Welcome to Episode #32 of The Up and Coming Drummer Podcast. This week on the show, my guest is session/touring drummer TJ Hartmann.

TJ Hartmann and I were supposed to have our interview a few days prior to when we actually sat down. You would think that in the podcast business, trying to book guests for interviews would be a nightmare. Surprisingly, this was the first interview I've ever had to reschedule. But when TJ messaged me saying that his baby could be born any minute, I completely understood! We had our interview a few days later and I was ready to congratulate him. But still no baby. So TJ warned me that he might have to leave at any given minute.

I was eager to get started. One, because I wanted to get as many questions in as I could. And two, because I've been excited to chat with him for some time now! TJ is a monster player who creates some killer content! Before we find out about everything he has happening for him, I asked TJ to tell us a bit about growing up, and living in Dayton, OH. TJ tells us about how he found the drums, the music he was into, and how he learned how to play.

TJ has been in his share of bands over the years. He had been touring extensively from 2007 to around 2013. I asked TJ to tell us about the bands he's been in and any that he is in currently. He gave me the rundown on some of these bands and the life of a touring drummer. Being a working musician, we spend alot of time in bars and clubs. I asked TJ if there were any bucket list venues that he has had the chance to play. He talks with me a bit about a show he played at The Hollywood Bowl! Pretty amazing if you ask me!

Next up I wanted to ask TJ about his career as a Marching Drummer. TJ worked with local marching programs and taught private lessons from 2003-2013. Drumline had a huge impact on his life and career. He had sent me a quote in our initial emails that really stood out to me. I wanted to find out more about what he was saying. He explains the values and disciplines the marching community instilled in him, and how young drummers these days aren't always aware of the hard work needed to achieve success.

I asked TJ if he ever thought about getting back into teaching. TJ is a busy guy. Let's not forget he is about to be a Father AGAIN! He has a family, job, home, and everything else to take care of. Teaching is something he still wants to do but needs to make sure the time is right. With that being said, I thought it would be valuable for the listeners to hear how a guy like TJ keeps it all together. He explains the balance that is needed to be a Dad, a Husband, a full-time worker, and a Professional Drummer.

The next topic I wanted to touch on was TJ's home studio. If you follow him on Instagram, you have seen the killer set up he has! I wanted to know what he does in his man cave beside just make videos. We have a pretty similar setup and have been trying to take full advantage of it. I know there have got to be other drummers out there trying to do the same thing. Remote drum tracking, doing session work, and producing is something I wanted to ask TJ about. I asked TJ if he had any tips on how to promote the work we do and how to make sure we are providing the best product we can.

Like I said before, TJ's Instagram page shows what a killer setup he has. Being a Meinl Cymbals player myself, it was one of the first things I noticed about his kit. We chatted briefly about the different companies he uses and endorses. Before we wrap up the show, we chat about social media. Like many drummers who come on this show, I find them through Instagram. We have an unbelievable community of drummers. I wanted to ask TJ about all the platforms he is on and what his thoughts were on being a content creator. We talk about some of our favorite social media drummers. Finally, we discuss how to combat running out of ideas or feeling like your post...

Welcome into Episode #31 of The Up & Coming Drummer Podcast! Today on the show, I'm chatting with Drummer and Educator, Sean Lang!

The first time I saw Sean Lang, was back in the early days of Drumeo when it was still called, "Free Drum Lessons". Fast forward to present day, and now I talk to Sean on a pretty regular basis. This podcast and social media as a whole have been able to connect me with so many drummers. It's unbelievable! So I was very excited to finally sit down for an hour and chat with Sean about his career.

Although many of you may know Sean Lang from his appearances on Drumeo, the bands he has played with, or from his Drumless Practice Loops website, I wanted to have him start from the beginning so listeners could get to know a bit about him. Sean tells us about where he is from, growing up in a creative family, and how he fell in love with music. We get a look into what bands influenced Sean, his favorite drummers, and discuss the education he had on the drums as he was learning.

