Third Coast Percussion Month continues!  We celebrate their 20th Anniversary as an ensemble with Ensemble Member and Finance Director Peter Martin, who discusses their current season and collaborations, the importance of non-artistic roles for the group, the early years financially and artistically, and being able to go full-time (02:10), the Glenn Kotche story (again) and the importance of expanding the staff of Third Coast (46:20), growing up mostly in Hawaii and his piano and percussion background (01:01:50), attending the University of Northern Colorado and Rutgers University (NJ) for undergrad (01:15:15), his years working with Michael Burritt at Northwestern for his grad degrees (01:31:20), and settles in with the Random Ass Questions, including discussions of early specialization, bad jobs, F1 Racing, great books, Hawaiian food, the Yoga Festival Story (Part 3), and seeing live music (particularly Beyoncé) (01:37:00).

Finishing with a Rave on the city of Denver, Colorado (02:09:45).

Third Coast Percussion Links:

Third Coast Percussion’s website

Paddle to the Sea - Third Coast Percussion

Glass: Aguas de Amazonia - Third Coast Percussion

Standard Stoppages - Third Coast Percussion

Previous Podcast Guests mentioned:

Rebecca McDaniel in 2017

Tim Feerst in 2021

Matthew Coley in 2021

Will James in 2017

Other Links:

Twyla Tharp Dance Foundation

Zakir Hussain

Jessie Montgomery

Concerto for Violin and Percussion Orchestra - Lou Harrison

Eighth Blackbird

So Percussion

Amanda Percussion Group

Kronos Quartet

Hideout Chicago

The Neo-Futurists

“Rebonds A/B” - Iannis Xenakis

Owen Clayton Condon

Liz Pesnel

Aphex Twin

“Smells Like Teen Spirit” - Nirvana

“1979” - Smashing Pumpkins

“Black Hole Sun” - Soundgarden

“So What” - Miles Davis

“Giant Steps” - John Coltrane

“Lonely Woman” - Ornette Coleman

Jack DeJohnette

Tony Williams

Elvin Jones

Max Roach

“Makrokosmos II” - George Crumb

Leigh Howard Stevens

Michael Burritt

She-e Wu

Mike Truesdell

Cloyd Duff

Terry Vermillion

Dennis DeLucia

Jacob Nissly

Annie Stevens

Kris Keeton

1491 - Charles C. Mann

Surrender - Bono

Get in the Van - Henry Rollins

“Take My Bones Away” - BARONESS

Cowboy Carter tour 2025

Raves:

Denver Art Museum

Meow Wolf

Third Coast Percussion Month Continues!  Ensemble Member, Technical Director, and Education Director Sean Connors stops by to talk about joining TCP, learning from early gigs, administrative challenges, and his version of the Glenn Kotche story (02:15), growing up in Bergen County (NJ), getting into percussion, and his experiences playing ultimate frisbee (26:35), going to Eastman (NY) for undergrad and studying with John H. Beck (39:10), attending Northwestern (IL) for his masters, studying with Michael Burritt, teaching after his degree, and creating performance opportunities for himself (55:00), getting his doctorate at Eastman, teaching at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, and getting the (literal) call to join TCP (01:04:30), finishes with the Random Ass Questions, including segments on great percussion experiences, random knowledge, The Mets, The Yoga Festival Story (Take 2), and the Sao Paolo Art Museum (01:17:10).

Finishing with a Rave on the 2024 film Sing Sing and a WTF with Marc Maron podcast episode with Clarence Maclin (01:31:45).

Sean Connors Links:

Third Coast Percussion

Other Links:

“Haunt of Last Nightfall” - David T. Little

“Bebop Riddle II” - Augusta Reed Thomas

Michael Burritt

John H. Beck

Liz Pesnel

The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps

Live in Osaka - Eastman Wind Ensemble

Peter Zlotnick

Annie Stevens

All Quiet on the Western Front - Erich Maria Remarque

A Farewell to Arms - Ernest Hemingway

War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy

The 1986 New York Mets

Bojack Horseman trailer

The Museu de Arte de São Paulo

Raves:

Sing Sing trailer

WTF - Clarence Maclin

Third Coast Percussion Executive Director and performer David Skidmore stops by to talk about TCP’s early years, how they booked gigs in the early days and finding their current Chicago home (05:00), becoming a non-profit, their Artist-in-Residence Program and getting more administrative help for the group (24:30), the camaraderie among the members and the membership change that occurred in 2013 (34:00), growing up (mostly) in North Texas, getting into percussion early on, his marching band experiences, and his competitive swimming career (39:25), attending Northwestern University (IL), studying with Michael Burritt and meeting the other future members of the group, studying with Robert Van Sice at Yale University (CT), and living in New York City (51:00), and finishing with the Random Ass Questions, including segments on looking outside of the standard western canon of music, expanding their reach as artists, great Chicago food, David’s version of the Yoga Festival story, and Zakir Hussain (01:11:00).

