#338 John H. Beck & John R. Beck- Percussionists, Educators, Authors and More!
John H. Beck has been a member of the Eastman faculty since 1959. He received his bachelor’s degree (1955) and master’s degree (1962), as well as Performer’s Certificate from Eastman. He retired from Eastman in 2008 and continues as Professor Emeritus of Percussion and teaches a class in The History of Percussion
Beck’s career as a performer and teacher includes posts as percussionist, timpanist, marimba soloist with the United States Marine Band (1955-59); principal percussionist with the Rochester Philharmonic (1959-62); and timpanist for the Rochester Philharmonic (1962-2002). He has made numerous solo appearances, including performances with the Eastman Wind Ensemble and Philharmonia Orchestra, Syracuse Wind Ensemble, Chautauqua Band, Rochester Chamber Orchestra, Corning Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, Memphis State Wind Ensemble, Pennsylvania Festival Band, and Filharmonia Pomorska, Poland. Other engagements have included, the faculty of the Grand Teton Orchestra Seminar, conductor of the Penfield Symphony, performer, clinician, teacher, and conductor for the International Workshops for Percussion in Bydgoszcz, Poland; adjudicator for the International Percussion Competition in Luxembourg; the Japan Music Education and Culture Promotion in Tokyo, Japan; Timpani Competition, Paris, France and Snare Drum Competition, Atlanta, Georgia. He was percussionist in residence at the Royal Academy of Music in Copenhagen, Denmark; the Royal Northern Academy of Music in Manchester, England, the Interlochen Center for the Arts Summer Program and Rowan University, NJ. Clinician for the International Foundation for Performing Arts Medicine, New Jersey; soloist and instructor at the Encontro Latino Americanos De Percussao in Santa Maria, Brazil; instructor, clinician, adjudicator and performer for the Giornate della Percussione Competition in Fermo, Italy; Kosa International Percussion Workshops in Vermont; International Forum of Percussion in Zagan, Poland; Crossdrumming Percussion Festival in Warsaw, Poland; Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, Vilnius, Lithuania; 10th Anniversary of Neopercussion, Madrid, Spain; National Youth Orchestra, Seville, Spain and the International Percussion Workshops in Croatia. He has also toured Russia with 14 percussionists from the Percussive Arts Society.
As a conductor, Beck has appeared with the Eastman Percussion Ensemble (1962-2008); in a tour of South America with the Aeolian Consort as percussion soloist (1977); and has participated in numerous guest conducting and percussion clinics in the United States and Europe.
Articles by Beck have been published in Music Journal, The Instrumentalist, Woodwind World, Brass and Percussion, and Percussive Notes; he was also percussion columnist for the National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors (NACWPI) Journal (1965-72). He has also contributed articles to the Grove Dictionary of American Music and the World Book Encyclopedia. Carl Fischer, Boston Music, Kendor Music, Meredith Music, MCA, Wimbledon Music, Inc., Studio 4 Productions, and CPP Belwin have published his compositions. His Encyclopedia of Percussion is in its second edition and is published by Routledge. He has served as state chairman for percussion, New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA, 1970-72); president of the New York State Percussive Arts Society (1976-82); national second vice president (1982-84), first vice president (1984-86), and president of the national Percussive Arts Society (1987-90).
Among the honors Beck has received include being named the Mu Phi Epsilon Musician of the Year (1976); the Monroe County School Music Association Award (1996); Eastman’s Eisenhart Award for Excellence in Teaching (1997); and the Arts and Cultural Council of Greater Rochester Award for contributions to the arts (1999). He was inducted into the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame in 1999. The Percussive Arts Society presented him with an Outstanding Service Award (2002). At Eastman’s 2003 Commencement, he was awarded the Edwin Peck Curtis Award for excellence in undergraduate teaching. The Commission Project presented him with the JD Award for outstanding service to music education in 2004. Since retirement in 2008, he has been awarded the Distinguished Service Award from the New York State School Music Association (2009), The President’s Award from Rowan University (2010), the Lifetime Achievement Award from KOSA International Percussion (2010) and the Life Time Achievement Award from Giornate della Percussione, Fermo, Italy (2010). His book PERCUSSION MATTERS: Life at the Eastman School of Music was published in December 2011 by Meliora Press an imprint of the University of Rochester Press. The John Beck Composition Prize established by Percussion Rochester, a biennial percussion festival, will be awarded as a highlight of the 2012 festival.
John R. Beck, Professor of Percussion at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, also teaches at Wake Forest University. He is the principal percussionist of the Winston-Salem Symphony and is a member of the Greensboro Symphony, Brass Band of Battle Creek, and the Philidor Percussion Group. A former member of the United States Marine Band, for 10 years he performed regularly with the National and Baltimore Symphonies, Washington and Baltimore Operas, and the Theater Chamber Players of the Kennedy Center. Beck has toured the United States as a xylophone soloist with the Jack Daniel's Silver Cornet Band, Brass Band of Battle Creek, and the New Sousa Band. John is a Past President of the Percussive Arts Society and presents clinics endorsing Yamaha percussion instruments, Zildjian cymbals, Innovative mallets, and is a Remo Endorsed Drum Circle Facilitator in the Health and Wellness community.
