SOME ARTISTS WITH WHOM I’VE MADE RECORDINGS WITH, OR PLAYED A FREAK ONE-OFF GIG WITH, OR DONE EXTENSIVE TOURING WITH… SOME OF WHICH ALL OF THE ABOVE:
DEL WATER GAP
GEOGRAPHER
CHRISTOPHER OWENS (FORMERLY OF GIRLS)
METALLICA
KALEB COHEN
ISABEL DUMAA
TRÉ BURT
NORTHEAST PARTY HOUSE
SYLO
GABRIELLA COHEN
BEN MORRISON (OF THE BROTHERS COMATOSE)
SKYWAY MAN
ERIN RAE
RAINBOW GIRLS
GOODNIGHT, TEXAS
NICKI BLUHM
MEERNAA
MOLLY SARLÉ
SAN FRANCISCO GAY MEN'S CHORUS
+ SO MANY MORE
CODY RHODES
HAVING COMING UP THROUGH THE BAY AREA'S DYNAMIC MUSICAL ENVIRONMENT HAS POSITIONED ME CREATIVELY SUCH THAT I’M CONSTANTLY STRADDLING SOME EVER-BLURRING LINE BETWEEN WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A SONGWRITER'S DRUMMER AND JAZZ DRUMMER; APPROACHING A POP DRUM TRACK FROM A MORE UNFETTERED AND ECLECTIC ANGLE HAS PROVEN JUST AS USEFUL AS PROVIDING A SIMPLE AND SOLID BACKBEAT TO A PIECE OF IMPROVISED MUSIC.
FORMAL TRAINING:
I HOLD A BACHELOR OF MUSIC IN JAZZ PERFORMANCE FROM SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY, WHERE I STUDIED DRUM SET UNDER JASON LEWIS AND JOE HODGE AS WELL AS ORCHESTRAL PERCUSSION UNDER GALEN LEMMON. DURING THAT TIME, I ALSO SPENT MANY FORMATIVE SUMMERS FOCUSING ON RUDIMENTAL DRUMMING WITH THE SANTA CLARA VANGUARD DRUM AND BUGLE CORPS ORGANIZATION. SINCE THEN, THIS BROAD BACKGROUND HAS AFFORDED ME THE HONOR OF WORKING WITH AN ASTONISHING LIST OF MANY ARTISTS FROM ALL AREAS OF THE MUSICAL SPECTRUM ON MANY BANDSTANDS AS WELL AS IN NUMEROUS STUDIOS AND PROFESSIONAL MUSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTIONS.
NO MATTER THE GIG, NO MATTER THE GENRE, NO MATTER WHICH ARTIST OR ENSEMBLE I AM BACKING UP, EVERY NOTE I PLAY (OR CHOOSE TO OMIT) AND EVERY DECISION I MAKE IS IN THE AIM OF SUPPORTING THE SONG. THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY JOB, AND I CHERISH THE CHALLENGE AND OPPORTUNITY.
A LIFE-LONG STUDENT OF THE ART OF DRUMMING, I TAKE MUCH ENJOYMENT IN MAKING MUSIC WITH LIKE-MINDED INDIVIDUALS, SHARING IN POSITIVE MUSICAL INTERACTIONS, AND PAYING FORWARD THE KNOWLEDGE AND GENEROSITY THAT HAS BEEN SHARED WITH ME BY THE MANY GREAT MENTORS I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF STUDYING UNDER.