"This is another wonderful job by Steven Houghton! 'Ultimate Drum Set Reading' is an ideal term for an ideal book. It is a 'classic in the making'! As a 4,000 Show (Johnny Carson) Drummer, I know the real deal.Congrats, Steve!"
*Ed Shaughnessy

"Steve Houghton's new book, "The Ultimate Drumset Reading Book," is excellent. This single book contains helpful information relating to everykind of reading situation - it's like the Swiss Army knife of reading books!"
*John Riley

"A 'real world' method on the subject of chart reading...Steve Houghton has done it again! This book provides a look into what we really see on the job, offering insight into what only pure experience could teach in the past.
*Bob Breithaupt

"Steve Houghton does a terrific job explaining the 'whats' and 'hows' of reading drumset music. His expertise and experience in so many different styles of music pay off handsomely for the student who reads 'The Ultimate Drumset Reading Anthology'. His book will prepare any drummer well for the challenge and job of reading ensemble music."
*Peter Erskine

"Thank you for the copy of your new book The Ultimate Drumset Reading Anthology.  It's great! For years I have been collecting music from gigs, recording sessions and shows, and searching for recordings to demonstrate to students the variety of music they will encounter in the music business. Your collection of music is presented in a clear, concise, and logical format, and the accompanying CD is superb. This book should be in the library of every serious teacher, student, and percussionist who expects to perform and work as a commercial musician. Thank you for this wonderful addition to our educational resources."
* John R. Beck, Percussion Faculty, North Carolina School of the Arts, School of Music

"Once again, Steve Houghton continues to prove himself to be one of the most prolific players and educators on the planet!! With The Ultimate Drumset Reading Anthology Houghton has authored the most insightful, absorbing and thorough text on the subject of drumset chart reading I have ever come across!! The book fully lives up to it's title by leading the reader through almost every imaginable type of chart you would experience on a wide variety of real life working situations. In a meticulously organized and logical manner, he gives drummers many practical and useful concepts for approaching, executing and interpreting drumset charts. With the priceless CD that is included, Houghton's book goes a long way to fill the void in credible literature about drumset chart reading. A must have for any drummer serious about a career in the music industry!!!"
*Zoro, Drummer for Lenny Kravitz, Bobby Brown, The New Edition, Jody Watley, Franki Valli & the Four Seasons and others.

"Steve Houghton's The Ultimate Drumset Reading Anthology has helped to fill a void in drumset reading development materials. The completeness of this text will allow the aspiring drumset student to fully prepare for drumset reading experiences in the real world. Steve's new book impressed the Berklee drumset faculty enough to unaminously select it to be included in the Berklee drumset reading curriculum. This package is very "user friendly" and the CD accompaniment is clear and solid to play along with."
Thanks -
Dean Anderson
Chair, Percussion Department
Berklee College of Music

"Once again, Steve Houghton has provided us with a fantastically useful book. The charts, ranging from short jingles to full big band and Broadway, will provide aspiring professionals with a foretaste of what's required, and teachers with the complete 'prep' course! I shall definitely be using this in my teaching programme."
*Colin Woolway, Founder of the Drumsense* Teaching Project

"With this new book, Steve Houghton proves again he is not only an excellent and renowned drummer, but too an outstanding educationalist. Because of his intense past and present works in all music styles areas, Steve exactly knows the rules that every student has to follow to reach the highest level. If you want to become a "most in demand" drummer, you have to buy this book. With it, you will not only become a good drummer, but too, an excellent musician! That makes the difference ...."
* Alain GOZZO, Drummer, TAMA/PAISTE/LP Clinician, Author, TPS Schools Manager

"Thank you for sending me the latest Steve Houghton book! I have been using his books personally and in my teaching studio for a number of years. All of them address very practical issues in a well-organized manner. The Anthology for the Working Drummer is perfect for any drummer that really wants to get called back for a job! It covers virtually every situation. The extra 'notes' are also very helpful. As many of us know; you have to be able to play the gig and 'fit in'. Steve is a great educator because he always willing to share his talents. Thank you for publishing such fine material!"
* Sherry Smith, Percussion Instructor, The University of Texas at San Antonio

