#247 Stephen Bidwell- Drummer for The Black Pumas, Writer, Educator & More!
This episode is sponsored by Dream Cymbals. Check out their Tasting Tour Dates.
This week’s guest is Stephen Bidwell. Stephen was born in Washington, DC, and grew up in the Virginia suburbs. Since first being handed drumsticks in the late 80s he has studied and lived in West Virginia, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, and New York but has called Austin, Texas home since 2005. Somewhere in those travels, he earned a Bachelors’s degree in classical percussion (two of them actually) and a Master’s degree in Jazz studies. Since early 2018 he has been the drummer for the Grammy-nominated Black Pumas, a psychedelic soul group known for incendiary live shows. When not on tour with Black Pumas, Stephen plays in several diverse projects (Hard Proof, The Calm Blue Sea, Azmaris, Mood Illusion), works in any genre you can think of as a sideman and teaches lessons at his home studio.
You can see some of Steve’s interviews and other drum journalism over at ModernDrummer.com, he’s been a contributing writer since 2008.
R.I.P.
Rest in peace to Leonard “Doc” Gibbs. He was a mainstay in soul and jazz for a half century, and gathered another audience entirely as the musical director on the Emeril television show, staring chef Emeril Lagasse.
Fresh out of the Pennsylvania School of Fine Arts, Gibbs became a staple in the Philly jazz scene. He was given the nickname “Doc” by legendary saxman Grover Washington Jr, on whose Live at the Bijou album Gibbs played, when Gibbs helped Washington get over a cold with an herbal concoction. -Article
You can check out “Doc’s” interview on this podcast back at episode 59.
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to Michael Compitello. Michael is a dynamic, “fast rising” (WQXR) percussionist dedicated to commissioning and premiering new works that explore the sonic and expressive possibilities of percussion instruments.
He has developed sustained collaborations with composers such as Thomas Kotcheff, Tonia Ko, Amy Beth Kirsten, and Robert Honstein on new works, in addition to working with Helmut Lachenmann, David Lang, John Luther Adams, Alejandro Viñao, Marc Applebaum, and Martin Bresnick on premieres and performances of new solo and chamber works. Currently, Michael’s project Unsnared Drum (released August 2021 on New Focus Recordings) seeks to reexamine the snare drum through new works by composers Nina C. Young, Hannah Lash, Amy Beth Kirsten, and Tonia Ko.
With cellist Hannah Collins as the “remarkably inventive and resourceful” (Gramophone) New Morse Code, Michael has created a singular and personal repertoire through collaboration with some of America’s most esteemed young composers. New Morse Code's 2017 debut album Simplicity Itself on New Focus Recordings was described “an ebullient passage through pieces that each showcase the duo’s clarity of artistic vision and their near-perfect synchronicity” (I Care if You Listen) and “a flag of genuineness raised” (Q2 Music). In 2019 they released the title suite of Matthew Barnson’s portrait album, Vanitas, on Innova recordings and collaborated with Eliza Bagg, Lee Dionne, and andPlay on and all the days were purple, Alex Weiser’s Pulitzer Prize-finalist work on Cantaloupe Music.
Michael is also a member of Percussion Collective, an ensemble dedicated to refined performances of contemporary percussion repertoire, with whom he performed as soloist with the Colorado Symphony, and on concert series across the country.
As an orchestral musician, Michael has performed with the Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, and the Aspen Festival Orchestra, and with conductors Pierre Boulez, Marin Alsop, Reinbert de Leeuw, David Zinman, James Conlon, Brad Lubman, and Gustav Meier.
Michael is currently Assistant Professor of Percussion at Arizona State University. He previously taught at the University of Kansas, Cornell University and Mt. Holyoke College, and was Interim Lecturer in Percussion at UMass Amherst in the fall of 2012. Michael earned a DMA and MM from the Yale School of Music, and a BM from the Peabody Conservatory, where he studied with renowned percussionist Robert Van Sice. From 2009 to 2010, Michael performed and studied contemporary chamber music with the Ensemble Modern and the International Ensemble Modern Academy in Frankfurt, Germany on a Fulbright Grant from the US Department of State.
Happy Birthday to Lenny Castro. Lenny was Born in N.Y.C., N.Y on Sept. 19th. 1956 Son of musician, Hector L. Castro, who was pianist and Musical Director for Johnny Pacheco and Celia Cruz as well as having his own group, Conjunto Candela. His first conga and drum set were given to him by his stepfather, George Cordero. Lenny went to the same high school his father attended, Fiorello LaGuardia High School of Music and Art. Lenny also attended Mannes College Of Music, Third Street Music School, All-Boro Band and Orchestra, All High School Band and Orchestra as well as playing in Salsa bands like Johnny Colon, Eddie Palmieri and other local NY bands at the age of 14. At age 19 he was discovered by Melissa Manchester working at the Frank Ippolioto’s Pro Drum Shop. Shortly after that Melissa and the band moved to L.A. where he met musicians like Steve Lukather, David Garfield, Carlos Vega, as well as The Porcaro Family, Chuck Delmonico, and many other. Soon becoming a part of the L.A. scene himself. He Started to work for many producers in L.A. like Richard Perry, Leon Ware, John Stronach, Vini Poncia, James Newton Howard, Bill Schnee, Tommy Lipuma, Russ Tittleman and Lenny Worenker, John Stroud and others. He has toured and recorded with countless artists.