Finishing with a Rave on a live performance of The Mavericks and Dwight Yoakam (01:35:25).

Third Coast Percussion Links:

Third Coast Percussion’s homepage

David Skidmore’s TCP page

Previous Podcast Guests Mentioned:

Ian Rosenbaum in 2025

Victor Caccese in 2019

Rebecca McDaniel in 2017

David Levy in 2020

Other Links:

“Pour Maurice” - Iannis Xenakis

Michael Burritt

Sô Percussion

Eighth Blackbird

Nexus

Amadinda

Kroumata

Civic Orchestra of Chicago

Anthony Calabrese

Jacob Nissly

Ensemble Connect

Robert Van Sice

Owen Clayton Condon

Glenn Kotche

Liz Pesnel

Jessie Montgomery

Michael Hernandez

“One” - Metallica

Mark Wessels

Boomshaka

The Godfather Part II trailer

If On a Winter’s Night a Traveler - Italo Calvino

The 1990s Dallas Cowboys

Rudy’s BBQ

Chicago Architecture Cruise

Zakir Hussain

Raves:

Dwight Yoakam and The Mavericks 2025 tour

Executive Director for the Symphony of the Mountains Orchestra, Percussionist, Freelancer, and Educator Cassidy Lester stops by to talk about her work with the Symphony (03:05), her freelancing and teaching and how important performing is to her mental health (16:30), growing up in the Tri-Cities region of Tennessee, traveling with family to jam band concerts, getting into percussion, and her unique marching experiences (31:30), attending East Tennessee State University, getting her undergrad and MBA degrees, and how COVID changed her path (51:20), and finishing with the Random Ass Questions, including discussions of instrument stereotyping, the Pride and Prejudice movie from the mid-2000s, the Fourth Wing books, and great artwork (01:12:05).

Finishing with a Rave on the 2022 nonfiction book Dangerous Rhythms: Jazz and the Underworld (01:52:00).

Cassidy Lester links:

Symphony of the Mountains

Previous Podcast Guests mentioned:

Matthew Geiger in 2019

Evan Chapman in 2019

Andy Bliss in 2023

Other Links:

David Mitchell

Diana Loomer

Morgan Tao

Blue Iron Percussion

The Planets - Gustav Holst

Don Felder

“The Hero” - Clarice Assad (arr. TCP)

“Second Thoughts” - Evan Chapman

“Re(new)al” - Viet Cuong

“Happy Now” - Blue Iron Community Steel Band

“Watercolor Sun” - Ivan Trevino

Rhythm & Roots Reunion Festival

The 1927 Bristol Sessions

Widespread Panic live

“Esther” - Phish

“Cassidy” - The Grateful Dead

“Welcome to the Black Parade” - My Chemical Romance

Rande Sanderbeck

Pride and Prejudice Original Soundtrack

Pride and Prejudice trailer

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind trailer

IT trailer (1990)

Avengers: Endgame trailer

The LEGO Movie trailer

The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part trailer

Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury

Fourth Wing - Rebecca Yarros

This is Your Brain on Music - Daniel J. Levitin

Musicophilia - Oliver Sacks

Into the Wild - Jon Krakauer

Rhinoceros Success - Scott Alexander

Heaven Breaker - Sara Wolf

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars - Christopher Paolini

Vampire Diaries: Season 1 trailer

Red - John Logan

Four Darks in Red - Mark Rothko

The Stranger - Albert Camus

Long Day’s Journey into Night - Eugene O’Neill

Raves:

Dangerous Rhythms: Jazz and the Underworld - T. J. English

2025 University of Missouri Master of Music in Percussion Performance graduate Luke Haymon stops by to talk about his final master’s recital (03:55), studying outside of percussion at Mizzou, including conducting with Dr. Christian Noon and piano tuning from Lucy Urlacher (14:15), his overall percussion activities here, including his role as assistant director of the Marching Mizzou drumline, teaching, and performing (23:45), his upcoming job as Assistant Band Director and Percussion Specialist at Rome High School in Georgia (34:00), growing up near Huntsville, Alabama, his years in drum corps, and his early years on percussion and piano (43:20), going to Jacksonville State University (AL) for undergrad and finding his way to Mizzou (01:01:00), and finishing with the Random Ass Questions, including segments on moving one’s body to music, great books, the NBA playoffs, and the anime series One Piece (01:27:55).

