Don Tonic

In over 23 years of musical experience, Don Tonic—drummer, percussionist, DJ—has achieved a level of artistic proficiency as unique and polished as the intricate cadence he metes out. A cursory glance at his resume illustrates this aptitude, chronicling a professional career that crosses stylistic as well as cultural boundaries. His education as a musician began in the grade school band program and continued well through to the university level. This early instruction in concert and symphonic techniques led to a seat with the Tampa Bay Symphony Orchestra from 1999 to 2000, where Don performed compositions from the likes of Beethoven, Strauss, and Wagner.When he was introduced to Tampa’s flourishing club scene in the early ‘90s, Don translated his classical expertise into the spontaneous and improvisational world of DJing. Combining rhythmic drumming with an affinity for house music, he fashioned a distinctive style of accompaniment using hand drums and assorted percussion to interact with and enhance the sequenced beat patterns. The result is a creative conversation between drummer and DJ—a fusion of acoustic and electronic elements so tightly achieved that his subtle supplement is often overlooked as “part of the track.”Over the years, Don Tonic has entertained crowds at some of the most venerated nightclubs in the southeast. His unmistakable sound has also earned him several prominent residencies across the region, often providing percussive accompaniment for such top-tier artists as Sasha, Mark Farina, and Miguel Migs. Now, as leader of the Seattle-based Sonic Entertainment, Don Tonic’s ambition is to bring the spirit of drumming to the fore—not merely to DJ culture, but to all musical methods and movements worldwide. Embracing the myriad of world drumming traditions, his stylistic repertoire includes knowledge of Arabic, West-African, and Afro-Cuban techniques.In addition to his skills as an instrumentalist, Don has proven himself an accomplished sound engineer and producer on several studio and live projects. He has a number of recording credits to his name as both a set and percussion performer, providing rhythmic support on releases from artists of diverse backgrounds—rap, rock, jazz, and everything in between.Whether classical or clubby, ethnic or electronic, a performance by Don Tonic is a foot-tapping exhibition of verve, vigor and sheer talent.Penned by Sir Stephen Thomas - [email protected]_______________________________________ ____________________.. .. ..Myself & the Ticklejunk All-Stars Wednesday July 11th at Neumos in Seattle with Los Amigos InvisiblesInform yourself, use your resources... www.dayjoborchestra.com, these guys rule!!! Jupiter the Cat Plays the Drums