Gig Alerts
Friend of the show, Luis Conte, will be playing at the Baked Potato with his Super Bien Sextet this Saturday at 9 and 11pm in Los Angeles.
Social Soundbyte
Last week, (friend of the show) Nate Smith dropped a video to accompany the latest single from his new album. This week, the whole album Kinfolk 2: See the Birds is out in its entirety.
Product Review
Damon was talking about having a drum travel survival/emergency kit with him on the road for gigs and tours. Some of those items he mentioned having are (but not limited to):
Cymbal felts/wingnuts/washer/sleeves
Drum key/multi-tool
Pliers/screwdrivers
Crazy glue
Gaffer’s tape
Tension rods/lugs
Ear plugs
Band-aids/Eucatape
Velcro
Wind screens/mic clips
1/4” adapter/iPhone dongle
Extra drumheads/sticks
Moongels/Drumtacs for head dampening
Hi-hat cluch
Conga wrench/Wing Key
WD-40/T9 chain oil
The article with other suggestions, can be found by CLICKING HERE.
Iconic Recording
This week’s iconic recording is “September” by Earth, Wind and Fire. Damon chose it because this episode was released on September 21st and that date reference is in the first line of the song. The song released as a single in 1978 on ARC/Columbia Records. Initially included as a track for The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1, "September" was very successful commercially and reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart, No. 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart. The song remains a staple of the band's body of work and has been sampled, covered, remixed, and re-recorded numerous times.
Music News
Los Angeles County health officials will require vaccine proof for admission to indoor bars, nightclubs, lounges, and more.
The health director announced the coming order on Wednesday. The new health directive also requires workers and attendees of mega-events with more than 10,000 people to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. -Article
In an uncertain post-vaccine landscape, musicians and other touring professionals are feeling the elation—and anxiety—of getting back to work. -Article
The last article refers to passive income. Passive income is any revenue generated after work is finished. You’ve invested in the work upfront, and now your finished product is ready to work for you.
In the case of music, some passive income is generated AFTER you’ve released a song, uploaded a video, or launched a new merch line. And through that lens, you could consider the revenue mentioned in the intro as passive income.
But it could also mean you’re earning tangential revenue WHILE you share your music or video content via affiliate links. In other cases, it might mean earning repeating, subscription income BEFORE you create anything new at all! -Article
Stephen Bidwell Interview
The song leading into the interview is “Colors” by the Black Pumas, by self-titled album.
Damon and Stephen met in Morgantown, West Virginia through Cadets of Bergen County alum and Stephen’s roommate, John Gillian.
Damon traveled to West Virginia University to study some steel pans with (friend of the show) Jamie Eckert, who was getting his graduate degree and learning from the late great Ellie Mannette.
Shout-out to Dr. Professor Paschal Yao Younge and Aaron Guidry.
Stephen talks about some of the musical ensembles at WVU, including the drumline for the Marching Band, which he was in with (friend of the show) Mike Dawson.
Stephen grew up in the Washington D.C. area and was influenced to go to WVU by his band director Jeff Fraker.
Stephen has two music degrees on classical percussion performance.
Stephen and Damon talk about the sports bar/laundromat combo called Suds and Duds. The Morgantown location is closed, but there are others floating around the USA.
Stephen did his graduate degree at The University of New Orleans. One of the people he studied with is Johnny Vidacovich.
Stephen talks about what he learned during his graduate studies. He also talks about how New Orleans can be different from other music towns.
Stephen got displaced from New Orleans because of hurricane Katrina. He ended up studying at NYU. He mentions Wayne Krantz’s book, “An Improviser’s OS”
Stephen mentions the Jazz Education Network.
Damon and Stephen talk about being specialized or well rounded as well as understanding the regional music and genres of different parts of the country.
Stephen is currently on tour with The Black Pumas. He talks about how he got into the band.
Shout-out to Ryan Matteson at Ten Atoms Management.
Stephen and Damon talk about planning content for future needs.
Stephen wants to splurge on new siding for his house.
Stephen brings with him cymbals, and sticks on the road, and also digs the Roots EQ mufflers.
Stephen uses the mahogany Gretsch Broadkaster snare as one of his choices.
The Black Pumas have four Grammy nominations.
Shout-out to the Thomann RB 500 ribbon microphones in Stephen’s recording setup. -Underrated
Detroit pizza -Overrated
Stephen wrote for Modern Drummer Magazine for well over a decade.
Damon mentions the book “Everyone Loves You When You’re Dead” by Neil Strauss.
This is the article on Leon Bridges that Stephen is referring to.
Shout-out to some of the other drum podcasts, like: Drum Candy, Working Drummer, Drummer’s Resource, Big Fat Five, The Trap Set with Joe Wong, and more!
Stephen talks about leaving a non music job for music full time.
Damon and Stephen talk about the importance of financial planning and understanding taxes and other non-music things that are important.
Damon and Stephen talk about getting gear insured. Damon uses MusicPro Insurance. Clarion Musical Instrument Insurance is also another good company.
Stephen uses Gretsch Drums, Zildjian Cymbals, Remo Drumheads and Vic Firth Sticks and Mallets.
You can catch Stephen on tour with The Black Pumas, his Website, on Facebook, and Instagram.
The song leading out of the interview is called, “Trickle Down” by the band Hard Proof.
