#305 Gilmar Gomes- Percussionist for Enrique Iglesias, Producer, Songwriter and More!
Gilmar Gomes is a percussionist from Salvador currently living in NYC. He's played and toured with Angélique Kidjo, Enrique Iglesias, Pitbull, Anat Cohen, Richard Bona, Meshell N'degeocello, Alexis Cuadrado, Yerba Buena, Gilberto Gil, Baaba Maal, Rihanna and others.
Together with his brother he formed Filhos de Jorge, which had a hit in Brazil called Ziriguidum.
Happy Birthday!
Happy birthday to Eliel Lazo. Eliel began playing at an early age, egged on by his enthusiastic family. He studied at Oscar Valdes’ school of percussion (former singer and percussionist, of Irakere band). In 2003, at the age of 19, Eliel won the prestigious PERCUBA International Percussion Prize. Eliel Lazo first visited Denmark in 2004 on an invitation from the Danish Radio Big Band. Other invitations followed. Soon Denmark became a stable base on his travels around the world, and in 2007 he made Copenhagen his home. He has played with musicians such as Michel Camilo, Chucho Valdes, Changuito, Tata Guines, Herbie Hancock, Bob Mintzer, Oscar Valdes, Carlos del Puerto, Airto Moreira. He has also played with Cuban bands Diakara, Klimax and Habana Ensemble. He have worked with the Danish Radio Big Band, The Savage Rose, The Antonellie Orchestra, Blanco Y Negro, Mikkel Nordsoe Band, Aarhus Jazz Orchestra, Tip Toe Big Band. Also WDR Bigband from Germany and BBC Bigband from The UK. In 2004 Eliel Lazo recorded his first album ''Art Ensemble of Habana'' with Commodo Depots records from Japan. Then he released his first recording with Stunt records ''Blanco Y Negro'' which was recorded in Cuba. His 3rd album ''El Conguero'' also with Stunt records, was awarded with The Danish Music award best album of the year in the world music category. You can find Eliel's playing on Mikkel Nordsoe ''7 Steps to Heaven'' and ''Diving in space for 3 dacades'' - Hanne Boel ''The Shining of sings'' - the Danish Radio Big Band ''Cuban Flavor'' and ''Spirituasl'', where Eliel is featured as percussionist and vocalist. His playing is also featured on CUBADISCO award winning CD, ''Andante'' of Cesar Lopez Y Habana Ensemble and Kylie Minogue ''Kiss me once''. He performs in the American movie about Cuban music ''Music Under the Radar''. He has taught at conservatories in Cuba, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Switzerland, Germany and Sweden. Eliel's last CD is call ''Eliel lazo and the Cuban funk Machine'' featuring American tenor saxophonist Bob Mintzer and a line up of Cuban, Danish and Swedish musicians that make this album very unique. This CD is a tribute to the 70s funk and Cuban Songo. The inspiration is coming from bands such as Irakere, the Head hunters, The Meters and specially Los Van Van. The CD was nominated to the 2015 Cuban Grammys CUBADISCO and is nominated to 2 Danish Grammys (Danish Music Awards) World and Jazz. This CD is dedicated to master Jose Luis Quintana ''Changuito'' and Juan Formell (august 2, 1942 - may 1st, 2014).
Happy Birthday to Tony Lymon. Tony, is the former Assistant Director of Bands at Petal High School in Petal, Mississippi and current co-music arranger/show designer for the Petal High School marching band. Tony is the director and show designer for the Petal Indoor Percussion Theatre, a national WGI Percussion Scholastic World Finalist. He has twice been awarded the Outstanding Junior High Director of the Southeast Mississippi Band Directors Association and the 2008 Mississippi Bandmasters Association AE McClain Outstanding Young Band Director Award. Tony was also the Founder and Director of Eminence Indoor Percussion Ensemble, a regional and national WGI Open Class finalist and championship ensemble.
Tony holds a Bachelors degree in Music Education from the University of Southern Mississippi and a Certification in 3D Architectural Rendering from The 3D Training Institute of New York. He was a member and principal percussionist in the world renowned Southern Miss Wind Ensemble and Southern Miss Symphony Orchestra. While at Southern Miss, Tony was the percussion arranger for the Pride of Mississippi Marching Band and USM indoor percussion ensemble. Tony was also a member of the World Champion Star of Indiana Drum and Bugle Corps (Bloomington, IN) from 1991-1993. In his three years of DCI experience, he won the DCI-Midwest Solo Timpani Champion and the 1994 Percussive Arts Society International Solo Timpani Award. Tony’s original marimba composition “Of Thoughts and Thinking” has become a standard in percussion literature. The piece was most recently recorded by German percussion artist Cornelia Monkse on the CD Marimba 2 and was featured in the French documentary film Le Ciel.
After college, Tony pursued a professional performance career for eight years with the pop/rock band King Konga. While with King Konga, Tony toured the world selling out venues in nationwide. The group did a post September 11th USO tour for the US Military in Hawaii and South East Asia. The four-piece band gained critical acclaim reaching #81 on the AC Hot 100 Pop Charts with “Something Good.” With a rare accomplishment by an independent band, King Konga captured the eyes and ears of many major record labels and the band went on to perform at Woodstock ’99. Tony has also performed with The Mississippi Symphony, Mobile Opera, Hattiesburg Civic Light Opera and The Meistersingers Orchestral/Choral Ensemble.
Tony recently wrapped up a season as the sound designer for The Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps and currently serves as Creative Designer for Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps. He is the owner of Eidetic Creative, a multimedia creative designs solution business. He currently resides in Petal, Mississippi with his wife Emily and 12 year-old daughter Colette.
