery out of the highly syncopated Cuban bass style and made it accessible to a wider variety of bass players. Written by two modern masters of the instrument, the book travels through the different styles of Cuban bass playing with clearly notated examples. They talk not only about the rhythmic aspect of the instrument, but also harmony and note choice. Full transcriptions of bass lines from Irakere (Del Puerto) and Conjunto Rumbavana (Vergara) recordings are included as well, giving the reader a road into modern Cuban bass styles. This book also includes a bi-lingual text, making it accessible to a wide audience.

Afro-Caribbean Grooves For Drumset - Jean-Philippe Fanfant
The latest Sher Music publication moves outside the Cuban and Brazilian Latin Jazz focus and explores the greater Caribbean music scene. Fanfant explores drum styles from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Trinidad, Tobago, Guadeloupe, and Martinique. Each pattern is clearly notated with a number of variations on each style. A detailed recording documents all the different examples and provides play-along opportunities. Historical information accompanies each style, bringing the reader deeper into Caribbean ideas. The book once again reads bi-lingually, this time providing Caribbean French.

The Sher Music Co. catalogue includes a number of outstanding Latin music publications that have educated a new generation and in turn, ensured the survival of the music into the 21st Century. Take the opportunity to read through them, learn something new about the style, and appreciate the major accomplishment from Chuck Sher and his publishing company.

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