When Sean graduated from High School, he joined his first Progressive Metal Band "First Reign". This band continued on for 10 years. They recorded several albums and gave Sean his first taste of being a touring musician. Sean tells us a bit about those formative years. We talk about how this shaped him into the professional musician he is today. What happened next was something nobody would expect.

It was during this time he had first hooked up with Jared and Dave from what is now Drumeo. Obviously, most drummers are familiar with the online drum lesson site, so I wanted to dig deep into this subject to hear about how it all got started. Jared and Dave had been running a website called "FreeDrumLessons.com" and needed a drummer who could teach Metal and double bass. In comes Sean. We talk about the first studio they had, and also about Seans DVD that was recorded there called "Bass Drum Secrets". It was really cool hearing about the early days of Drumeo. He tells about his relationship with the guys these days, and what his thoughts are on "Online Drum Lessons" altogether.

To change gears a bit, I wanted to talk to Sean about the bands he has been playing with more recently. Sean had sent me a list prior to our interview of some of these bands. Some things had changed between the time he sent it, and our the interview, so he gave us an update on bands such as Arcnaut, Seven Year Storm, The Great Filter, and Byrd Dawg. He broke down for us what each band was like in regards to style. We discussed any albums, tours and the whole nine!

I wanted to take a quick minute to talk with Sean about his brand new business. His newest venture is with the company "Mindful Marketing". I really think that being a professional musician and good at marketing go hand in hand. Sean tells us a bit about the company, and how he has used his marketing skills to help people from all over.

The topic that I was most excited to talk with Sean about was his Drumless Practice Loops website. He has changed my life as a drummer on social media. It became very boring for me to do covers of popular songs. When I stumbled upon his loops, it was like having a killer band in my studio at the click of a button. There are alot of drumless tracks channels and sites out there, but there is just something different about his tracks. So I asked Sean about what made him decide to get into creating these tracks. Sean tells us how he is able to create all the parts through midi controllers. His site offers many different genres of music with and without click tracks. You can check out free samples of the songs on his Youtube channel, or purchase the full track from his website.

Before we wrap it up, we talk briefly about some of the gear that Sean plays including Mapex Drums and Los Cabos Drumsticks. And we talk a bit about social media and what role it has pla...

Welcome into Episode 30 of The Up & Coming Drummer Podcast! This week on the show, I sit down with Drummer, Singer, Actress, and Model - Marlhy Murphy.

The first time I came across Marlhy Murphy, it was on my Instagram feed scrolling through drummers! At first, you might think, well it's just another girl playing drums. But if you stop and listen, you quickly find out that this girl has some chops! I knew I had to find out more about who she was. What I found, I totally didn't expect. She was much more than just a drummer. Marlhy is also a singer/songwriter, an actress, and a model! I knew I had to get her on the show to discuss her career and have her offer some advice on how to become successful.

We start off our chat with Marlhy telling us about growing up in Dallas, Tx. Marlhy got her start in Musical Theater at a very young age. Her family has always been very supportive and has allowed her to try her hand at whatever interested her. She realized that she enjoyed playing drums from playing the video game RockBand. She took lessons with whatever instructors she could. Some of the best in the world have sat down with her, including Thomas Pridgen, and Dave Elitch. Marlhy and I also talk about how she got into acting and modeling.

Marlhy started playing in bands by the age of 7. I thought I got into it young being in my first band at 15. She tells about how she found musicians to play with, and what those first experiences were like. Over the years, Marlhy had gotten the chance to play all over the US in some of the coolest clubs and festivals. She talks about playing SXSW, Lollapalooza, Lobster Fest, The Whiskey a Go-Go, The Roxy, and The Regent! She tells us about some memorable moments from her early years of touring. We also talk about the support of her family throughout the process. She gives us a realistic look at how her family has helped her follow her passion.

Marlhy's current band is called "Marlhy and the Misguided". Not only does she pen the songs for the band, but she also plays guitar, and is the frontwoman. Marlhy had been signed to a major label in a development project in 2017-2018. We talk about what it's like working with the label, and what she and the band are up to know. They are currently playing shows in LA so go check them out if you have the chance! You can check them out at the link at the bottom of this page.