"Steve has given drumset players a valuable anthology of every possible style in every possible manuscript notation for every possible situation. 'Chart' reading isn't like reading traditional notation; this book bridges the gap. Remember it's written for the 'working drummer'. If you plan on performing in a variety of situations you owe it to yourself to get familiar with this material."
*Fred Wickstrom, Professor of Music, Program Coordinator, Percussion, University of Miami

"Thanks for sending the copy of Steve's new book. I gladly endorse it as, with Steve's other books, the "Anthology" addresses real musical situations and the real-world skills necessary to play them well."
*Ed Soph, Associate Professor of Music, University of North Texas

"Steve once again brings us a big reality - the chart that you really find when you sit down to make music, as compared to what you usually read in technique books. I highly recommend this book to any drummer who dreams to sit behind a band..."
*Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez

"Steve Houghton's new book, The Ultimate Drumset Reading Anthology, is an invaluable tool for any drummer interested in developing (dare we say the work?) READING facility. "This is often the weakest area for many young drummers and this book actually makes it fun to learn how to be a good reader. "A wide variety of styles and situations are covered, form Big Band to backing acts, to playing a show, and many more. It's incredibly thorough, and is very well laid out. "Hat's off Steve, you've done it again!"
*Gary Chaffee, GC Music

"Once again, Steve Houghton 'hits the nail on the head' by providing teachers and students with a comprehensive anthology for reading drum charts. These charts provide drummers with a variety of real working environments from live shows to studio situations. Steve also provides insight to each style and survival tips that help the drummer on the gig. The enclosed play-along CD recording make this anthology a must have!"
*Jim Campbell

"This anthology provides a thorough compilation of real life situations. What you'll have to deal with out there in the real world. This let's you know HOW to be really prepared. I'm looking forward to working on it. Thanks Steve! "
* Adam Nussbaum

*As Reviewed in Modern Drummer Magazine
"THE ULTIMATE DRUMSET READING ANTHOLOGY FOR THE WORKING DRUMMER"
"By Steve Houghton"
"Alfred Publishing-Book & CD $19.95"

"Bugged by anything named "The Ultimate"? Me too. But in the case of this new book/CD package. I can hardly disagree.

"Drummer/author/clinician Steve Houghton tackles the special reading requirements and idiosyncrasies of drumming in various formats and settings, including big band, small group, Broadway, live shows, cruise ships, studio work, and dance jobs. Each category is illustrated with an average of six charts written in that idiomatic style. For instance, the big band section includes actual drum charts by top arrangers, whereas the small group sections has both charts and sloppily hand-penned lead sheets, all in a variety of musical genres. The live show section includes play-ons and play-offs. The studio work section includes charts for a bank commercial, two cartoons, eight TV/radio "IDs," and a TV sports promo. The latter has an awkward two-bar D.S. followed by a two-bar coda - precisely the kind of expeditious/economical (lazy) chart writing pros are likely to encounter in the trenches. Similarly, the cruise ship section includes a magician's cue sheet with no music at all, just text instructions. Throughout, Anthology accurately represents the good, the bad, and the ugly of chart reading in the real world. Fortunately, Houghton also provides general guidance for each section, as well as specific tips for interpreting each chart. Similarly helpful is a glossary of terms commonly encountered in the various types of charts.

"Most of the charts are also performed with a trio on the accompanying CD. Some tunes are cool, some (mostly the show and cruise ship stuff) are excruciatingly square. Again, authenticity is key. Drumming on the disk is panned to the left channel so it can be turned down or omitted entirely from the mix, depending on the student's needs.

"Anthology offers an invaluable leg-up for drummers with reading in their future, especially in the various forms of studio and show music, for which there is precious little in print to prepare them. Preparation as good as this will prevent a lot of stumbling when the band strikes up, the mic's are on, the curtain rises, the ship sails - and hopefully, there's a paycheck involved. "Ultimate"? Hey, this thing is pure gold."
*Rich Watson, Modern Drummer