#272 Sarah Gallo- Travel Blogger, Social Media Expert and More!
This week’s guest is Sarah Gallo. She is a travel blogger, social media expert and owns a consulting company. This is her bio so you can learn more about her…..
Hi, I’m Sarah, The Five Foot Traveler, and I choose to dream out loud. After conquering a crippling fear of flying, I’ve developed an unquenchable passion for traveling. Since my newfound freedom, I have set foot on all seven continents, explored 112 countries, and continue to strive to live life to the fullest. My highlights include paragliding through the Swiss Alps, ringing in the New Year on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, jumping off the world's highest bungee bridge in South Africa, trekking through Patagonia, seeing sea lions bathe their newborn pups in the Galapagos Islands, hiking from the Mediterranean Sea to the Sea of Galilee in Israel, bushcamping in the Okavango Delta in Botswana, and polar plunging in Antarctica on Christmas Day.
The reality is that I hunger for more. I want to eliminate the stereotype and prove that women can hang with the guys, even someone only five feet tall! Because of my size and gender, people are concerned for me when I travel. No, I won’t get kidnapped in Brazil or sold as a sex slave in Thailand or become infected with Ebola in Africa – I refuse to live my life in fear. I will not shy away from anyone, anything or anyplace. I have been chased by Jordanian thugs, unceremoniously dumped from a bus in the middle of the Argentinean desert, eaten caterpillars with African tribes, and swam in the icy waters of Antarctica on Christmas Day.
I want to leave my footprint on the world, all while smiling, laughing, and discovering our extraordinary planet. More than anything in my life, traveling has prepared me for adult independence. From planning trips, to navigating foreign cities, to fostering international friendships, I've learned more about myself than I ever did in University. It's forced me to put myself out there, to figure out the answers to my own questions, to manage my own finances, and to be creative when confronted with unexpected roadblocks. It's taught me to appreciate the life that I've been given by opening my eyes to various cultures and customs worldwide.
Happy Birthday!
Happy birthday to the living legend and national treasure, Roy Haynes, who turned 97.
Happy Birthday to Brendan Buckley! Brendan is a freelance drummer based out of Los Angeles, CA. Over the course of his career, he has worked with the following artists: Perry Farrell, Shakira, Tegan And Sara, Miley Cyrus, Damien Rice, Shelby Lynne, Daniel Powter, Leighton Meester, Roberto Carlos, Minnie Driver, The BoDeans, Aleks Syntek, Leehom Wang, Beto Cuevas, Idina Menzel, Melissa Ethridge, Alejandra Guzman, Julio Iglesias, Emmanuel, Dallas Austin, Gustavo Santaolalla, Alejandro Sanz, Debi Nova, JJ Lin, Brie Larson, Ozomatli, Madame Recamier, DMX, Nil Lara, Chayanne, Jeff Chang, Michael Miller, Fulano De Tal, Gloria Estefan, and MIYAVI either as a drummer, percussionist, music producer, or songwriter. He grew up in Mount Arlington, NJ, and went to college at the University of Miami’s School of Music. Brendan is also a faculty member at Musician’s Institute in Hollywood, CA.
Happy Birthday to Nakeiltha A. Campbell a.k.a “Nikki”- percussionist, teaching artist, producer and performer whose work promotes empowerment through the celebration of African cultural heritage. Born in Colon, Panama, and raised in Los Angeles, Nikki uses drumming to express her unique Afro Latin-Carribean Panamanian lineage, extend a legacy of women drumming in the African diasporic traditions, and celebrate the intense study of rhythm. Introduced to drumming through the Mandinka and Afro Latin traditions, Nikki is rooted in a diverse repertoire including West African dun-duns, Djembe, Congas and Cuban Bata, Brazilian samba, and African American soul flavors, which she interweaves to create her unique sound. For the past ten years, Nikki has worked professionally as an artist and educator to share her talent and knowledge with young public school students, women drummers from across the USA, and the people of her home country.
She considers herself fortunate to study and work with a wide variety of local and international artist such as Mamady Keita (T.T.M Drum School) Balandugu Kan Kahlil Cummings, Robertito Melendez latin percussion school. A recipient award winner as an apprentice to study West African Music with Aboubakar Kouyate with the Alliance for California Traditional Arts. Also, for the Ambassador Award presented by Los Angeles Viva Panama Organization Inc for her contribution to the educational and musical fields.