Finishing with a Rave on the 2025 National Conference on Percussion Pedagogy, including a performance of one of Pete’s compositions! (02:00:55).

Luke Haymon Links:

Luke Haymon’s Master’s Recital Program

Previous Podcast Guests Mentioned:

Megan Arns in 2017

Julia Gaines in 2016

Clif Walker in 2021

Andrew Lynge in 2025

Matthew Jordan in 2022

Omar Carmenates in 2018

Andrea Venet in 2018

Tracy Wiggins in 2022

Lauren Teel in 2017

Miles Bohlman in 2024

Other Links:

“Merlin” - Andrew Thomas

“Velocities” - Joseph Schwantner

“Khan Variations” - Alejandro Viñao

“Concerto for Vibraphone” - Emmanuel Sejourné

“Side by Side” - Michio Kitazume

“Rooted” -Brian Blume

Tom Andes

“Armando’s Rhumba” - Chick Corea

“I’m Old Fashioned” - Chet Baker

“Ritmicas 5 and 6” - Amadeo Roldán

“Color Fields in Vector Space” - Omar Carmenates

“REFRAKT” - Andrea Venet

“Vespertine Formations” - Christopher Deane

“Fantaisie-Impromptu” - Frederic Chopin

“Take the “A” Train” - Duke Ellington

Rick Beato

Carolina Crown 2024

Santa Clara Vanguard 2024

Dan Allen

Joshua Foust

Clint Gillespie

“Come Sunday: Shout” - Omar Thomas

“Adoracion” - Eddie Palmiere

The Sixth Sense trailer

Shawshank Redemption trailer

The Shining trailer

The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern

Steph Curry’s top 35 plays

“Insomnia” - Cody Holmes

One Piece

Raves:

National Conference on Percussion Pedagogy

University of Illinois Percussion Professor Josh Graham returns to talk about his post-master’s degree years in Michigan and taking non-music opportunities to make it work (02:15), moving to Chicago, getting his doctorate at the University of Illinois, getting more fully into chamber music, and his time teaching at the University of Northern Iowa (10:30), and finishing with the Random Ass Questions, including segments on commissioning non-percussion composers, working at Wendy’s, Alfred Hitchcock movies, Detroit sports, and Olivier Messiaen (27:25).

Finishing with a Rave on the 2025 film Sinners (56:35).

Josh Graham links:

Part 1 with Josh Graham

Josh Graham’s website

Josh Graham’s Illinois page

F-PLUS Music

Previous Podcast Guests mentioned:

Megan Arns in 2017

Garrett Arney in 2019

Marco Schirripa in 2022

Other Links:

Aspen Music Festival

Contemporary Directions Ensemble

Steven Stucky

“Micro-Concerto” - Steven Mackey

Cloyd Duff

Joe Gramley

Andrew Spencer

Jenny Klukken

Doug Perkins

Raves:

Sinners trailer

Freelancer, Performer, and Director of Percussion Activities at the University of Illinois Josh Graham stops by to talk about his work with the F PLUS chamber trio (04:55), his job at Illinois and replacing legends there (19:20), growing up near Detroit, getting into percussion, and the novels of William Faulkner (38:30), his undergrad years at the University of Central Michigan (48:30) and his masters years at the University of Michigan (01:02:40).

Finishing with a Rave on Pete’s experiences at the 2025 Percussive Arts Society Missouri Day of Percussion (01:16:50).

Josh Graham links:

Josh Graham’s website

F PLUS

Chen Family Quartet

Josh Graham’s Illinois

North Carolina Central University Percussion Professor, Freelancer, Bandleader, and Composer Thomas Taylor stops by to talk about his career so far at NCCU (03:25), the music program and jazz program there and its place in the state (16:50), his freelancing career (33:40), growing up in Elizabeth City (NC), his early life in percussion, and playing sports growing up (37:50), his undergrad years at UNC-Greensboro, studying with Cort McClaren, and the formation of his jazz group In The Black (56:30), post grad years of teaching and performing, eventually getting his Master’s degree, and the importance placed on credentials (01:13:00), and finishes with the Random Ass Questions, including segments on “Siloism”, getting opportunities, bad jobs and good food, Questlove’s books, and King Godwin’s artwork (01:27:45).

