#237 Richie Gajate-Garcia- Percussionist, Educator, Inventor and More!
The photo of Richie was taken by Veronique Pelletier.
This episode is sponsored by Dream Cymbals.
Richie Gajate Garcia, a Puerto Rican born in New York City, was raised on the island of Puerto Rico from the age of seven. Richie grew up with musical influences of his percussionist step father Doel Garcia and family friends like Tito Puente, Monchito Munoz and Armando Peraza.
Richie started his formal education at Springfield College and then went on to the Conservatory of Music in Chicago where he received his bachelor’s degree in music education. Since then, Richie has taught at the Musician’s Institute in Hollywood and the Los Angeles Music Academy known as LAMA in Pasadena, California. He is one of the top clinicians worldwide and has become an ambassador to the world teaching and demonstrating the art of drums and percussion with over 700 clinics to his credit. Richie has performed, recorded and toured the world as a drummer/percussionist for several major artists including Phil Collins, Sting, Diana Ross, Hiroshima, John Denver, Tito Puente and the Boston Pops. His experiences transcend musical genres from classical to pop, jazz, salsa, country and hip hop.
Richie has authored instructional books which include play along cds. He pioneered instructional drum/percussion videos long before dvds existed and currently has instructional dvds on the market. Countless musicians have credit Richie with their musical successes including his son, Roland Gajate Garcia who was nominated percussionist of the year by the readers of Modern Drummer Magazine.
Richie himself has held that title and many more distinctions in the music community including performances on grammy winning and nominated projects. He has been an advocate for music in public schools and spoke on an educational panel for Bill Clinton during his presidency. Richie has invented the gajate bracket distributed by Latin Percussion Inc. which has impacted the genre of multi percussion and taken indepence to a new level. Richie’s nickname is “el pulpo” which means “the octopus”.
Richie lives in the Los Angeles area with his wife of 30 years Mary. His two adult sons are thriving in the music industry playing regularly on tv and touring with legends. Richie is a trendsetter who continues to passionately perform while he educate and mentors worldwide.
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to Rolando Morales-Matos. Rolando is a well sought after Latin, Jazz and Classical percussionist. He is a band leader/vibraphonist/composer of Latin Jazz group Rolando Morales-Matos & Forward. He has toured worldwide performing at the major jazz festivals and venues as a member of Ron Carter Foursight Quartet, as well as appearing with artists such as Paquito D’Rivera, Dave Samuels, Dave Valentine, Willie Colon, William Cepeda, to name a few. Rolando has recorded with Ron Carter, Celine Dion, Michael Bolton, Birdland Big Band, as well as numerous film soundtracks and classical works. In 2006, Rolando was the recipient of Drum Magazine's World Beat Percussionist of the Year Award. Since 1997, he has been the Percussionist and Assistant Conductor of the Tony Award- winning Broadway musical The Lion King. Rolando has developed unique vocabularies of playing melodies on non-pitched instruments such as drums, cowbells, cymbals and more. His published works include the textbook “Techniques and Basic Patterns for Congas, Timbales, and Bongos” and over 20 compositions for percussion ensemble. In 2008, Rolando released his solo album “From The Earth” featuring the Hang Drum, and most recently, his Latin Jazz group’s debut album “Forward”.
Happy Birthday to Bryan Carter. Shortly after completing his training at The Juilliard School in New York City and still at the very outset of his career, Carter has already played and/or recorded with many notable artists including Clark Terry, McCoy Tyner, Wynton Marsalis, Marcus Roberts, Kenny Barron, Michael Feinstein and Kurt Elling.
Carter attended The Juilliard School as a Jazz Studies major and studied with Carl Allen and Kenny Washington. He was the recipient of the Irene Diamond Scholarship as well as the Samuel L Jackson Scholarship. While at Juilliard, Carter took a strong interest in composition, orchestration and interdivisional cross-collaborative performance.
