Max Roach Solo – Flossie Lou

Flossie Lou drum solo transcription – a note-for-note accurate transcription of Max Roach’s drum solo on “Flossie Lou”, from Clifford Brown and Max Roach at Basin Street. Every phrase is written out in clean, print-ready drum sheet music.

About Flossie Lou drum sheet music

“Flossie Lou” is a bright tune by Tadd Dameron, recorded by the Clifford Brown–Max Roach Quintet with Sonny Rollins on At Basin Street.

At around 200 bpm, Roach’s solo is fast but full of space and melody. It is a masterclass in swinging bebop drumming – a great step between his medium-tempo solos and the blistering ones.

A drum transcription taken from the original recording

This Flossie Lou drum transcription was written bar by bar from Max Roach's studio recording and checked against the track. It is not a live take and nothing is simplified – these are the Flossie Lou drum notes exactly as they were played on the record.

The notation is clean and professionally engraved, with clearly marked sections and repeats, so it is quick to find your place when you jump to a fill or a chorus. Print it for your music stand or keep it on a tablet – both work well.

Song facts

• Artist: Max Roach
• Album: Clifford Brown and Max Roach at Basin Street (1956)
• Drummer: Max Roach
• Tempo: ♩ ≈ 200
• Style: bebop jazz drum solo

What you get

When you buy Flossie Lou drum sheet music, you get:

• The full song, transcribed note-for-note from the original recording
• Clearly labelled song sections
• Professionally engraved, print-ready PDF
• Instant download after purchase

How to practise Flossie Lou on drums

A step-by-step way to learn Flossie Lou on drums with the sheet music:

1. Listen many times. Sing the phrases.
2. Learn it slowly. Phrase by phrase, well below tempo.
3. Keep it swinging. Feel the triplet pulse.
4. Notice the space. Rests are as important as notes.
5. Build up to ♩ ≈ 200. Step by step.
6. Play along with the record. Match his phrasing.

Why note-for-note sheet music?

Most free Flossie Lou drum tabs are rough sketches – the main groove, maybe a fill or two, and rhythms that are hard to read. Note-for-note sheet music shows exactly what was played and when, so you learn the real part instead of an approximation, and you learn it faster.

Who is this sheet music for?

This transcription suits intermediate to advanced jazz drummers and students.

About Max Roach

Max Roach was a founder of modern jazz drumming, playing with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie before co-leading the Clifford Brown–Max Roach Quintet.

More jazz drum sheet music

Want more than one song? The Max Roach Drum Solo Transcriptions Collection includes Flossie Lou together with other songs, at a lower price than buying them one by one. You can also get other jazz songs one by one: What Is This Thing Called Love, Rhythm, I’ll Remember April and Hard Wired. See them all on the jazz drum sheet music page.

Frequently asked questions

Does the sheet music cover the whole of Flossie Lou?

Yes – every section from the first bar to the last, exactly as played on the original recording. It is not a shortened or simplified version.

Is it written as drum tabs or as drum notation?

As standard drum notation on a five-line staff. Tabs can show which drum to hit but not the exact rhythm – notation shows both.

How do I get the PDF after I buy?

The download link appears straight after checkout and is also sent to your email. You can print the PDF or read it on a tablet.

What tempo is Flossie Lou?

Around ♩ ≈ 200.

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