One of the most exciting aspects of jazz drumming is how it allows for seamless transitions between different rhythmic feels. A classic example is On Green Dolphin Street, where the song moves between Latin and swing in a way that keeps the music fresh and dynamic.
These kinds of transitions are more than just stylistic choices—they create contrast, variation, and energy, whether you’re playing a solo section, a head arrangement, or trading fours with a band. The key to making these transitions feel natural? Drummers need to lead the shift in groove while keeping the momentum intact.
To help you explore this concept, we’ve put together a set of free MIDI grooves that demonstrate how to smoothly transition between swing and different Latin feels.
Download Free Jazz/Latin Transition Grooves
We’ve selected a few grooves (13 of them to be exact) from our upcoming Jazz Transition MIDI Pack to give you a taste of how these rhythmic shifts work in practice. These grooves are designed to help you:
✅ Practice transitioning between feels – Strengthen your ability to shift seamlessly between swing and Latin styles.
✅ Inspire new musical ideas – Experiment with different grooves and see how they change the feel of a tune.
✅ Expand your jazz vocabulary – Learn how drummers use phrasing and groove to guide the band through transitions.
What’s Included in the Free Grooves?
🎵 Swing to Classic Latin (140 BPM)
This is a go-to transition in jazz. The “Classic Latin” feel is often used in jazz standards when shifting between swing and Latin sections.
🎵 Swing to ECM (160 BPM)
This transition moves from traditional swing into an even-8th ECM feel, commonly heard in modern jazz.
🎵 Swing to 12/8 Afro-Cuban (140 BPM)
A transition between swing and the 12/8-feel Afro-Cuban groove, which adds a polyrhythmic flavor.
How to Use These Grooves
Mix and match transitions to find new creative ways to shift between styles or Try them in a jazz standard – Load them into your DAW and experiment with a tune like Green Dolphin Street or Blue Bossa.
Incorporate them into your solos – Use transitions to add rhythmic contrast in extended solo sections.