#287 Elena Bonomo- Drummer, Percussionist, Educator and More!
Photo of Elena taken by: Grace Stockdale.
This episode is sponsored by Dream Cymbals.
This week’s guest is Elena Bonomo. Elena is a drummer, percussionist, band leader and music educator based in the NYC area. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, she holds a Bachelors Degree in Performance.
Actively involved in both the pop/rock and musical theater scenes, Elena strives to create fluidity across all musical genres. She has performed at venues across NYC including Feinstein’s/54 Below, Birdland, The Blue Note, Symphony Space, The Green Room 42, Rockwood Music Hall, Pianos, The Bitter End, and many others. She is currently in the house band for FEMME Jam, and all-female led jam session that takes place once a month at Brooklyn’s C’Mon Everybody (led by Camille Trust, Melissa McMillan, Alita Moses and Miranda Joan).
In the theater realm, Elena has toured across the United States as the drummer for the 1st National Tour of the hit Broadway musical, Waitress (music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles). She originated the drum chairs for two Off-Broadway shows including The Hello Girls and A Strange Loop, and appeared as the drummer on both of their Original Cast Recordings. An active sub in the NYC Theater scene, her Broadway and Off-Broadway sub credits include Waitress, Be More Chill, Cagney, For Colored Girls, and A Taste of Things to Come.
Elena has shared the stage with Jordin Sparks, Brandy, Hillary Scott (of Lady A), Tony-award winning actress Patina Miller (Pippin, Sister Act), Annie Golden (Orange is The New Black), Nikki Renee Daniels, Constantine Maroulis, Desi Oakley, Christine Dwyer, Solea Pfeiffer, Natalie Walker, Heath Saunders, and jazz vocalist Jacqui Naylor. In addition to her US appearances, Elena has performed throughout the Caribbean, South America, Australia, New Zealand and Europe while working as band leader for Holland America Cruise Lines. She has toured nationally with Boston based Americana/Folk group, The Novel Ideas, with whom she also recorded an album.
After two successful runs at the American Repartory Theater in Cambridge, MA and at The Ordway in St. Paul, Minnesota, Elena currently holds the drum chair for Broadway's newest hit musical, SIX (by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss).
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to Daniel Prim! Daniel is a Venezuelan percussionist and drummer specializing in jazz, Latin, and Afro-Venezuelan music. Born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, he started his music studies at 12 years old at Jose Reina Music School. Years later, he attended the Simon Bolivar Conservatory Music, part of the National Youth and Children's Orchestras of Venezuela, “El Sistema”, created by maestro Jose Antonio Abreu. He has been part of seminars and workshops taught by world-renowned musicians including Nicolás Folmer, Stafford Hunter, Edward Simon, James Zollar, and Rolando Briceño.
In 2013, Daniel moved to Los Angeles to study under the mentorship of drummer Jeff Hamilton. Currently, Daniel resides in New York City, performing with such luminaries as Victor Wooten, Luis Perdomo, Stafford Hunter, Etienne Charles, Roberto Quintero, Roy Wooten, Edmar Castañeda, Dayna Stephens, and others.
In addition to his formal training, Daniel has studied and mastered the traditional drumming of his Afro-Venezuelan roots and has taught master classes in Afro-Venezuelan drumming at Berklee College of Music and Salem State University. Upon moving to New York, Daniel co-founded the group Tambor y Caña, which performs Afro-Venezuelan tambor music. In his own projects, Daniel seeks to mix Afro-Venezuelan rhythms and instrumentation with jazz composition and technique.
Gig Alerts
Music City Drum Show exists to unite the drumming community in the Greater Nashville area and beyond. Organized by drummer Landon Hall, the Music City Drum Show is focused on drum displays, sales, networking, and clinics - in a 34,000 sq ft space at the newly built Nashville Fairgrounds Expo 3 Building. All are welcome to come out and shop drums, cymbals, hardware, sticks, and all kinds of drum accessories from drum brands around the world, in Nashville Music City! July 9th and 10th from 10am-5pm. All ages are welcome. General admission $10 (Daily), Kids 5-12 $5 (Daily).
