Ganesh Giri Jaya was born in New Orleans, moved to Atlanta at age 16, spent his early 20’s in L.A. and Portland, and ultimately returned to Atlanta where he has remained for the past 25 years. His career has usually found him drumming and/or singing in cover and tribute bands of various types. He was one of the original members of Yacht Rock Revue and for the past few years has been the singer, drummer, and leader of its overflow band, Yacht Rock Schooner. Those bands and a few others are under the umbrella of the entertainment company PleaseRock. In his mid 20s, he was introduced to yoga and soon delved deeper into it, beyond the physical practice most of us have done at least once, and into the spiritual, emotional and psychological lessons it has to offer.

In this podcast, Ganesh talks about:

How yoga has improved every aspect of his physicality, behind the drums and in daily life

The hallmarks of a good yoga teacher

Growing up in New Orleans

How singing and playing trumpet before taking up drums made him a more sensitive musician

His approaches to matched vs. traditional grip over the years

The aspects of New Orleans music that still inform his playing

Studying with Joe Porcaro and Ralph Humphrey at Musicians Institute, and his brief tenures in L.A. and Portland

Developing versatility vs. honing your strengths

His work as a copy editor for Drumhead Magazine, and the principles good writing and good music share

This episode is sponsored by Crush Drums