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.
Happy Birthday to Marvin “Smitty” Smith! Born June 24, 1961 in Waukegan (Illinois). "It was a very natural inclination for me to play drums," says Marvin "Smitty" Smith. A glance at his early life validates that truth. Born the son of a drummer, Marvin, Sr., was always surrounded by music in the house.
At six months old, he would climb up on the large lounge chair positioned directly in front of his father's drum set and would watch him practice, intensely. Whenever his father took a break, he would crawl over and press the foot pedals and attempt to emulate his dad. That experience, and banging on pots and pans, was the extent of his playing until he began formal training at the age of three.
Today, Marvin "Smitty" Smith is a young musician extraordinaire whose work has been described as a "comment on invention, firm and adventurous time and technical sufficiency." He has traveled extensively throughout the Orient, Europe, and the continental USA; and he has shared the stage with such greats as Sonny Rollins, Hank Jones, Frank Foster and Frank Wess, Art Farmer, Benny Golson, Slide Hampton, and Milt Jackson. He is a former member of the Ron Carter Quartet, The New York Jazz Quartet, and The Art Farmer/Benny Golson Jazztet.
Featured on more than 45 albums, additional performances and recordings augmented with Terence Blanchard and Donald Harrison, Ray Brown and Phineas Newborn, George Shearing, Bobby Watson, Hamiet Bluiett, Branford Marsalis, David Murray, Emily Remler, Peter Leicht, Kevin Eubanks, Donald Byrd, Monty Alexander, Diane Reeves, Michel Camilo, and Grover Washington Jr. Currently he's a member of Steve Coleman's Five Elements, and The Dave Holland Quartet. Smitty conducts seminars and clinics for students in jazz workshops, both in the United States and Europe; and is currently on staff of jazz program at the Banff Centre of Fine Arts, Canada, and Drummers Collective, New York City.
Smitty has been Downbeat Critics' Poll winner for Talent Deserving Wider Recognition, 1985 through 1987, and 1989. Smitty performed on the Soundtrack of filmaker Spike Lee's "School Daze", appeared in Sonny Rollins' music video "Saxophone Colossus", and a member of Sting's "Nothing Like the Sun" South American tour, 1987.
Regarded as a well rounded musician with the ability to play all styles, Marvin "Smitty" Smith is a blossoming composer and arranger, and his success has earned him two albums as a bandleader. As a versitile drummer, there seems to be nothing be cannot do. It's been said that he is the "John Coltrane of the drums.."
Happy Birthday to Lea Mullen! Lea Mullen, the original & the best in what you want from a percussionist! Lea's musical history is tried and tested, he has toured all over the world with many rock n pop idols including Happy Mondays, Bryan Ferry, and Bond. He has also been busy with debut ‘Jooks’ album release ‘Soft hands with Luis Conte’, workshops and teaching. As well as playing/touring with Vanessa Mae, Alan Leach, Paul Ryders ‘Big Arm’, ‘Rebel MC’, ‘Rachael McFarlane’ and writing reviews for drummer magazine. Lea was touring the USA with George Michael.
Happy Birthday to Kahlil Cummings! Kahlil Cummings, a Los Angeles native, is an acclaimed drummer, exceptional performer, composer, and educator. Kahlil was recognized as a child prodigy very early; since childhood, he has played with numerous reputable groups including Ballet Folclórico Do Brasil, Sona Sané, Abalayé, Mila Samba School, Inu Olorun, Debbie Allen Dance Company, Les Amazones, and Viver Brasil. Kahlil honed his rhythmic gifts with noted teachers including Mestre Amen Santo, Jose Ricardo Sousa, Kobla Ladzekpo, Esteban “Cha Cha” Bacallao (Ibae), and Sandy Perez. His studies in Guinea, Brazil and Cuba have helped to widely broaden his knowledge and musical strength. However, he is most profoundly influenced by West African master drummer Mamady Keita, with whom he has studied since the age of 13. Kahlil helped start the group Balandugu Kan, which was sanctioned by Keita as representing “the voice of Balandugu”--- the village where Keita was born. His compositions can be heard on his debut album Iniké Baba, recorded live in Guinea, West Africa.
Kahlil was the musical director for opening numbers for both the NAACP Image Awards and the Choreographers Awards in 2004. Since then, he has performed with several renowned artists such as Janelle Monae (American Idol), Shakira (music video “Waka Waka), and Gwen Stefani. He recently recorded percussion for Aloe Blacc in a song titled “Let the Games Begin,” which was featured in the movie “Race.” In addition, Kahlil performed with Pharrell Williams and Kendrick Lamar in the 2015 and 2016 Grammy Awards, respectively. His prolific abilities have even taken him as far as Japan, where he produced and recorded music for Takarazuka, an elite Japanese theater ensemble, and for Pomba, a well-known fitness company.