In the next portion of my interview, Marlhy tells us about the gear she plays. Anyone that has seen her on Instagram has seen the Pearl Drum kit she plays. One thing that stuck out to me was the logo on her bass drum. Below the Pearl logo, she has her name in the same exact font as Pearl uses. She walks us through that kit, as well as the cymbals she likes to use. Being a multi-instrumentalist, we also chat about the other gear she likes to use such as guitars. We discussed her views on endorsements, and what companies she would like to work with.

One of the reasons I thought it would be great to talk with Marlhy is because of the amount of hustle she puts into to every facet of her career. She is involved in so many projects. On any given day, you can follow her Instagram stories and see her on a photo shoot, auditioning for a role, or writing new material for her band. We talk about some of the commercials she's been in for Target, Verizon, and Dole. I wanted her to explain to the listeners about how she balances education and her work schedule. There is some really great info in this section pertaining to working hard. We even compare what the similarities and differences are between the acting business and the music business. A very interesting part of our conversation.

In the last part of our chat, I ask Marlhy about the impact that social media has had on her career. She currently has over 70k followers on Instagram. I ask Marlhy how important social media is to her career and why.

What's happening, folks! Glad to be back this week with a regularly scheduled guest! Today I am sitting down with a Touring Drummer and Session Drummer. My friend and yours, Justin Hauck.

Let me ask you this. Did you wonder to yourself how exactly to pronounce Justin Hauck? So did I. That's why I asked him during the pre-interview how to pronounce his last name. Leave it to me, five seconds later to butcher it! Lol. Oh well. Justin immediately cracked up and told me that this wasn't the first time, and certainly won't be the last! It was at this moment that I felt immediately felt comfortable with him and knew this was going to be an easy going conversation.

So who is Justin Hauck? Well, as usual, I like to take things back to the days of old when Justin was a wee little lad discovering music for the first time. We talk about the moments that stuck out to him during those early years that drew his attention towards music, and of course the drums. I asked Justin about some of his influences. Both bands, and drummers. Justin walks us through those formative years growing up and we are off to diving into what he has created for himself these days!

I always appreciate when a guest sends me a bio. Honestly, the more information you send me, the less I have to go digging. So Justin sent me a nice explanation of everything he's about. I took this info and formulated some questions to help us all get to know him better. Justin is very proficient in many genres including, but not limited to Rock, R&B, Country, Folk, and Latin. We chat a bit about the bands he has played with throughout the years. Currently, Justin plays with Andino Suns, amongst other jobs that he takes when he can. Justin shares some stories from over the years and gives a real look into what the life of a working musician looks like.

Justin has also spent some time in the studio. Some really cool ones actually! He was lucky enough to record at the world famous Sound City studios which we are all familiar with from the Dave Grohl documentary. This was a really great part of the interview because Justin tells us about the process of recording and what its like to work with big-time producers. He gives us a very valuable look into what it's like to be a drummer hired for a project. I think anyone looking to get into session drumming will benefit from the information in this section.

The thing that initially drew me to Justin was how creative he was on Social Media. In the next section of our chat, we hit on some points regarding being a content creator, and what some of his approaches are. If you haven't yet seen his Instagram page, one of the first things you might notice is the theme he goes with. Many of his posts are in black and white. You may notice some interesting sound effects that he uses to create loops. I ask Justin what sets him apart from other social media drummers out there. And we talk about how he copes with being in a creative slump.

Of course, it wouldn't be an episode without talking about gear. I noticed that Justin plays a few different kits in his videos. I had a hunch that he was playing a Yamaha kit like mine, and my predictions were correct. Justin tells about his Yamaha kit, the different snares he uses, and the other kits he plays. Justin also walks us through the device he uses to create the sounds he uses for his loops. A very interesting piece of equipment called a PO-20 which looks very similar to a calculator. Definitely, something to check out if coming up with sounds and rhythms is your thing!