Bryan is currently touring the world with his band, “Bryan Carter & The Young Swangers”. He also served as the house drummer for NBC’S “Maya & Marty” starring Maya Rudolph, Keenan Thompson and Martin Short. The show has featured guests including Miley Cyrus, Nick Jonas, Tom Hanks, Drake, Steve Martin and Tina Fey.
Gig Alerts
It is independent Venue Week. To see if there are any shows in your area, CLICK HERE.
Damon is playing at the Greenwich Town Party on Sunday September 5th. Below are some of the other acts performing.
The Air Force Bands have some openings. If you are interested in checking that out, CLICK HERE.
Educational Spotlight
There is a Yamaha Sounds of Summer PDF floating around the internet with rhythms and rudiments to get your (or your student’s hands) in shape.
If you are an educator, PAS (Percussive Arts Society) came out with an Educators’ Companion Guide which is also in PDF form.
Product Review
Percussionist Tony Succar in conjunction with Latin Percussion have come out with a signature series model of timbales. The eye-catching LP drums are based on the ever-popular Tito Puente model, and feature a stunning combination of Rainbow Chrome over brass shells complemented with Black Nickel hardware and stealthy Black LP drum heads. The all-new plating offers distinct color variations every time,—making every set one-of-a-kind. The 14 & 15” x 6.5”timbales are mounted on a heavy duty, height adjustable stand with an anti-rattle sleeve and die-cast geared tilter. A sturdy cowbell bracket, timbale sticks and tuning wrench are also included.
Tony, made history in 2019 when he became the youngest Latin Grammy award winner for Producer of the Year and Best Salsa Album and is a premier example of the next generation of Salsa and Latin Jazz musicians. He has worked with an impressive array of notable artists including Tito Nieves, India, Jon Secada, Marc Anthony, Sheila E., Arturo Sandoval, Judith Hill and Obie Bermudez, among others. His latest projects include producing and co-directing the PBS documentary “Roots of Latin Jazz”, premiering in July 2021. His latest single "Tu Mejor Equivocación," is a collaboration with Tik Tok sensation YX. He also developed a cajon a while back.
Speaking about his new signature timbales Tony Succar said: “I am extremely excited for the world to experience these timbales and I’m truly gratified they are based on the Tito Puente model. Tito is my musical inspiration— someone whom I admire and whose footsteps I hope to follow. Thank you LP!”
Iconic Recording
This week’s iconic recording is ¿Dónde andabas anoche? [aka Avísale a mi contrario] by Ignacio Piñeiro. It is a guaguancó and Piñeiro's first masterpiece. He first improvised it in 1906, about a famous rumba dancer called Siroco. First recorded as a danzón in 1919 by Antonio María Romeu's orchestra, and later adapted as a son by many artists. Perhaps the most popular version was by Tito Rodríguez, often misinterpreted as a reference to his alleged feud with Tito Puente. You can CLICK THIS LINK to see who else is playing on it.
Music News
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN CUBA??? (see below)
More…….
Friend of the show, Carol Steele is trying to find ways to help get food to the people. She is organizing a “food chain”. She’s buying from companies that put food packages together, then deliver them directly to the homes of our loved ones. There are a few different options out there, and she’s used one, and has zeroed in on a second one that might be viable. This is just something that she’s trying to do personally, on a grassroots level, and will collect money and then use it every week or every other week to send groceries during this crisis.
For example, this week she sent the “Quincenera Package”, that has:
Carol writes…..”It is impossible to send money right now, and even if it were possible, with this huge rise in Covid numbers, it is not safe to be out there in the street, to be looking for food and standing in line with tons of people - even if you had the money!
I just think about where we were at in the beginning of the pandemic here, and the majority of us have the ability to have food brought to our doors. This is the number one way I can see to help them have food at this time. I want to help our loved ones in the best way possible to survive this pandemic.
