Working Drummer

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Working Drummer episodes

March 23, 2023411 - Craig McIntyre Pt. 1: Playing With Goo Goo Dolls, The Melting Pot of Josh Groban's Band, The LA Cache
Craig McIntyre has had a long tenure as the drummer for the Goo Goo Dolls and has also performed with Josh Groban, Vertical Horizon, Idina Menzel, Deana Carter, Seal, and many others along the way. After building a very LA-centric career, Craig now lives in Portland Oregon.
In this episode, Craig talks about:
The combination of festival and theatre work that comprises the Goo Goo Dolls’ yearly schedule
The challenge of being present in the music with your fellow musicians, and how different situations can make it difficult in different ways
How to exit a gig in a way that leaves future possibilities open, and not take personnel changes personally
How the gig you’re doing can be a status symbol or platform, apart from whatever the actual music is
The musical cross-pollination that happened among the various members of Josh Groban’s band
The counterintuitive aspects of what the Groban gig required of the drummer

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1 hr 5 min
March 16, 2023410 - Bobby Sanabria: His MULTIVERSE Big Band, Inspiring the Next Generation, New Record - VOX HUMANA
Bobby Sanabria is an eight time Grammy-nominee as a leader. Known as a drummer, percussionist, composer, arranger, conductor, documentary film producer, educator, activist, and bandleader, his versatility as both a drummer and percussionist, from small group to big band, has become legendary. A native son of the South Bronx born to Puerto Rican parents, he has performed and recorded with every major figure in the world of Latin jazz and salsa, from the founder of the Afro-Cuban/Latin jazz movement Mario Bauzá, to Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaría, Dizzy Gillespie, Chico O’Farrill, Ray Barretto, Candido, to Larry Harlow, Ruben Blades, Celia Cruz, and jazz luminaries as diverse as Henry Threadgill, Charles McPherson, Randy Brecker, Joe Chambers, Jean Lucien, The Mills Brothers, and others. DRUM! Magazine named him Percussionist of the Year (2005); he was named Percussionist of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association in 2011 and 2013. In 2006, he was inducted into the Bronx Walk of Fame. He was a recipient of the 2018 Jazz Education Network (JEN) LeJENS of Jazz Lifetime Achievement Award for his work as a musician and educator.
In 2008 Congressman Dennis Kucinich honored his work as a musician and educator by reading his name into the Congressional Record and in 2018 the U.S. Congressional Black Caucus honored him as a musician, educator. Every single one of his big band recordings, seven in total, have been nominated for Grammys. His 2018 recording, ‘West Side Story Reimagined,' reached #1 on the national Jazz Week radio charts, was nominated for a 2018 Grammy, and won the prestigious 2019 Record of The Year Award from the Jazz Journalists Association. Partial proceeds from sales of this double CD went to the Jazz Foundation of America’s Puerto Rico Relief Fund for musicians. He is the Co-Artistic Director of the Bronx Music Heritage Center and the forthcoming Bronx Music Hall. His lifetime dedication to spreading the history, culture, of jazz and Latin jazz to the general public as a performer, as well as educating a new generation of players, composers, arrangers, has no parallel. A member of Max Roach’s legendary M’BOOM percussion ensemble, he is on the faculty of the New School (his 26th year) and was on the faculty of NYU, his alma mater Berklee, and was on the faculty of the Manhattan School fo Music for 20 years where he conducted/taught the Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra receiving two Grammy nominations for recordings he did with directing his students.
Sanabria is also the on air host of the Latin Jazz Cruise on WBGO FM and wbgo.org, the number one jazz station in the nation. Lehman College in NYC has recently awarded Maestro Sanabria an Honorary Doctorate. His new double CD, which will be released on May 12 2023, is a double CD with his Multiverse Big Band entitled VOX HUMANA. Recorded live at Dizzy's Club-Cola in NYC, it features three of jazz's finest contemporary vocalists - Janis Siegel from the Manhattan Transfer, blues and jazz Queen Antoinette Montague, and multi-lingual powerhouse Jennifer Jade Ledesna.
In this episode, Bobby talks about:
   His MULTIVERSE Big Band
   Seeing Tito Puente perform at 12 years old
   The new record - VOX HUMANA
   Inspiring the next generation
   The history of music as related to the history of America
   Afro-cuban rhythms and their origins