In the last portion of our conversation, we discuss education. Justin also teaches drums. I love picking the brains of fellow teachers. I've been arguing with myself lately about the approach I take and if it's the best way to go about things. It was great to talk to him about the things he does in the classroom.

What is up, everybody! This week on The Up & Coming Drummer Podcast, we have a "Secret Guest".

We've been hinting at it all week so there's no way we are gonna give it away here in the description! If you want to find out who the Secret Guest is, you are just going to have to listen! Press play!

Hope you guys enjoy this week's Episode!

For more info, and to Follow the Show -

www.upandcomingdrummer.com/podcasts

www.instagram.com/upandcomingdrummer

www.facebook.com/upandcomingdrummer

www.twitter.com/UCDrummerPod

www.chrislangandrummer.com

#Drummer T-Shirt

http://www.teespring.com/drummershirt

Welcome to Episode #27 of The Up & Coming Drummer Podcast. This week we are chatting with Pittsburgh Drummer, Eddan Sparks.

What's up, folks! Glad to have you back again this week for another episode with another great drummer! I always enjoy when I get to talk to a drummer from my home State of Pennsylvania. There is immediately a connection, and I can't help but wonder if we've crossed paths or have visited the same places. Eddan Sparks and I figure out if I'm pronouncing his name correctly, then it's time to jump into the interview.

As I mentioned, Eddan is from the Pittsburgh area. South West by about 4 hours from where I live. But we discuss growing up in Pa, and try to nail down if we have ever had an encounter. Of course, we talk a bit about sports being that many popular teams come from Pa. But we quickly get down to business and get to hear about how Eddan found drums.

Interestingly enough, Eddan's parents Greg and Rebecca Sparks were nationally touring musicians. Eddan explains how he grew up in a house full of music and worked up the skills to eventually hit the road as his parent's drummer! He gives us a really cool look into the life of a young touring musician. It's something you really need to hear for yourself. Not the conventional way a child grows up.

After chatting about touring with his parents, we discuss some of the other bands he has played with over the years. Eddan has played with "Dan Getkin and The Twelve Six", Zanetta Grant, and "Merrow". We talk about his time with these various bands, as well as learn about his own project which is called "The Eddan Sparks Trio". This is a band of friends that Eddan decided to front due to the fact there can sometimes be rotating members. You can catch his trio out and about around Pittsburgh currently.

Next up, we talk about his recent transition to becoming a full-time drummer. Eddan, like many of us, had to work jobs he didn't particularly like until he was able to put himself in a position to make enough money to survive through gigging. Eddan doesn't do very much teaching so he is out working the clubs, and getting in any session work he can. It's always inspiring to hear how drummers have been able to hang up the 9 to 5.

Our next section of the interview focuses on gear. Eddan tells us a bit about his set up. He is an endorser of Dream Cymbals who I have been hearing alot about lately through past guests and through their social media page. He explains to us why he chooses the gear he does. He walks us through how he approached the company for the endorsement and how that relationship has developed.

The reason I found out about Eddan was from my interview with Siros Vaziri. During our chat, he told me about this guy who guys by the name "Pittsburgh Drummer" on Instagram. Siros said how he loved the creative way in which Eddan creates his content. I ask him about his #or videos which basically allows the audience to choose which groove they like better. He tells us how the idea was born, and further discusses his thoughts on social media as a whole for drummers. With algorithms and insane competition, Eddan offers some tips on how to stand out from the crowd.

To wrap up the interview, I ask Eddan if there was anything he wishes he did differently so far in his career. With that being answered, we get to my final question where I ask him where he hoped to be one year from now. Eddan Sparks has had an incredible career and is wise beyond his years. If you would like to follow him and see what he does next, then please check out the links below! Enjoy!

Eddan Sparks

https://www.instagram.com/pittsburghdrummer

https://www.instagram.com/eddansparkstrio

Welcome to Episode #26 of The Up & Coming Drummer Podcast. This week on the show, I sit down with one of coolest chicks in drumming. Ladies and Gents, Drummer and Educator - Sammi Bishop.