Finishing with a Rave on the 2020 edition of The Best American Sports Series (02:00:40).

Thomas Taylor Links:

Thomas Taylor’s website

Previous Podcast Guests mentioned:

Cort McClaren in 2022

Eric Willie in 2022

Other Links:

Jazz at NCCU

Jack Rudin Competition 2023

Benito Gonzalez

Jeff Tain Watts

“Jazz Party” - Delfeayo Marsalis

Grady Tate

“Soul Bossa Nova” - Quincy Jones

“Naughty Number Nine” - Schoolhouse Rock

Sooley - John Grisham

“Cherokee” - Max Roach

Max Roach and Abbey Lincoln

“When Sunday Comes” - Daryl Coley

“Hear My Voice” - John P. Kee

John Brown Jazz

International Black Theater Festival

“Band of Gold” - Freda Payne

Angela Bassett

Ed Soph

Quincy Davis

Steve Davis

Ed Thigpen

Alan Dawson

Lynn Seaton

Blue Giant trailer

Mo’ Meta Blues - Questlove

Hip Hop is History - Questlove

10x is Better than 2x - Dan Sullivan

Who Not How - Dan Sullivan

King Godwin Art

Raves:

The Best American Sports Writing 2020 - Jackie Macmullan and Glenn Stout

Sabian Cymbal Company National Director of Sales and Education for Music Schools and Director of the Ohio State University Marching Band drumline Mark Reynolds returns to talk about growing up in Columbus, OH, his early days playing percussion, and rolling skating and bowling as a young man (03:30), going to Ohio State for undergrad (18:40), getting into the music industry business, and what it takes to be successful there (31:50), and settles in for the Random Ass Questions, including discussion of percussion methods classes, bad jobs, food stories, great movies and books, bourbon, and his son’s artwork (44:40).

Finishing with a Rave on the 1974 film The Conversation (01:19:40).

Mark Reynolds Links:

Part 1 with Mark Reynolds

Mark Reynolds’ LinkedIn Page

Mark Reynolds’ Ohio State page

Previous Podcast Guests mentioned:

Fernando Meza in 2020

Tim Heath in 2023

Mark Ford in 2023

Eric Willie in 2022

Scott Herring in 2022

Cameron Leach in 2023

Other links:

“Bunker Hill” - Haskell Harr

John Mapes

Ian Grom

James Swearingen

Rhythm X

James L. Moore

Jack Jenny

Mark Berry

Larry Kaptain

Tim Adams

Michael Bump

Susan Powell

Blue Devils DCI

Glassmen DCI

Phantom Regiment

Paul Rennick

Piezano Pizza Maker

The Shawshank Redemption trailer

A Quiet Place trailer

Severance trailer

LEAD…For God’s Sake - Todd Gongwer

Christian Lindberg

Raves:

The Conversation trailer

Sabian Cymbal Company National Director of Sales and Education for Music Schools and Director of the Ohio State University Marching Band drumline Mark Reynolds stops by to talk about his Sabian job, the school rewards program, and folks who professionally represent Sabian well (03:45), the Ohio State drumline job, updating the sound and look of the group, and the challenges of the Rose Bowl parade (47:45) and the popularity of Ohio State’s halftime shows (01:11:40).

Finishing with a Rave on the 2006 documentary Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing (01:36:00).

Mizzou Percussion Ensemble Concert 1 YouTube link

Mizzou Percussion Ensemble Concert 2 YouTube link

Mark Reynolds links:

Mark Reynolds’ LinkedIn page

Mark Reynolds’ OSU page

“Demystifying the Texas Percussion Program”

“The Music of Rush” - Ohio State Marching Band

Ohio State Drumline 2021 Snare Jam

Previous Podcast guests mentioned:

Thomas Burritt in 2021

Mark Ford in 2023

Brian Zator in 2017

Keith Aleo in 2020

Other Links:

Paul Rennick

Sandi Rennick

Gon Bops and Alex Acuña

Jessica Flannigan

Neil Flannigan

Joe Hobbs

Mark Hunter

James Swearingen

Bluecoats

Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps

Jon Waters

Christopher Hoch

Ohio State’s 2022 Elton John Show

Ohio State’s 2013 Michael Jackson show

Music for 18 Musicians - Steve Reich

“Buckeye Jazz Cafe” - 2022 show

Michael Klesch

Michael Martin

The Ghost Rider - Neil Peart

“Shofukan” - Snarky Puppy

Raves:

Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing trailer