Working Drummer

Wayne Salzmann has been at the top of the Austin scene for nearly a decade. Even before graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with a Master’s degree in jazz performance, he was working his way into the many musical circles Austin has to offer. He has since compiled a long list of performance credits including Steve Miller, Kris Kristofferson, Joe Satriani, Mike Stern, Joe Bonamassa, Bobby Mcferrin, Jeff Coffin, and Oz Noy. He also holds down regular gigs with his own trio and with Austin favorites Bob Schneider and Eric Johnson, and is a member of the adjunct jazz faculty at UT Austin. In this episode, Wayne talks about: Why Austin is the self-proclaimed “live music capital of the world,” and why it’s a destination for musicians from all regions and backgrounds The small but mighty jazz program at UT Austin, and how he uses the Austin scene as a training ground for his students. His early musical life in Stevens Point, WI, the town that was the basis for That 70’s Show Creating a live music scene