At only 27 years old, Sammi Bishop has toured much of the world, rubbed shoulders with living legends, and is teaching the next generation of drummers. Her schedule is so busy that it took a couple months to make this interview happen. As I prepared for this interview, I quickly realized how many things we could talk about. I had more questions for Sammi than any other guest I've had on so far! I hoped we could get to most of them.

We start off the chat talking about her early years growing up in Dallas, Texas. Sammi moved around a bit when she was growing up. She tells us about living in different parts of Texas, as well as in Florida. Sammi also tells us about how she became interested in the drums. At this point, she has been playing for 10 years. We discuss the different music she listened to and what some of her influences are. She tells us about taking lessons and how she would, later on, get her first gig filling in for her teacher.

I tell Sammi how I too started playing in clubs at a very young age. We talked about what it's like being a teenager playing in clubs and hanging out in bars at that age. Most people our age were having sleepovers while we were out in the nightlife building our foundation. Sammi tells us about some memorable moments from those early experiences. She says that being in those situations at such a young age had taken away the shock value of what we sometimes see in the rough bar scene.

For Sammi, it didn't take long before she busted out of the local clubs and headed out on tour around the world with some different bands. The first big gig for her started when she joined the band "Big Engine" which had her touring in support of some big acts like Brett Michaels and .38 Special. During her time with the band, she developed the confidence and experience that would set her up for the bigger tours which were to come.

Sammi was discovered on her Youtube Channel by members of the band "Tito and Tarantula" which is best known for their appearances in movies like Dusk Til Dawn and Desperado. She was flown out to audition where she secured the spot for the tour. Sammi got to travel all over the world and meet some pretty high profile people along the way! She certainly had built herself quite the resume by this point.

The band that she currently plays for is a Motley Crue Tribute Band called Crued and Tattooed. With Tommy Lee being one of her all-time favorite drummers, and the Crue being her favorite band, Sammi responded to the wanted ad as soon as she heard they were looking for a drummer. Sammi tells us how they actually have a roller coaster rig for the drumset much like the actual Motley Crue uses. She hasn't gotten to use it yet due to the size of some of the venues. But they do have some shows lined up where she will finally get to take her drumset for a ride!

When Sammi is on the road, she is busy teaching the next generation of drummers. Sammi teaches at the School of Rock in Texas. The school which is loosely based off the movie has several locations across the country. We talk about how she got into teaching and what some of the hardest things she has experienced as an educator. Sammi is full-time at the school and is always sharing the progress of her students on social media.

Next up we talk about gear. Sammi tells about the different drums she plays and about some of the companies she endorses. She has been a long time supporter and player of Trick bass drum pedals and has recently joined the family as a drumset artist. Sammi also represents Aquarian Drumheads. She tells us a bit about the relationships she has with these companies and how she became involved with them.

What's up, everybody! Welcome to Episode #25 of The Up & Coming Drummer Podcast! This week I am joined by a phenomenal Drummer and Educator. Say hello to Mr. Jeremy Schreifels!

Most of the interviews I do on the show happen in the evening hours. It just seems to be the time that works out best for everybody! But every once in a while, I get a guest who has a pretty similar schedule as me. Jeremy Schreifels and I agreed on having our chat at 10 in the morning! So after brewing up a pot of coffee, and taking my last bathroom break, it was time to talk some drums!

Jeremy Schreifels is a drummer that I've heard about quite a bit. I didn't realize that he had been on other podcasts before. So as part of my research, I made sure to listen to his other interviews. Normally I try to stray from asking the same questions that someone else has already asked, but after hearing about some of the things Jeremy spoke about, I felt that I owed it to my listeners to ask a few repeat questions so that they would get the chance to know him as well.

After catching up a bit, we dive into that very familiar question. "How did you find the drums?" Jeremy tells us a bit about growing up and how he became involved in music. We also discuss some of the music that influenced him during those early years. Jeremy and I chat about some of our influences, and how we both found our creative ways around the drumset.