DCI (Drum Corps International) has started their summer competitive season. For more info, tickets and the full schedule, CLICK HERE.
Damon has some UPCOMING GIGS, including, speaking at the DIY Musician Conference in Austin, TX from August 26-28 (Damon’s birthday is the 28th). He will also be doing a live podcast interview with a very special guest.
To find out more details and get reduced tickets, CLICK THIS LINK.
Damon will be giving a clinic/performance at PASIC this November. You can REGISTER HERE if you would like to attend.
Educational Spotlight
Paulo Stagnaro over at Conga Chops, has transcribed a Tata Güines solo from one of the more popular Israel “Cachao” Lopez tunes, Descarga Cubana (sometimes called Descarga Cachao).
Watch the FULL Lesson and get the PDF transcription with an FREE All-Access Trial at CongaChops.com/memberships
Iconic Recording
Music News
Lizzo and Rage Against the Machine are donating portions of their touring proceeds to support Planned Parenthood.
The Roe v. Wade reversal by the Supreme Court is stretching across the entertainment industry. Lizzo quickly announced that she would contribute $500,000 of her upcoming ‘Special Tour’ money to Planned Parenthood. Live Nation, the tour’s promoter, announced it would match Lizzo’s donation for a $1 million total donation to Planned Parenthood. -Article
If you would like more information on how to navigate the abortion bans, trigger laws and more, Congresswoman, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has linked to ways to assist you. CLICK HERE.
The first formal program in the US that allows healthcare providers to prescribe arts, culture, & nature experiences to patients & clients, to support their well-being is available in Massachusetts. -Article
Elena Bonomo Interview
The song leading into the interview is from the Broadway musical, ‘SIX’.
Elena had to reschedule the interview with Damon because she caught the coronavirus. She also talks about how she navigated that with her subs, as a couple of them caught it too.
Damon brings up playing with Elena at one of the After Party events at Rockwood music hall. He introduced Elena to Charley Drayton and she realized he was a drummer she had already been listening to for ages.
Elena played on the Waitress tour, and saw Charley play with Sara at MSG.
Elena and Damon were in the drumline for a protest scene in the show Pose on Hulu/FX. Shout-out to friend of the show Jon Epcar for putting that together.
Elena studied with drummer, Larry Lelli. She watched him play The Producers.
The first show Elena played in the Broadway world was Cagney.
Elena attended Berklee College of Music.
Elena now plays the Broadway show SIX.
One way to get a gig on Broadway is to be on the radar of some of the music contractors. If you are going to be a sub, you should know some of the etiquette.
You might also be able to find music contractors on Linkedin (same with musical directors or music supervisors). Or go to a show and look in the playbill (program).
Here’s some of the musicians for the most popular Broadway shows.
Shout-out to Kristy Norter.
While at Berklee, Elena got to study with Terri Lyne Carrington.
Elena is from Cortlandt (Westchester) NY.
Elena’s grandmother and uncle and cousins introduced her to music.
Elena talks about auditioning for NYSSMA in school.
Elena recounts her audition for Berklee, including the song Caravan.
Elena has participated in at least two shows that have won Tony awards.
Elena was involved in the original off-broadway version of ‘A Strange Loop’.
Elena participated in the FEMME JAM before the pandemic. She also was part of the iconic drummers who played in the 8G band on Late Night with Seth Meyers.
Elena talks about some of the intricacies of playing on late night TV.
Elena teaches online lessons and you can sign up for them from HER WEBSITE.
Elena played on cruise ships for a while. She was on the Holland America line.
Elena picks the iconic recording (see above).
Shout-out to Steve Jordan and Aaron Sterling.
Damon brings up Hit Like A Girl because of Elena’s instagram handle (@Chickscandrum2).
You can follow Elena on her Website, Facebook, and Instagram.
Damon and Elena ran out of time before the sponsor shout-out, BUT Elena uses Yamaha drums, Sabian cymbals, Remo drum heads, and Vic Firth sticks and mallets.
The song leading out of the interview is “I'll Try” by The Novel Ideas, off of their new self-titled album out September 8th.
