Working Drummer

Best known for her work with Lenny Kravitz and her husband, Carlos Santana, Cindy's career has spanned over 30 years and involved many other artists from Pharoah Sanders to Joss Stone to Buckethead. In this episode, Cindy talks about: The Vegas residency serving as a "laboratory" How she and Carlos navigate being spouses and bandmates How Tony played the function of the drums first and foremost A drummer’s physical and spiritual connection to their sound How being promoted because of your gender can be just as toxic as being held back

Daru Jones is known for his work with Jack White as well as his list of collaborators that include, Bootsy Collins, Kanye West, Pete Rock, Gloria Gaynor, Slum Village, Jamie Lidell, Talib Kweli, Dwight Yoakam, Nas, Pee Wee Ellis, Lorenzo Jovanotti, Queen Latifah, Black Milk, Salaam Remi, Pharoahe Monch, Rance Allen, Black Violin, Ski Beatz & The Sensei’s, and Jon B just to name a few. Throughout the course of his career, Jones has received rave reviews from Rolling Stone Magazine, LA Weekly, Esquire.com, Fuse.tv, the Los Angeles Times, and USA Today (among countless others). He has also appeared on several national and international television programs: The David Letterman Show, Jools Holland (UK), The Colbert Report, Saturday Night Live, and on the iconic MTV. In this episode, Daru talks about:    His new PDP signature kit    Navigating the music scene as an introvert    How his faith has guided his life choices    How to stay grounded when touring    The power to inspire    Moving to Nashville and fin

In this episode, Craig talks about Knowing and owning your preparation process/method How being good at reading can prevent you from listening in-depth, and how reading well doesn’t automatically mean you have good time, good feel, or good ears Approaching recording with a producer’s ears, thinking about not just the nuts and bolts of the drums, but the whole sound of the whole record Why he moved to Portland in 2017, and being careful about entering the scene in his new home Allowing yourself to take a break from the hustle when you have a consistent gig The option to build your career around your chosen community rather than a geographic community

Kyle May, is a working drummer, writer, and producer in Nashville, TN. He currently plays for Maddie & Tae and Billy Ray Cyrus. Additional touring credits include Lindsay Ell, Runaway June, Brandon Lay, and Carter Faith. He’s cut for artists like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Jimmie Allen, Matt Stell, Clay Walker, Levi Hummon, Willie Jones, Walker Hayes, to name a few. The best part about recording from his home studio is chasing sounds, parts, and more for producers and artists from Nashville to everywhere else in the world. In this episode, Kyle talks about:    His early interest in remote tracking    The creative freedom that comes from tracking from home    How he delivers his tracks (raw or processed)    Building upon your strengths and interests    Posting high quality content and it’s benefits    Tips to instantly level up your sounds    Creating sample packs    Creating helpful and educational content

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 

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 t

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

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

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

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

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 

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 drumm

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

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

 Matt Starr is a 20-year veteran of the LA scene and recently landed in Sarah McLachlan's drum chair. Over his career, he has divided his time playing live and recording in the pop/rock world and has also been producing music in his own studio. Matt began formal study of drums in his hometown of Toronto with Vito Rezza, and went on to study with Joe Morello, Jim Chapin, and Bernard Purdie. In addition to the Sarah gig, he has also performed with Buffy Sainte-Marie, Chris Shiflett (from the Foo Fighters), Christopher Cross, Lisa Loeb (with whom he recorded a grammy winning album in 2018), Deana Carter, Glen Ballard, Alphonso Johnson, Lucy Hale, Kiki Ebsen, Kevyn Lettau and Inbar Starr. In this podcast, Matt talks about: Learning to get the most out of your existing gear before buying more How drummers now have the expertise to be in conversation and partnership with audio engineers How his relationship with Victor Indrizzo led to the Sarah McLachlan gig Being an LA drummer without the LA extroversion/ambit

400! We’ve celebrated milestones in different ways over the years and this time around we wanted to make you the listener the special guest. Over the last few months we’ve been collecting messages from y’all about where you are in your drumming journey and where the podcast has fit into that. Matt and Zack also reflect on where they are in their drumming journeys (two very different places) and the role the podcast is playing for in that, professionally and personally. We want to thank everyone for calling and writing in, it’s been really rewarding to hear from old friends and new, some close to home, some halfway around the world about how what we do here is valued. And thanks also to everyone who has listened, donated, told a friend about us, followed us on social media, there have been so many ways y’all have supported us over the years and that support is the reason we’ve reached this milestone. Thank you.