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1 hr 13 min
March 09, 2023409 - Joe LaBarbera: His Time with Bill Evans, Playing with Tony Bennett, Leaving a Lasting Legacy at Cal Arts
Joe LaBarbera has spent his life in jazz, first based in New York, then in LA, and has performed with Bill Evans, Tony Bennet, Chuck Mangione, and many more. He also spent 28 years on the faculty at Cal Arts teaching drumset, jazz small groups, and jazz history. His new book, Times Remembered, recounts his time with the Bill Evans Trio during the last two years of Evans' life.
In this episode, Joe talks about:
His motivation for writing a book about his time with Bill Evans
The musical and personal dynamic he had with Bill during their time together
Going from playing with Bill Evans, a very heavy jazz gig, to Tony Bennett, which he doesn't consider to be a jazz gig
The overarching concept he drew from Bill - commitment
How he viewed his role as a mentor to many different types of students during his 28 years at Cal Arts

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1 hr 10 min
March 02, 2023408 - Brady Blade: Growing up in a Musical Family, Preparing to Tour, Staying Productive
Brady L. Blade, Jr. is one of the most in-demand session drummers in the world, and has played on several critically acclaimed albums, including records by Solomon Burke, Daniel Lanois, Emmylou Harris, Dave Matthews, Buddy Miller, Indigo Girls, Steve Earle, and Shawn Amos.
He is also an accomplished producer and composer. He enjoys working with new talent, developing their songwriting and, ultimately, producing and recording alongside them. He has had a number of major successes, particularly in Australia and New Zealand, where his work has topped their national charts, producing the debut records of Brooke Fraser (7x Platinum in New Zealand), Annabel Fay, and Annah Mac. Brady can be heard on over 70 records to date. Brady’s brother is jazz drummer Brian Blade.
Brady currently plays with Bayou Punks, Rev. Shawn Amos and the Brotherhood and Indigo Girls

In this episode, Brady talks about:
   Being the “Floating Artist” on the Americana cruise Cayamo
   Why he lives in Stockholm, Sweden
   Preparing to tour with The Indigo Girls
   Working with Emmylou Harris
   Utilizing technology to survive in the industry in the 21st century
   Growing up with a musical and supportive family
   Producing, writing, and staying productive

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1 hr 36 min
February 23, 2023407 - Mike Musburger: A Lifetime on the Seattle Scene, Around The World with a Billionaire, Rededicating Himself to Drumming in his 50s
Mike Musberger has spent his life and career in Seattle, where he has played in a long list of bands and projects. In the 90s, he enjoyed some big label/world touring success as the drummer for The Posies. More recently, he was part of Paul Allen's traveling "on call" band, and is part of Ringo's live production crew. He also records in his own studio, housed in Seattle's most famous rehearsal space, The Institution.
In this episode, Mike talks about:
Growing up and starting his career in Seattle, with a front row seat to its musical revolution in the 80s and 90s
The the most useful holdover concept from the analogue recording era
Touring as part of Ringo's live production crew
Relying on the side hustle of contracting when he had to
The changing landscape of how to make a touring band financially sustainable
Some ways the Seattle music scene has improved as a result of the tech boom

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1 hr 5 min
February 16, 2023406 - Chris Marquart: Touring with multi-platinum country superstar Cole Swindel, Benefits of Transcribing, Staying Healthy on the Road
Chris Marquart is the touring drummer with multi-platinum country superstar Cole Swindell. Originally from a small town in Illinois, Chris attended The Berkley college of music before his eventual move to Nashville, TN. Chris has created a career in the music industry on his own terms all while staying focused on the big picture and things that are most important to him. Chris navigated his way through the Nashville scene playing clubs in the Lower Broadway scene to working with signed artists like Craig Campbell and Cole Swindel.
In this episode, Chris talks about:
   Things he learned while at the Berklee College of Music
   From Lower Broadway in Nashville to touring with Cole Swindel
   How Chris manages his mix and technology on the Cole gig
   Playing musically with a click and tracks
   The benefits of transcribing
   Staying healthy on the road, mentally and physically
   Planning the next stage of work life outside of music