Her recording experience includes African drums in the theme song featured film "Let the games begin" produce by Aloe Blacc, as well for Kendrick Lamar track for his historic performance "Alright" at the Grammy Awards. The Rebirth Album Being thru the Eyes of a Child, Chocolate (on the coco farm) by Maya Jupiter.
Nikki currently tours with Lila Downs, toured with Les Amazones "The Women Master Drummers of Guinea", Viver Brasil dance company, Adaawe, and The Rebirth. Performed with world renown artist Stevie Wonder, Aloe Blacc and Jose Gonzales. Performed at the NAACP Image Awards with Will I AM, the 53rd Grammy Award with Rihanna, American Idol with Janelle Monae & Jidenna, Additionally, recorded an instructional percussion video with Kids for Sesame Street for Latin Heritage Month. Performed for the World Culture KCET Women in Jazz celebration, the 4th and 5th Annual Palm Springs Woman Jazz Festival.
In 2015, Nikki founded “Puentes de Poder”, a cross cultural exchange program that promotes empowerment and unity through music. Project has traveled to Costa Rica and Panama to teach, perform, and present music as a form cultural history and continuity. Nikki supports and encourages people of all ages, genders, and nationalities to explore percussion as a means of communication, connection and collaboration.
Happy Birthday to Leigh Howard Stevens. His repertoire ranges from Renaissance music and the Preludes and Fugues of J. S. Bach, to original marimba works written by contemporary composers expressly for him. Many of these original compositions were considered too challenging, both technically and musically, to be performed by solo marimbists until the development of Mr. Stevens’ new system of four-mallet technique. Percussionists and marimbists, the world over, have adopted his revolutionary approach to 4-mallet technique, as set forth in his ground-breaking book, Method of Movement, which has been published in six languages.
There isn’t a single aspect of marimba technique, repertoire or design that has not been profoundly influenced by the work of Leigh Howard Stevens. From “Stevens Grip” to the types of motions used to play the instrument; from the length and material of the mallet handles to the wrapping and stitching of the heads; from the first height-adjustable all wooden marimba frame in the 1980s to the first fully-tunable resonators in the 1990s; from one-handed rolls and baroque ornaments to the use of expressive contrasting roll types; from the early polyphonic Helble Preludes to the works of John Serry, David Maslanka and Joseph Schwantner, to his own original compositions and transcriptions.
Considered “revolutionary” at the time, many of his ideas are now considered to be basic technique, and in fact, have become routine in contemporary marimba compositions and performance. It is no exaggeration to say that Leigh Howard Stevens has been at the very heart of the growth of marimba repertoire, development of its pedagogy, and improvement of the instrument’s design over the last 45 years.
This fresh approach to music making on the marimba has greatly expanded the instrument’s compositional possibilities, stimulated composer enthusiasm for the marimba’s use in solo and chamber music and ultimately led to a series of more than 30 world premiere performances by Mr. Stevens. The first performance of Raymond Helble’s Concerto for Marimba and Orchestra by Leigh Howard Stevens and the Denver Symphony in 1980 was a milestone in the development of marimba literature. His digitally recorded all-Bach album has been greeted with rave reviews for its artistry by magazines as diverse as Stereophile and Billboard.
Devoted marimba lovers have sprung up all over the world – both players and the general public – converted by Leigh Howard Stevens’ solo recitals, hundreds of college campus appearances, concertos with symphony orchestra, European concert tours, masterclasses and radio and television appearances both here and abroad. He has been featured in Time Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and appeared on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered, and Voice of America’s internationally broadcast, New York, New York. His celebrated musicianship, imaginative programming and exciting performances have inspired critical acclaim and standing ovations in 48 states in the USA and in 18 foreign countries. Mr. Stevens introduced the marimba to The People’s Republic of China in a televised performance in 1994 that reportedly reached an audience of 80 million viewers.
Mr. Stevens is the founder and chief creative force behind Malletech, the world leader in design and manufacturing of keyboard percussion instruments used by professional percussionists. He has been awarded nine U.S. Patents for musical instrument design. In addition to performing on a 5-octave Malletech Marimba of his own design, he also led the creative team that developed the company’s game-changing OmegaVibe and LoveVibe. Mr. Stevens taught for many years at the Royal Academy of Music in London, England, where he was Professor of Marimba. He was elected to the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame in 2006.
Gig Alerts
The 45th Annual Telluride Jazz Festival is happening August 12-14th 2022. They announced their lineup.