Drummer, singer, and songwriter Jerry Gaskill founded the progressive metal band Kings X in 1983. A native of Bridgeton, New Jersey, Gaskill began playing at a young age, forming a band with his father and brother and playing his first gig at the age of seven. After playing in bands throughout high school, he became heavily involved in the Christian faith and enrolled at Evangel University in Springfield, Missouri. Not long after arriving in Springfield, he befriended bassist dUg Pinnick and the two formed a sturdy rhythm section, backing up artists like future Petra singer Greg X. Volz and guitarist Phil Keaggy. After trying out various combos of their own, Gaskill and Pinnick were joined by guitarist Ty Tabor and the trio, then called Sneak Preview, relocated to Houston, Texas. Changing their name to Kings X in 1987, they eventually signed with metal label Megaforce and released their debut, Out of the Silent Planet, a year later. A prog trio with a strong melodic bent and elaborate three-part harmonies, Ki

Based in Boston, MA, Tim is an international touring musician, session drummer, educator, and published author with both Alfred Music and Hudson Music. Tim currently records and tours extensively with GA-20, a three-time Billboard #1 blues trio signed to Karma Chief/Colemine records. He also leads two of his own projects: Tim Carman & The Street 45s—a world-groove inspired funk band—and the Tim Carman Trio—a vintage organ jazz trio (à la Jimmy Smith) nominated for “Jazz Act of the Year (2022)” by the Boston Music Awards. Along with performing, Tim is a dedicated educator who has released four drum books: Haynes-ISM (2022 via Hudson Music), Groove Systems (2021 via Hudson Music), Shape Beats: Drum Notation Simplified (2020), and Shape Beats for Kids (2017 via Alfred Music).  In this episode, Tim talks about The easy decision to commit full time to GA-20 in 2018 His experience at Berklee  Learning to make experimentation part of practicing Versing himself in Chicago blues, and the shuffles of Fred Below, Te

Kris Mazzarisi is the founder and owner of innovative drum company Big Fat Snare Drum. Big Fat Snare Drum has become a standard must have piece of gear that is used by the majority of drummers around the world. When he isn’t running his business or inventing new products to add to the BFSD legacy, Kris tours with his brother in the band Winnetka Bowling League. Kris leans into his years experiences in the music industry as an intuitive guide in the running and growth of Big Fat Snare Drum.  In this episode, Kris talks about:    Creating a balance between touring and running a business    Road managing    Touring with his brother in the band Winnetka Bowling League    Teaching himself to be a professional tech    His company: Big Fat Snare Drum and it’s beginnings    The inspiration for The Drum Click Network

Mona Tavakoli is a Los Angeles-based drummer, singer and performer bets known for recording and touring with Jason Mraz. While Mona is equally comfortable performing as a drummer and a percussionist, she is especially known for adapting the cajón to unexpected genres such as rock and pop. Mona and Mraz have been collaborating for nearly a decade. She toured worldwide on Mraz’s 2012 album, Love is a Four Letter Word, and they performed together as a duo on programs such as The Today Show, The David Letterman Show, Ellen, Dancing with the Stars, and Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. She is a co-founder and co-director of the Rock n’ Roll Camp For Girls Los Angeles, a nonprofit that encourages girls to find their voices through music during an intensive, weeklong summer day camp. Mona also promotes music education by hosting rhythm workshops at elementary schools and colleges around the country. Mona has been featured in DRUM!, Tom Tom Magazine, judged and hosted the Hit Like A Girl drum contest and awards show and