Jon Hull

I'm just a basic person, into music (obviously), an active musician and artist. I do allot of practicing when not performing (just keepin' up the chops). My influences are: Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Louie Bellson, Cozy Cole, Art Blakey, John Bonham, Bernard Purdie, David Garibaldi, Steve Gadd, Tony Williams, Harvey Mason, Billy Cobham, Jeff Porcaro, Dave Weckl, Sonny Emory, and several more.As a self-taught drummer, I began playing the drums at the early age of 9 yrs. old (buddied with my drum friend Anthony Meza, San Bernadino, CA, from the 3rd grade way back when rat-ta-tat-tat was easy). First drumset I ever played was the Ludwig (blue sparkle) drums (tried to play like Ringo Starr, but couldn't hang!) I'd have to say my best musical influences came from listening to allot records that my parents brought home (everything from Buddy Rich to James Brown, and more) and that I would try to mimic everything that was being played. But it wasn't until I started hang around all of my musician friends from school; Michael Sherwood, Jimmy Haun, Bill Volaire, Gary Starnes (gooooood drummer!), Tim Durkee, and Mike & Billy Sherwoods' parents - Bobby & Phyllis (she told how to control my left hand...(if you know what I mean!) They were my best inspirations!Started my first semi-professional drum gig at 19 yrs. old at the Happy Valley Inn Club (with the 'Billy Liston Band')Las Vegas, NV. A year later, went on to play my first road gig with 'Rosie & the Originals' ("My Angel Baby")...and the rest is history! It wasn't until I got hooked-up with another set of musicians that I had any other possibilities with the type of music I felt most compfortable at...rhythm & blues and funk. I attended a teenage club with some friends back in the late 70's and watched this incredible 9 piece funk band that went by the name of 'SOUL CONNECTION'. I was introduced to one of the band members as a "little funky white drummer" and was given the opportunity to sit in and play with them every once in awhile. Then as time went on, I'd hear about different gigs they were playing, they'd see me from a far distance in the audience, wave me over to sit in and play again...and again...and again...and so on...then was hired to play a permenant spot that turned out to be for more than 8 years! In that duration, we went from playing mid-west road gigs to playing oversea's gigs to recording dates. And did our first live rap concert performance with Run DMC, and jammin' "Monday Night Football" & "Boxing Game"...the rest was history...Jon Hull has performed with: 'ROSIE & the ORIGINALS' (small west coast tour late 70's)'SOUL CONNECTION BAND' (gigged world wide, club and big stage performances late 70's to mid 80's)'TAKA BOOM' (Chaka Khan Sis)(live performance Mugen Club, Tokyo, Japan with Soul Connection July/August '79 - "Night Dancin' and 'Dance Baby Dance' on Ariola Records)'HURT 'EM BAD & the S.C. BAND' (collaboration/recordings as one of the rap band pioneers - "Monday Night Football" and "Boxing Game" on Profile Records; Don King Prod.)'CORNELL GUNTHER'S COASTERS' (Performing their well-known hits "Charlie Brown", "Yakety-Yak", "Love Potion #9" performing national tours through mid to late 80's)'STEVIE BENSUSEN' (collaborated/recordings and live LA performances - late 80's to early 90's) ....and the list continues...JON'S GEAR: