It all started in the Catskills. Growing up there, learning drums in school in Monticello. Taking lessons from Bey Perry on his Rogers pink-ripple pearl drumset. Playing the hotels from the age of 12. 77-WABC, Cousin Brucie, Big Dan Ingram, The Big Break battle of the bands, my Dad driving us there to play at WABC studios in the city in a borrowed bright yellow delivery truck. Going to Manny's after. Seeing Jo Jones at Frank Ippolito's Drum shop, just hanging out, he was showing people a one-handed roll.
Checking all the drummers out in my town. Small town, tons of musicians. Late 60's now, that sound, guys there that sounded like Purdie, like Clyde, like Grady Tate, just playing around town in organ duos and trios, soul bands, rock bands. Just always music, always playing then. We were the younger kids, wide-eyed, taking it all in. The thrill of doing gigs. Funky Broadway, Midnight Hour, Mustang Sally, Hold On I’m Comin’, The Rascals, Motown, trying to get THAT sound. Our minds blown forever by Hendrix.
Time to leave home and move on though. To Rochester, out to Madison. Ten years playing around the Midwest. R&B, jazz, soul, Lynette, Joan Wildman Trio and Duo - the most rewarding and challenging music I've ever been involved with, Regalia at the Brathaus!!, Paul Harper, Pat McDonald, Richard Davis, Ben Sidran, Stanley Jordan, James Bradley. Playing all the time. New styles, reggae tours to Mexico, gamelan music, going down to Chicago to play on Rush St., 7 sets a night. Blues. Crazy stuff.
Off to NY for a year. Playing, studying, taking it all in. Overwhelming. Chicago, putting it all into practice….playing jazz, Gideon Alorwoyie and African drumming. Playing for comedians, sword swallowers, dancers, jugglers…Big Shoulders, Hubert Sumlin, more blues….
Europe. My new home. Barcelona. Anna, Julian and Claudia. More new rhythms, languages, food, wine and travels. The Mediterranean, its magic and culinary secrets unfolding to me. Jazz, late night dances in Spanish plazas with Solistes, master classes in Menorca teaching the universal language of rhythm… but in Spanish. Cajon, bulerÃas, Balkan music, new instruments to learn. Theater with “Comediantsâ€. Music for the closing ceremonies of the Barcelona Olympics, Albertville, Expo Sevilla, Berlin, Belgrade, Istanbul, Lisbon, Tunis, Qatar, Sydney, Bogotá, Guadalajara, Mexico City, Valparaiso, Belo Horizonte, Toulouse, Geneva, Manchester, Dublin, Palermo, New Year’s Eve in Naples, Rome.... and every corner of Spain. Fireworks, “Dimonisâ€, demon drumming.
Finding my home here. New old friends. FF up to the present. “Gospel Viuâ€, what an unexpected surprise, drummer’s paradise. Frankfurt Musikmesse, a blur of music, noise, gorgeous instruments, great players, new friends. More kindness and surprises than I ever imagined possible. Feeling renewed, excited, rewarded and so fortunate to be here to begin more new projects and this next phase of my life. Thank you, grà cies, and welcome all.
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