As I mentioned earlier, there were a few topics I felt were important to bring up again. I felt that the topic was only lightly touched on in his previous interviews, so I wanted to open up the discussion. Jeremy had an almost career-threatening injury some years back, which resulted in tremendous pain in his left hand when he played. After only a few years of serious rudimental drumming, a slight flaw in his technique caused a few tears in the muscles/tendons in his hand. Jeremey gives us a rundown of exactly what happened and how it almost made him have to give up the drums.

Thankfully, with the help of Drummer and Clinician Daniel Glass, Jeremy was able to slowly work his way up to not only playing drums again but being a full-time drummer! Too often I think we forget that you can actually hurt yourself if you aren't playing properly. There were times early on where Jeremey was only able to play for 2 mins per day. But through hard work and a desire to fix the issues he had, he no longer has the issues that once almost ended his career. I think too often we forget that it is possible to injure yourself. This is a very valuable lesson for everyone because you just never know! An eye-opening section of our chat for sure!

Jeremy, as I said, has been able to make drumming his full-time job. Between teaching and playing with numerous bands, he has been able to do what he loves and still be able to take care of his family. We talk about some of the bands Jeremy has and does currently play with. We share some stories about the country bands we both currently play in. Jeremy tells us about some of the different shows they have played and what is coming up next for his bands.

When he isn't gigging, Jeremy has become an adjudicator and clinician for some of the local high School contests and programs. Jeremy tells us about the process of judging young drummers on their solo performances. Essentially, these drummers are performing to get high scores which will, in turn, help them get into the music colleges they are hoping to go to. As you can imagine, Jeremy knows his stuff. He is at a level of technical proficiency that allows him to not only judge these contests but also teach the high school level drummers.

Next up, Jeremey and I get into gear and drum education. We talk about our favorite drum books/ DVDs and practice pads. I always enjoy hearing what books other teachers like to use with their students.

Welcome to Episode #24 of The Up & Coming Drummer Podcast. This week on the show is Professional Drummer, Educator, and Clinician Robb Ryan.

The first time I saw Robb Ryan, was a few years back on Drumeo. He had filmed some lessons and courses for the popular online drum lesson channel. I began searching for his name which led me to youtube. Here you can find his Drumeo drum solo. This is also where I found his videos explaining how to use the Gary Chaffee Patterns Series Books. A few years later, here we are on Instagram where I run into Robb again. Thankfully, this time we hooked up and booked him for an interview on the podcast!

It's crazy to think that just a few years ago I was in awe watching him perform on my computer screen, and today we are chatting about his career. As always, I like to give the listeners a chance to get to know a bit about him. After chatting for a bit, Robb tells a bit about growing up and getting into music. One thing you will quickly come to realize is that Robb can play many different styles of music. He tells us about the drummers and bands that inspired him early on, and who he still considers his favorites.

Like many of us, Robb grew up in the local music scene playing with some different bands. But it wasn't as prominent of a role as teaching would become for him. I've found myself leaning more towards the teaching side of drumming over the last few years, so I was eager to discuss this topic with him. He has gained a serious level of recognition over the years which has allowed him to become a Full-Time Drum Instructor. As I mentioned before, Robb can be seen on Drumeo, Youtube, or in person putting on clinics throughout Canada.

Teaching is a very large part of the conversation we had. I had some personal questions from my own experiences that I wanted to pick his brain with. Clinics have always been something I wanted to start branching into. Robb tells about how he got his start. Everything from making the phone calls, to putting together the lesson that he would focus his clinic around. Since his Drumeo lesson is basically like a clinic, I asked him about his experience at their facility. It was interesting to hear how they bring in their instructors and the amount of gratitude they have for their guests.

