Harold Branch wrote a tremendous set of books focused on Riffs & Figures. The idea is that if you play gigs, it is guaranteed that you will be asked to play a riff or figure, repeated and vamped for a long time, in a wide variety of different styles. He found that whenever his bandmates were asked to do so, confusion would ensue. Enter, the Riffs and Figures Series.

The great thing about this book is that each Riff and Figure includes annotations about appropriate performance, and they are written in three-part harmony, perfect for studio use as duos and trios (as well as solo playing) so you can work on articulation and different feels among these very different Latin styles.

Published alongside its counterpart “Jazz, Rock, & Blues Riffs and Figures,” this short book includes examples of Cha-Cha and Merengue tunes in a selection of the most standard chord progressions, ready to be used in any appropriate circumstance. Never fumble through the changes on a Latin gig again!

You can see some representative samples to the left, then you can grab an immediate PDF download above.