The Lightning Thief on Broadway!

/
IMG_5694.JPG

When I was 12, I made it a professional goal to one day play on Broadway. That achievement has finally been unlocked! I was beyond excited to make my Broadway debut with the Lightning Thief at the Longacre Theatre over the weekend. It was a thrilling/terrifying/powerful/intoxicating experience that I will never forget.

Special thank to Jeff Fernandes for having me sit in on his absolutely gorgeous kit, and to Wiley DeWeese for being one of the sharpest and kindest MDs I’ve ever worked with. I am also deeply grateful to Jeremy Yaddaw for putting my name forward for this project and countless others.

I also had the best crew of friends and family at the shows. It meant the world to me to look out and see you all there. Thank you all so much for coming!

Finally, I would not be here if it weren’t for the many amazing music teachers I’ve had throughout my life. Have you thanked a music educator today?

On stage at the Longacre Theatre

On stage at the Longacre Theatre

Couldn’t not take this shot. It’s tradition!

Couldn’t not take this shot. It’s tradition!

Every reward to yourself should be a goblet of beer

Every reward to yourself should be a goblet of beer

Selena @ Barbes

/
Screenshot 2019-10-29 at 1.01.22 PM.png

I am still radiating joy from the all-Selena show I played at Barbes over the weekend. This gig had been in the books for quite sometime. With only a few rehearsals, I was pretty nervous about it to tell you the truth!

I’ve played a lot of Latin styles in my career, but never cumbia, the folk music of Colombia, which is the basis for many of the grooves in Selena’s repertoire. After understanding the fundamentals of the style, I had to figure out how to adapt it to the drum set and share duties with only one other percussionist, who I only had one rehearsal with. Thankfully Brian Adler is a true pro and with his guidance, we were easily able to divvy up responsibilities.

On the day of the show, I finalized what my setup would be: after toying with it on the left, I mounted a cowbell on the right side of the kit, used mostly my left hand to cover maracones with the hi-hat, and left the snares off to play some timbale-like fills. Brian covered congas, bongos, and a ton of fun “toys."

I am happy with the way it turned out and thought I would share the entire recording. Here’s the personnel and setlist:

La carcacha—>
Techno cumbia
No me queda más
Si una vez
Como la flor
I could fall in love
Dreaming of you
Baila está cumbia—>
Amor prohibido
Tu solo tu
El chico del apartamento 512—>
Bidi Bidi bom bom
E: La carcacha —>Techno cumbia

Jenny Luna: vocals
Barrie Lobo McLain: backup vocals
Sky Steele: synths, violin, backup vocals
Joshua Camp: accordion, keys
Michael Winograd: clarinet, saxophone
Ilusha Tsinadze: guitar
Mike Lavalle: bass
Ashley Baier: drums
Brian Adler: percussion

Back on the Interstate!

/
IMG_5518.jpg

Melissa Li & Kit Yan’s Interstate was one of the eight featured presentations at this year’s NAMT Festival of New Works, held at New World Stages. I was delighted to hold down the drum chair again. I developed the drum book for this show, which is near and dear to my heart for a multitude of reasons. This was my first time playing a showcase at NAMT. They provided a nice drum set (with cymbals!) and everyone in the band had their own Aviom unit, which was a nice touch. Interstate is getting a full production in Minnesota next year. Hopefully one in NYC will follow!

Out Now: Sing Shalom

/

The album I recorded for Music Together’s Sing Shalom program is out and being used in Fall classes as we speak. I tracked the drums live with piano, guitar, and upright bass so it’s fun hearing other elements of the songs for the first time, especially the lyrics. My favorite jam is “Sweet,” a jazzy tune about Rosh Hashanah. The album begins with a doumbek solo, too! To learn more about Sing Shalom, click here.

TBT: Day 1 of Hundred Days

/

Oh man. Lindsay Mercer has me feeling nostalgic and missing my Hundred Days fam!!! Here's the one photo I took from the first day of rehearsal, one year ago today. I remember clearly the feeling of learning a show from scratch: deciding on my setup, toggling between music and script, working out programming, knowing choreography is coming, making sounds with strangers who are destined to become family. We spent the better part of a year together. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Masterclass: Stanton Moore

/

I was talking with some friends the other day about the masterful New Orleans drummer Stanton Moore. The dude’s got it all! Groove AND chops for days! I am really digging this solo from his clinic at Atlanta Pro Percussion a few years back. There is a lot of variety in his playing here, but he weaves a few themes throughout the entire solo. I do hope you enjoy and find as much inspiration as I did!

Here’s a picture of us in 2016. I was in New Orleans with the Grinch and was lucky enough to catch him on Frenchman street with his trio.

That's a Wrap: The Lightning Thief

/

I am so thankfully that I got to fill on twice for The Lightning Thief’s first national tour, first in Dallas and then in Boston this past weekend. Here are a few of my favorite drum moments. Enjoy!