I've been trying to wrap my head around the Gary Chaffee books for a short time now. Being that Robb is considered a Master in his material, there was definitely going to be some discussion on this topic. For the listeners who aren't familiar with these books, Robb gives a breakdown of what they cover, and why they are important to learn. It was during this segment when I decided to ask Robb if he would be interested in taking me on as a student. I also wanted to see what tips Robb had to offer for someone like myself who is trying to break into the online side of Drum Education. I look forward to the mentoring and the challenge of what's to come!

In the gear portion of my interview, Robb tells us about the different companies he endorses. Robb is a Gretsch Drums, Dream Cymbals, and Los Cabos Drumsticks Artist. I find it interesting to see how my different guests have become part of these different families. He gives us a bit of insight into the relationships he has and how he developed them. We get a little specific with Los Cabos sticks due to the fact that I just started playing them and have fallen completely head over heels in love with them!

To finish up our interview, I ask Robb about his practice routines, and what types of things struggling drummers should be working on. He brings up some very valid points. It goes without saying that having a focused practice session is more important than the material you are working on. But I think any drummer who is having a difficult time,

Welcome to the show, everyone! This week on The Up & Coming Drummer Podcast, I am joined by Multi-Instrumentalist Dominic Fragman.

Dominic is an incredibly talented Drummer, Guitarist, and Vocalist. But get this, he does it all at once! You can catch him juggling all of the responsibilities in his one-man show "Solo Trio". We chat more about this later, but first, we get to know a bit about how Dom got his start. He tells us a bit about growing up in St. Leonard, Maryland and the different influences that inspired him.

One of Dom's early inspirations was master Drummer, Paul F. Murphy. After years of mentoring, Dom and Paul began to work alongside each other putting together a program called "The Spirit of Jazz & Democracy". The Spirit of Jazz & Democracy is a program of interactive lectures, concerts, workshops, and masterclasses that highlight the congruency of jazz and democracy and focus on the role of improvisation and innovation in the expansion of freedom and the betterment of the human condition.

Dominic goes on to tell us about other classes he teaches. The "Mindset of Innovation" is essential to the expansion of freedom. The program fosters and facilitates freedom by teaching and promoting free-thinking, self-liberation, and the peaceful tolerance of ideas and truths. The "Spirit of Innovation & Drumming" is a customizable program of music presentation and education that promotes development and evolution. Each event is led by Master drummer, Paul F. Murphy, and multi-instrumentalist, Dominic Fragman. Together they offer performances, clinics, and workshops that focus on improvisation and innovation in music and drumming.

When Dominic finds some free time, you can catch him performing his "Solo" act called "Solo Trio".  Guitar, drum set, and singing, simultaneously. The Solo Trio is Fragman's vehicle for intense, captivating songs interweaved by exhilarating improvisations drawing from African, Brazilian, Eastern, Jazz, and Rock influences. His performances have been wowing audiences and are often lauded as mind-blowing, sensational experiences. After seeing Fragman perform, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Leon Russel commented, "It's amazing. Had I not seen it I wouldn't have been able to imagine it."

In the next portion of our chat, we discuss the gear that Dominic plays. He is endorsed by several companies including Zildjian, Ahead, TnR Products, and Regal Tip just to name a few. Dom is also the face and designer of The Wicked Chops Practice Pad by Ahead. The Wicked Chops Practice Pad is exactly what you need for developing and mastering accuracy, dynamics, power, speed and endurance in your sticking, regardless of your skill level. Optimize your drumset, drumline and orchestral chops with this premium practice pad that fits in your pocket.

Next up, we discuss the importance of using the internet as a tool for professional musicians. Dominic has a very successful Youtube Channel where you can see him play different covers as "Solo Trio". His version of Tom Sawyer by Rush has reached over 4.8 million views!! Dominic gives us his take on the positive and negative effects of using the internet to build your career.

We wrap up our chat with some highlights of his seemingly non-stop career. Dom has said that it feels like he hasn't had a chance to stop and take it all in for years. He has certainly had many amazing accomplishments thus far, so I asked him where he sees himself this time in one year. Dom gives us a rundown of the plans he has for the future, and where he hopes to go next! You can follow Dom by heading to the various links below! Enjoy!