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1 hr 41 min
February 09, 2023405 - Victor Indrizzo: “Everything is a drum”
Victor Indrizzo has long been one of the most in-demand drummers in LA and can be heard on countless records and movie soundtracks. He has recorded with Beck, Sheryl Crow, Queens of the Stone Age, and many, many others. He has also served as Alanis Morissette's touring drummer for over a decade. His recent work includes Lizzo's "About Damn Time," newly crowned with a grammy for record of the year, and a sample pack through Yurt Rock.
In this episode, Victor talks about:
Being a young dad and saying yes to everything
Connecting with his pure love of drumming when he's feeling bogged down in the “work” aspect
Having a dialogue and partnership with sound engineers to shape drum sounds together
Finding ways to make acoustic recorded sounds similar to programmed sounds
Using stacking and overdubbing to highlight choruses instead of moving to the ride or opening the hihat
His approach to creating a sample pack
How the most important aspects of working don’t require you to be extroverted

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1 hr 1 min
February 02, 2023404 - Dan Ainspan: Hosting the Nashville Drummers Podcast w/Nathan Sletner, Working at Pearl Drums, Studying with Blake Fleming
Dan Ainspan is the co-host of the podcast Nashville Drummers Podcast with colleague Nathan Sletner. The podcast gives a voice to Nashville’s next generation of players — the up-and-coming drummers that you may haven’t heard of yet.
Dan is also currently the Jr. Marketing Manager, Band & Orchestra Products for Pearl Corporation, based in Nashville, TN.
A Slingerlands, NY native, Dan attended the State University of New York College at Oneonta where he received a B.A. in Music Industry with Double Minors in Percussion Performance and Audio Production. At Oneonta, Dan studied percussion with Dr. Julie Licata and drum set with The Mars Volta drummer Blake Fleming.
After graduating in 2015, Dan relocated to Indianapolis, IN to pursue an internship with the Percussive Arts Society before his eventual move to Nashville, TN.
In this episode, Dan talks about:
   His job at Pearl drums
   Dan’s journey from college to NY to Indianapolis to Nashville
   Interning at PAS
   Studying with original The Mars Volta drummer Blake Fleming
   Leaning into his digital and social media skills
   Hosting the Nashville Drummers podcast w/Nathan Sletner
The value of a personal website in 2023

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1 hr 37 min
January 26, 2023403 - Jay Bellerose: Playing with Robert Plant & Allison Krauss, Finding Homes for His Approach, Treating Instrumental Muisc Like Songs
Jay Bellerose is a Los Angeles-based touring and studio veteran with an approach and aesthetic all his own. His passion for all things old and gritty has resulted in a personality behind the drums that has become sought after by artists and producers including Robert Plant & Allison Krauss, T-Bone Burnett, Bonnie Raitt, Ray LeMontagne,
In this episode, Jay talks about:
The Slingerland "Rolling Bomber" set he plays on the Plant/Krauss tour, and how the sound is captured
Having to find and fight for his aesthetic amidst the LA scene
How singers move, and how drummers can recognize and respond to that
How the Plant/Krauss project is separate and distinct from Robert or Allison's individual history or work
Playing in Molly Miller's trio with his wife, Jennifer Condos on bass
The deceptive challenge of simple instrumental music
Keeping his schedule intentionally sparse when he's home in LA

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1 hr 21 min
January 19, 2023402 - Jamie Wollam: Drumming for Tears for Fears, L.A. to Canada and Getting Sober, Dialing Sounds with A&F Drums
Jamie Wollam has toured with some of the most talented musicians on earth including, Tears for Fears, Jackson Browne, David Crosby, Tommy Shaw (Styx), Fee Waybil (The Tubes) and Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello’s solo project, The Nightwatchman.
He has recorded with Michael Sweet (Stryper), Guardian, Zache Brooke, The Brave, John Elefante (Kansas), Venice, Jay Nash, Mindy Gledhill, Michael Jackson, Kyle Vincent, Hillary Duff, Eric Hutchinson, Avion, Steve Bertrand, Drake Bell, G.E.M and, Tears for Fears.
In this episode, Jaime talks about:
   His move from L.A. to Canada and getting sober
   Working through these struggles while working with Tears for Fears
   Drumming with Tears for Fears and the support they gave him
   Being the drummer for Tears for Fears and working a “regular job”
   Drumming for Tears for Fears and the new record
   Losing his deal with DW
   Dialing in his sound with A&F drums

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1 hr 46 min

About Working Drummer

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With 500 episodes and counting, Working Drummer Podcast is the source for those interested in what it’s like to be a professional drummer. Hosted by Matthew Crouse and Zack Albetta, Working Drummer…