The Hit Like A Girl contest is open for submissions. Hit Like A Girl 2022 is the eleventh annual international contest for female drummers and beat makers. Its purpose is to showcase and encourage drumming and lifelong musicianship for girls, women and female-identifying individuals, regardless of age, playing level or geographic location. The event is produced by Hit Like A Girl, Inc. and made possible by the generous support of artists, individuals and companies in the music and music products industries.
You can also check out some of the judges who have been announced below.
Damon will be giving a virtual percussion masterclass on March 24th at 7pm, sponsored by the CT, NY, NJ, and MA chapters of the Percussive Arts Society.
Educational Spotlight
The Percussive Arts Society will be having regional Day Of Percussion events coming up in April. Check them out to see if they are happening near you!
The educational lesson series with CongaChops and Latin Percussion is continued this week with bongo basics for beginners.
Iconic Recording
Damon first mentions the Drum Magazine Article that mentions some great recordings with congas on them.
He then mentions the iconic recording for this week, which is an Abakwa, titled “Lo Que Dice al Abakuá” from the album, ‘¡La Rumba Está Buena!’ performed by Los Muñequitos de Matanzas.
The Abakuá derives from the secret Abakuá society found in Cuba, with roots in West African (like Cameroon, Nigeria and more). You can get more information HERE.
Music News
The music industry is heavily driven by streaming, but direct-to-fan sales are where most artists earn the lion’s share of their revenues. So are websites for musicians a profitable venture in 2022? Find out more HERE (Article)
Want to support the people in Ukraine? Here's how you can help -Article, or this Article too!
Sarah Gallo Interview
The song leading into the interview is “Acrobat” by U2.
Damon starts with how he met Sarah.
Sarah had a fear of flying and was cured with some therapy.
Sarah attended NYU. She currently rotates between Florida and Connecticut for her “home base”.
Damon brings up Erika Kullberg and her videos about reading the fine print and helping the “little guy”.
Pro-Tip: if you get an Air Tag and put it in your luggage, you can track it when it gets “lost”.
Damon uses the G-Ro XV backpack with carbon fiber.
Sarah’s backpack of choice are made by Osprey. She also enjoys using the Pro Weekender by eBags.
Using reels are the current way to gain traction organically on social media. This current algorithm preference could change by the time the episode airs.
Here are some ways to maximize your reels content:
1. Create Creative Original Content
2. Include On-screen Text and Closed Captions
3. Avoid the TikTok Watermark
4. Drive Traffic by Encouraging Viewers to Head to Your Link in Bio
5. Hop on Trends Fast
6. Share Your Reels to Your Feed
7. Optimize On-screen Text Placement
8. Find Your Niche and Post Consistently
9. Provide Value and Share Educational Content
10. Include 3-5 Hashtags
11. Use Music from the Instagram Library or Create Your Own Audio
12. Share to Your Instagram Story
The platforms lean towards video (to keep you on their platform longer).
Both Damon and Sarah are Extroverted Introverts.
Sarah says the best thing you can do to help out is “Like, Comment, Save, and Share” (and subscribe when applicable).
Sarah talks through saving posts, and putting them into categories for future reference.
Liking, Commenting, Saving, and Sharing help tell the algorithms that this post is important and pushes it up to more people.
Sarah recommends not relying solely on social media, but creating a website where you own/control all of the content. Use the social media to drive your fans/followers, to your website.
Sarah talk about how the platforms are different for what they want from content creators.
If possible, post to each platform individually.
To get a blue checkmark, you can apply on the platforms, but you have a greater chance of receiving it if you are published in at least 5 major publications/reputable sources and/or are famous.
Sarah tends to post raw and unedited stuff in a story, and edited and prepared content as a post.
Sarah talks about insights to see when your fans/followers are online/engaging with your content.
You can use Instagram insights to learn more about overall trends across your followers and your content’s performance with your audience. You can also view insights for specific posts, Stories, videos, reels, and Live videos you've created to see how each one performed and how people engaged with them. Insights are free and available only for business or creator accounts.
You can view insights from your profile in the Instagram App. Here, you’ll have access to a summary page, as well as tappable metrics that lead to different screens with more details. On each of these screens, you can tap the (i) in the top right corner to see definitions for each metric listed on the screen. You can also tap the drop-down at the top of the screen to select a preset or custom timeframe, within the past 90 days, for when to view insights.
