Discussions in Percussion

Damon and Marcos talk to Master Sargent Mark Reilly about the history of rudimental drumming, what the U.S. Army "Old Guard" is all about and other rudimental styles from around the world. They talk about military musician as a career option. Questions are answered from listener letters, some music news and a quick recap of the Grammys.

Damon and "Kilo" talk to Marcos about different music from Puerto Rico, as well as his influences and teachers. They also talk about his various gigs from Lila Downs, Thalia, Max Weinberg, Gilberto Santa Rosa and even when he was younger in groups like N'Klabe and La Timbistica. 

Damon and Marcos discuss the Superbowl, Beyonce and follow up on the NEA before interviewing Martin Cohen (Founder of LP and Congahead) and Javier Raez (Producer of Congahead content and winner of YouTube's Next Up award). They talk about Martin's 78th birthday, how he started LP and how he and Javier continue to put out top content through Congahead.

In addition to Hands On’Semble, Randy has also worked with an extensive array of artists including: reggae superstar Ziggy Marley (on the Grammy winning album Fly Rasta); pianist Larry Karush; The Lian Ensemble (including the Pangea Project with Djivan Gasparyan and Swapan Chaudhuri; and the 2009 UCLALive production of Medea starring Annette Bening); percussionist Adam Rudolph’s “Go: Organic Orchestra” and world percussion group Vashti; projects with Indian slide veena virtuoso Chitravina Ravikiran (including a concert tour of India that also featured Brazilian pianist Jovino Santos Neto and master African drummer Alfred Ladzekpo); a Balkan/Indian collaboration with maestros Aashish Khan, Swapan Chaudhuri, Miroslav Tadic, Vlatko Stefanovski; Romanian pan flute virtuoso Damian Draghici; overtone singer David Hykes; Turkish musician Latif Bolat; Vinny Golia’s Large Ensemble; Persian pianist Ardeshir Rohani; pianist Dan Siegel; and South Indian percussionist Poovalur Sriji to name only some.  Randy has also contributed percussion for film soundtracks by composers Danny Elfman, Harry Gregson-Williams, and Gary Chang; for television series’ such as Fear Factor; video games such as Uncharted 3 for Sony Play Station; recorded music for the American Conservatory Theater; Southwest Chamber Music (Lou Harrison); and has recorded several extensive percussion sample libraries for software companies such as: Apple (Garage Band), Ilio, and Native Instruments.

Randy Gloss has been on the faculty at California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) in Valencia California since 1999, where he oversees the M.F.A. World Percussion Program and is the current Chairman of the World Music Program.  Randy has also taught at UCLA and LA Music Academy (LAMA), and has been a visiting artist/lecturer/clinician at many universities, music schools and conservatories in the U.S. and abroad. 

Paulo Stagnaro has established himself as an innovative voice in today's generation of creative young artists. Hailed by jazz great Ralph Peterson as "a young master percussionist," Stagnaro has been a force on the ever-evolving New York scene since moving to Brooklyn in 2012. This year alone, he has performed and/or recorded with NEA Jazz master Paquito D'Rivera, Grammy-Winner Angelique Kidjo, Jazz Legend Dave Liebman, and formed part of the all-star rhythm section for Sting’s 25th Anniversary Rainforest Fundraiser at Carnegie Hall featuring James Taylor, Paul Simon, and Stephen Stills.

This episode (#3) features an interview with Thom Hannum. Percussion faculty at Umass Amherst, founder of the Mobile Percussion Seminar, & Carolina Crown Drum Corps Captionhead, In the past he was also the writer & arranger for Blast!, Star of Indiana, Brass Theater, The Cadets and Crossmen. Thom is a die hard Phillies and Eagles fan, father or two and percussion clinician for Pearl/Adams, Vic Firth, Zildjian, and Evans Drumheads. Thom has written two books and isn't slowing down anytime soon!

Kit Chatham is an internationally recognized percussionist, performer, composer, arranger, and educator.  Kit’s experience in many forms of percussion, including drum set, world percussion, orchestral percussion, and marching percussion, makes him a highly sought after performer & clinician and create a percussive sound that is uniquely his own.

Kit currently is the Drummer/Percussionist and Assistant Band Leader for Cirque du Soleil’s newest touring show, Kurios, and when not on tour resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. Kit has enjoyed performing all over the world in front of millions of specators over the years with other Cirque du Soleil productions: Kooza (2013-2014), Zumanity (2012-2013), and Mystere (2013). Before those shows, Kit was the original Percussionist/Drummer for both Cirque du Soleil creations Viva Elvis (2009-2012) and Corteo (2005-2009) where he never missed a single show in over 5000+ shows.

This is the "pilot" episode of the podcast, introducing your hosts, Marcos and Damon. Two professional percussionists who will each week have conversations with musicians who hit, scratch and shake stuff. This podcast it is not only geared towards percussion players. Anyone is welcome to listen!