Happy Birthday to Attis Clopton. If you ask Attis what his day job is, he’d quickly respond “musician.” However, the drummer, who’s travelled the world recording and performing, would be remiss not to mention his impressive photography skills. Though not formally trained, Attis has developed an eye and the ability to capture subjects in a way that many professional photographers struggle with throughout their career. But what may set Attis apart from his contemporaries is his openness, his curiosity and his unpretentious disposition, all of which help him lock into the moment and keep his photos from looking overthought or overdone. Ahead he shares some of his recent favorites with 6sqft. - Article
Happy Birthday to Joby Burgess. One of Britain’s most diverse percussionists, Joby is equally at home performing with Peter Gabriel at Red Rocks Amphitheatre and The Who at Wembley Stadium as reimagining Blade Runner at Sydney Opera House and Ibiza Classics at the Royal Albert Hall.
Known for his virtuosic performances, Joby’s solo projects Powerplant and Pioneers of Percussion have taken him from Berghain, Berlin to SESC Pompéia, São Paulo. Recent releases for Signum include Gabriel Prokofiev’s ‘Concerto for Bass Drum’ and Eric Whitacre’s ‘Marimba Quartets’.
Often found at Abbey Road and Air Studios, Joby’s playing can be heard on major film and TV scores, notably leading the percussion sections on Black Panther, Rocketman, Ad Astra, Mission: Impossible, The Darkest Hour, Dr Who and The Green Planet.
In demand as an educationalist, Joby created the Virtual Marimba Choir, which brought together 227 percussionists from around the world during Spring 2020.
Happy Birthday to Henry Jones. Henry is the founder and Lead Instructor for Infinite Roots is a gifted artist, writer and musician. Mr. Jones has over 25 year’s experience in the field of music, with a strong focus on cultural arts. Currently, Infinite Roots provides instruction to over 300 students within the Fairfield and Westchester County areas. Workshop programs have taken place in Albany, New York, Baltimore, Maryland, Up-state Connecticut and Atlanta Georgia. Infinite Roots is also very active within local youth based organizations and public and private schools throughout Stamford and Norwalk Connecticut.
Gig Alerts
The Department of Music at UMBC announces a search for an Assistant Professor of Music (full-time, tenure track) in percussion performance, to begin August 23, 2023. We seek candidates with a broad range of experiences and accomplishments both within and outside of the Western classical percussion tradition. Demonstrated excellence in teaching percussion is required. This individual will be a skilled soloist and chamber musician and will perform with the faculty contemporary ensemble Ruckus as well as in other faculty chamber music performances. Applicants who demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion by way of teaching, performing, publishing, or volunteer experiences are urged to submit an application. -More Details HERE
Taylor Swift has released a new album, and is GOING ON TOUR in 2023.
Educational Spotlight
PASIC is next week, you can still register for it.
Damon will be doing his clinic on Saturday November 12th at 10am in room 109.
World's Fastest Drummer contest at PASIC!
Do you have what it takes to be the fastest drummer at PASIC?
2022 GRAND PRIZES: 2 MAPEX KITS! 2 SETS ZILDJIAN CYMBALS! 72 pairs VIC FIRTH STICKS! (with winner's name on them) 50 REMO HEADS! AND A TON OF BRAGGING RIGHTS!
Iconic Recording
The iconic recording for this week is “Obvious Child” by Paul Simon from the ‘Rhythm of the Saints’ album. Here is a list of the performers on the album.
Music News
TikTok Just Ended Google's 15-Year Reign as the World's Most Popular Web Domain. -Article
It is Bandcamp Friday again. Head on over there and grab an album from someone so they can receive all the proceeds.
Gilmar Gomes Interview
The song leading into the album is the single “Filho Da Areia” by Gilmar.
Shout-out to friend of the show, Paulo Stagnaro for connecting Damon and Gilmar. Look for the forthcoming masterclass with the both of them on Conga Chops.
Gilmar is from Bahia Brazil.
Gilmar talks about the Samba Reggae that he played growing up.
Damon and Gilmar talk about a little of the history of Bahia and also samba.
He talks about his family and father.
Gilmar talks about how influential the iconic recording for this week and Michael Jackson’s “They Don’t Care About Us” song were.
Gilmar talks about playing with Daniela Mercury at age 16 as well as other artists like Gilberto Gil and Carlinhos Brown.
Gilmar breaks off to talk about how he met his wife and then resumes how he decided to leave Brazil by playing with Angelique Kidjo.
He talks about receiving timbales and how sitting in on a jam session changed his life.
Gilmar talks about his hat company called Gig Man Hats.
Gilmar talks about how he ended up rapping on tour and playing guitar because of a bet!
Gilmar has a forthcoming album in March where he sings, plays guitar, percussion and writes all the songs.
Gilmar talks about his relationship with (friend of the show) Ralph Irizarry. That came about from the band Yerba Buena and Cucu Diamontes.
Shout-out to (friends of the show) Terreon Gully, Tony Escapa and also Scoota Warner.
Damon mentions originally Gilmar was going to be in Quatar. The world cup will be starting soon!
The podcast Damon brings up about the corruption in Fifa is called World Corrupt.
Gilmar talks about his self taught journey in photography and videography.
Gilmar talks about the reason he moved to Miami from NYC. Nature was a big draw.
Gilmar uses Latin Percussion instruments, One Golden Thread clothing, Gig Man Hats, and O Guitars.
Shout-out to Ralph Irizarry!
You can follow Gilmar on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The song leading out of the interview is “Retrato” by Gilmar Gomes.