Damon mentions Samantha Brown and the travel shows he used to watch in college.
Here are SOME TIPS on how to become more successful with sponsored posts.
That is different than the new Instagram Stories Ads. Here are some tips on how to make them better.
Damon and Sarah talk about “Batching Content”.
Sarah uses Later (dot) com for scheduling her content to be released.
She also mentions Hootsuite, Planoly, and Planit.
Sarah talks about which way to film for social media.
The more preparation you can do ahead of time will make your travel smoother (i.e. have your boarding pass handy-printed or on your device, have travel insurance, having your gear insured, passport, proof of vax/PCR test results, etc). Sarah lives by a fanny pack.
GET WHERE YOU NEED TO BE EARLY!
Make reservations in advance (hotel, car, flight, ferry, etc).
Sarah mentions eating healthy before and during travel days.
Here are some things you should have in your car if you are traveling by that method: EZ pass, Roadside kit (with jumper cables/flares/tire repair tools), a paper road atlas when your GPS can’t connect, AAA.
Sarah suggests polarized sunglasses, hair ties and sunblock in case you get stranded.
Damon also keeps water Advil, dry snacks, and a flashlight in his glove compartment.
Sarah recommends a local sim card if you are traveling internationally. Damon asks about an International Driver’s Permit.
Check out CENTERED, a travel wellness platform. Use invite code THE5FT for access.
Some other apps Sarah uses are:
Momando for flights,
Rome2Rio for road trip routes.
Hopper for when to buy flights,
Happy Cow for vegan and vegetarian eating establishments.
I Know the Pilot for last min travel deals
Damon has (in addition to Airbnb and Google Translate):
Hotel reward apps (Hilton Honors, IHG and Marriott BonVoy)
Sarah recommends signing up with reward programs with all the hotels and airlines.
Sarah just got hip to TSA Pre check. Damon was a TSA Pre check guy and upgraded to Global Entry. Both of them have Moblie Pass on their phones.
Damon brings up the “Six Month Validity” rule. It is not a requirement of the U.S. government. The six-month validity passport rule is a requirement of other countries accepting foreign travelers. The six- month passport validity rule is enforced because nations do not want to risk having travelers and tourists overstaying their passport validity. Six months is now the standard validity requirement for many countries. Most visitors to the United States are also now required to have six months validity of their passports.
Here is the list of U.S. Embassies in each country.
These are the full 21 pages of the FAA musical instrument rules. TL,DR (Too long, Didn’t read)…..
Airlines must accommodate musical instruments as carry-on items as long as there is room available in the overhead bin or under-seat area at the time of boarding and the instrument can be safely stowed. Instruments should be in a case or cover to avoid injuring passengers. While not all airlines permit passengers to purchase a seat for larger instruments, the DOT has encouraged them to do so.
Airlines must allow musicians to check musical instruments in the baggage hold upon request, as long as the sum of the length, width, and height of the exterior case dimensions does not exceed 150 inches or the applicable size restrictions for the aircraft; its weight does not exceed 165 pounds or the applicable weight restrictions for the aircraft. As a practical matter, the aircraft’s cargo hold should be sufficiently large to accommodate such items. Larger instruments allowed as checked baggage may be subject to the same oversize or overweight fees that would apply to other checked baggage of that size and weight.
Here are some Merino wool brands (DO NOT PUT THIS IN THE DRYER-AIR DRY ONLY):
Darn Tough (socks)
ExOfficio (specifically the undies)
Anatomie (for lightweight travel clothing)
Compression socks are Ahhhhh-Mazzzz-Ing. Here is a list of some. Here are even more options.
Sarah is diligent about working out in her hotel room on the road. Damon brings a jump rope with him.
Sarah makes it a point to eat healthy when traveling. Sarah mentions Airfare pouches and Damon gets snacks from Trader Joe’s.
Sarah prefers road trips in cars.
Sarah leans toward hotels in cities and Airbnb in the countryside, BUT it is a case by case basis.
Damon brings up the Golden Malted industrial waffle maker that you can only get if you are a hotel, school cafeteria or own a restaurant.
Sarah prefers French Toast, Pancakes, Waffles and then Crepes in that order.
The end of the interview ends with Damon showing the cork globe with push pins to mark where he has traveled.
You can follow Sarah (the Five Foot Traveler) on her Website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. You can also hire her to consult for your business.
The song leading out of the interview is “Mysterious Ways” by U2.