I’m going to collect money for this, and any donation will be helpful. Venmo is easiest for me to keep track, but I will be happy to do it whatever way it is possible for you. I’m including my PayPal account, as well. I’m taking on coordinating this effort, because I want to be strategic about sending food in a timely manner. (basically to not have all of us, all at once sending packages down!)”
You can send money to Carol via Venmo, or PayPal.
Global Health Partners are trying to help fight the coronavirus infections with getting syringes to Cuba.
Important note: You cannot write the word Cuba on any money that you send to Carol. Choose another word like “Help” or “Supplies”. Be creative.
If you are looking for other ways to help, try THIS LINK.
This podcast episode explains a lot more information you should know about the crisis, in less than 30min.
#SOSCuba
Richie Gajate-Garcia Interview
The song leading into the interview is “Maria Luisa”, from Richie’s album, ‘Entre Amigos’.
Richie grew up on Tito Puente way after being born in Queens.
Richie got his inspiration to play music from his stepfather who played in the band Havana Madrid in the bay area of California.
Richie describes the Mambo shirts Perez Prado and others wore.
After music, Richie’s step father became the director of tourism in Puerto Rico.
Richie started listening to doo-wop in NYC and then it was Herman’s Heat & Puente’s Beat by Woody Herman and Tito Puente.
Richie tells the story of his family’s connection to Armando Perazza. Armando also gave Richie his first pair of bongos. He also talks about how Richie’s dad helped promote tourism through the Tourism Band and Giovanni Hidalgo’s dad, José Manuel Hidalgo "Mañengue" was also a member of that band.
Richie avoided the draft by entering in college. He attended Springfield College in Illinois and studied business administration.
He then transferred to the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago.
Shout-out to David Jackson for assisting Richie with the music department.
Richie talks about some of the music scene he was involved in, in and around the Chicago area.
Richie got introduced to Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons from playing a gig with Barbara Eden.
After a few Frankie gigs, Richie was teaching several students and was able to teach Afro-Cuban rhythms with notation. He left the conservatory to go on tour with Frankie.
From Chicago, Richie moved to NYC and then L.A.
Richie talks about the L.A. percussionist community. He started subbing for other percussionists and also developed his independence being able to play drums and percussion at the same time.
From subbing on gigs, he also subbed for teaching and that was how he started teaching at the Musician’s Institute.
Martin Cohen watched one of Richie’s clinics and that is the impetus to Richie doing some instructional videos for LP.
After videos, Richie wrote educational books for Warner.
Richie explains how he came up with the foot pedal bracket that bears his name.
Damon brings up the marketing book he uses called “The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing” by Al Ries and Jack Trout.
Richie’s nickname is “Pulpo” which means octopus based on his limb independence.
He talks about the recording he did where there were no overdubs and he recorded everything (percussion-wise) live.
Richie likes the first version of the Roland Handsonic.
Damon and Richie talk about some iconic samples.
Shout-out to (friend of the show) Marc Quiñones for his assistance with Richie’s videos.
(Friend of the show) Alex Neciosup Acuña helped introduce Richie to film scores and TV music. Richie was in Alex’s band, Alex and the Unknowns.
In addition to the Musician’s Institute, Richie also teaches at the Los Angeles College of Music.
Richie gives away a few of his clinic tips.
Richie received an honorary doctorate at Lincoln College.
Talks about balancing playing, recording, teaching and family life.
Richie has four recordings out. The aforementioned, “Mis Tres Hijos’, ‘Nations Five’, ‘Entre Amigos’ and ‘World’s Combined’.
Richie uses Latin Percussion instruments, DW drums, hardware, and accessories, Sabian Cymbals, Roland Electronics, Vater Sticks and Mallets, Rim Riser, and Remo Drumheads.
Shout-out to educators Fred Greenwald and James Dutton
Shout-out Alex Neciosup Acuña, Luis Conte, Michito Sanchez, Lenny Castro, and Kevin Ricard.
