Play Along: Do It (The Phryg)

I’m starting to feel cozy in my new studio space, but I still have a long way to go on getting everything dialed in. I’ve been jamming along to the new single from one of my favorite bands: Do It by The Phryg! This song really has me missing live music! It is played expertly by Collin Patierno (guitar), Bryan Walters (lead vocals, bass,, Nico Sleator (keys), and Phil McNeal (drums). Check ‘em out: www.thephryg.com

For my part, I decided to explore some clave based cowbell grooves interspersed with tambourine accents at the end of each bar during the verse, a purposeful reference to one of Bryan’s favorite bands, Umphrey’s McGee. For the pre-chorus, I move the cowbell hemiola feel to the cymbal stack to provide some accents in the sonority. For the chorus proper, I lay down a straight-ahead cowbell/tambourine groove. The section that follows features an interesting melodic breakdown that I compliment with tom feels a la Pink Floyd, another one of Bryan’s favorite bands. The last section took some time to work up. It’s sort of a combination of 5-over-4 and a clave. The first time through the pattern I play a a shuffle that serves as a ‘rhythmic illusion” before filling through the hits the second time through the pattern. Here’s what those accents look like:

Enjoy the song and please check out and support the Phryg. When live music is back, come find me in the front row at one of their shows.

That's a Wrap: 2020 (Thank God)

My wife and I, March 22, 2020

In just a few hours, the most unusual year of my lifetime will come to an end and we will all collectively breathe a sigh of relief. Personally, the year started off strongly: I was playing the 11 o’Clock Numbers series at West End Lounge (both series and venue a casualty of the pandemic), made a trip to the Bahamas for the Broadway Across America conference (which was when the threat of COVID became a reality), started Gold Dust Women with a bunch of bad ass ladies, and was looking forward to a few musicals coming down the line. Those musicals weren’t to be, of course, as the entire theater industry was forced to shut down.

While there was no end in sight for the longest time, we now see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel thanks to two promising vaccines. When we will be fully vaccinated and back to some semblance of normalcy is pure speculation at this point, but I’m going to try my darnedest to be hopefully optimistic going forward.

Tomorrow I’m moving into a rehearsal space of my very own for the first time since high school. I can’t wait to be fully set up to record at all times and I’m looking forward to taking on some more private students in a virtual setting. And having all of my drums outside of my Brooklyn apartment is going to open up so many opportunities for feng shui improvements which I know my wife is looking forward to! (Have I mentioned that I got married in 2020? See, it wasn’t all so bad!)

My last project for the year is this beautiful tribute to Olivia Harris’s mother, who lost her battle with cancer in December. Today I reflect on Olivia’s words and I’m hoping we all see some growth in 2021.

Everybody’s a garden

Sowing joy and pain.

Everybody’s a garden.

Why can’t we let it rain?

Reflections on The Grinch

This year would have been my fifth year of playing the national tour of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, but 2020 had other plans! It’s been bittersweet to be in NYC right now instead of freezing my butt of in Milwaukee or watching live music til the sun comes up in New Orleans, but on the other hand, I got to spend Thanksgiving with my wife for the first time EVER and we will get to celebrate Christmas from our own apartment.

Still, I miss the escapades that come with touring. I miss the thrill that comes with the curtain rising 8+ times a week and the antics that take place with my orchestra mates after every show. I miss the feeling I get when grandparents point out all the instruments in the pit to their grandkids before the show. I miss the theatre.

Though I know this show inside and out, I’ve never actually seen it, except for the occasional times when I can see above the lip of the stage, and even then, I’m playing so much during the show itself that I can only watch 2 or 3 scenes. Therefore, I am SO EXCITED that tonight I get to watch this musical on television, starring Matthew Morrison as the Grinch himself. I have so many questions — can an unsuspecting worldwide audience handle ‘Whatchamho?’ Will ‘Shopping’ be cut? What exactly happens on stage during ‘Down the Mountain’ that everyone raves about while I’m trying to not drop a stick? Will the quartet nail the harmonies in ‘Now is the Time?’ How many times will I cry? I can’t wait to tune in to NBC tonight to find out!

Here are a few of my favorite drum moments from the 2018 tour. Enjoy!

Video: Badger Strut

I’m nursing a bit of a foot injury at the moment so I’m just going to blast away on some snare drum for the time being.

The Badger Strut by Jay Collins is a short rudimental piece suggested to me by John Tafoya when I was studying with him at the University of Maryland. I found it while going through some snare music earlier and decided to whip it up.

It starts out as a pretty typical rudimental piece exploring some paradiddle patterns before triplets and various types of rolls emerge. The second half of the piece is a true chop buster, featuring sextuplets comprised of accented singles filled in by double strokes.

I have no idea the publication history of this piece, but what I have is two pages with a pencilled in roadmap and dynamic markings from Tafoya. I tried my best to decipher his writing and incorporate it for this purpose!

What Else Can We Do?

Gosh, it sure feels good to see all of my Hundred Days family in one place. What a joy to sing this song with you all. Here’s a bit about this video from The Bengsons themselves:

Video: Stars and Stripes Forever

Here’s a nice version of Stars and Stripes Forever that I was asked to participate in as a Mannes alum. It was great to see a lot of faces pop up that I haven’t seen in awhile! I recorded snare drum, bass drum, and crash cymbals played on hi-hats while my colleague Christine Chen played snare, cymbals, and glock. Enjoy!

New Recording: Solomon Hoffman - Esa Einai

Solomon Hoffman is a brilliant musician, composer, arranger, artistic director, {insert literally any music-related activity here) who I have had the pleasure of working with for several years now.

In April, Solomon sent me a guide track of just vocals, piano, and guitar so I could record some percussion. To hear his vision fully realized yesterday for the first time -- now with SIXTY outstanding musicians -- was an incredible experience. My mind was blown. I am proud be one of the musicians on this track and proud to be his friend.

Percussion-wise, I played some cajon, concert bass drum, cymbal, and shaker for this one. I tracked each instrument separately and recorded them all from my apartment. If you like what you hear and are in need of some percussion tracks for your recording project, please be in touch.

Playthrough: The Shadow (Trumpet Wom')

Congrats to Trumpet Wom’ on the release of her new LP, Evolution! I was lucky to provide drums on this one (as well as her last, Just Listen) and wanted to share a drum video of her latest single, The Shadow. Enjoy!

Percussion Playthrough: As (Stevie Wonder)

Happy birthday to one of the GOATS, Stevie Wonder! Last week. Alison Shearer dropped a video of an arrangement of the song “As” featuring myself on percussion and 13 other amazing women (peep the vid here).

I put together this little percussion playthrough of the part I wrote for the song. It features LOTS of tambourine, shakers, mark tree, suspended cymbal, and triangle for good measure. I hope you enjoy! Sorry for the vert vid, but it was part of the assignment!

New Video: Protons and Electrons

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

The video for Trumpet Wom's first single off of her upcoming album, Evolution, is now up on Youtube! Protons and Electrons was a blast to record, though the drums were actually recorded last. Very unusual and certainly had it’s challenges! I think it turned out great, though, and I’m obsessed with this video!