Currently Kahlil is the Founder of Extra Ancestral which began in 2017 as an ensemble that aimed to educate audiences through the fusions of hypnotic Afrobeat, Reggae, Jazz, Afro-Latin, and traditional African diasporic rhythms, narrated by powerful ancestral dancing. Kahlil also plays and tours with international recording artist Rocky Dawuni, and can be heard on the albums “Branches of the Same Tree,” which earned a Grammy nomination for Best Reggae Album of the Year in 2016. And Beats of Zion 2019. Kahlil also performs and recorded on the latest album of Jazz icon Kamasi Washintom “Heaven and Earth” 2018. Kahlil is an endorsed artist of Latin Percussion Company(LP) and Istanbul Cymbals. Kahlil’s latest musical project, Extra Ancestral, the album his due later this year.
Kahlil is a board member of the Levitt Pavilion Foundation.
In 2021 Kahlil has performed at the MTV Movie Awards as well as The Voice show, Grand Performances, Hollywood Bowl, and Newport Jazz Festival.
Gig Alerts
If you are looking for some of the most iconic Fourth of July celebrations, you can CLICK HERE to read the article and get more information!
Here is a PLAYLIST of music you can play for your independence day celebrations that Damon and Marcos created years ago.
The British Summer Time Hyde Park (BST Hyde Park) is a series of concerts held over two or three weekends, (June 26th-July 5th) once a year in London's Hyde Park. You can download the app and get more info online.
The Roskilde Festival is taking place in Denmark from June 24th-July 1st.
Lollapalooza is having a Stockholm version of their iconic festival, called Lollapalooza Stockholm.
The Drum Corps International season kicks off on June 28th and continues until August 12th. You can see the schedule and get tickets by CLICKING HERE.
Educational Spotlight
Friend of the show, Thom Hannum (episode 3 and episode 89), has been running his Mobile Percussion Seminar camp for 32 years. The Mobile Percussion Seminar incorporates all the techniques necessary to develop a quality percussion program in your school. These fundamentals can be applied to all styles and mediums of percussion performance, from the concert hall to the marching field.
This year's camp will be held Jul 17-Jul 18, 2023. Register today!
Iconic Recording
John Beck Sr (JB) chose “Sing, Sing, Sing” by the Benny Goodman Orchestra featuring Gene Krupa on drums.
John Beck Jr (JR) chose Ricky Lee Jones’ “Chuck E’s In Love” with Steve Gadd on drums.
CLICK HERE to see who else is on that album.
Music News
A bipartisan Congressional Songwriters Caucus has been reformed, with a focus on policies that support independent songwriters and intellectual property protections.
Congressman Ted Lieu (D-CA) and Congressman Ben Cline (R-VA) relaunched the caucus and will serve as co-chairs. To celebrate the event, both Congressmen welcomed songwriters and representatives from songwriter advocacy groups to Capitol Hill. There they heard songs performed by the songwriters and listened to their concerns. -Article
The #PreserveRockwood benefit concert series begins with a performance from Sara Bareilles on June 30, with many more to come over the next few months in a continued effort to keep the independent venue alive.
Singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles has announced an initiative to help save Rockwood Music Hall in New York City, which is currently in danger of closing. The #PreserveRockwood benefit concert series kicks off on June 30 with a show from Bareilles at the venue. -Article
Here is the GoFundMe Link for helping Rockwood Music Hall.
A severe hailstorm injured hundreds of concertgoers at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado during Louis Tomlinson’s performance. Here’s the latest.
Severe thunderstorms moved across Colorado on June 21, dropping enough hail to cause broken bones. Around 80-90 people were treated for injuries at the venue, some of whom called 911 for help. Seven people were hospitalized due to the hailstorm with severe cuts and broken bones. Videos of the incident posted to social media show people screaming and frantically trying to find cover from the hail blanketing the venue like snow. Several inches of hail fell onto the venue in the seating area. -Article
Here are some of the best weather apps for 2023.
AirGigs is the premier destination for remote collaboration, quietly innovating and attracting a growing roster of talent. The bootstrapped company’s roster includes some of the most esteemed recording professionals in the industry.
From Grammy winning artists to well-respected producers, a growing list of celebrated pros are now offering services for hire exclusively on the platform. AirGigs is currently the only freelance music platform at scale founded and run by a team of musicians and completely self-funded. -Article
Damon talked to (friend of the show) Jordan Perlson about SoundBetter and then created a profile on both platforms.
Damon’s SoundBetter Profile - Damon’s AirGigs Profile
John Beck x2 Interivew
The song leading into the interview is “In The Pocket” featuring JB Beck, Steve Gadd, Bill Cahn, and Dave Mancini.
Damon found out about JB from one of his professors at Umass Amherst, Dr. Peter Tanner.
Friend of the show, Julie Angelis connected Damon with JR.
JB was in the "President's Own" Marine Band from 1955-1959. JR was in the same band in the 1980s.
Damon mentions friend of the show Mark Reilly and the “Old Guard” fife and drum corps.
JB learned how to tuck calfskin heads on his snare drums as the second drum lesson ever from Oscar Angstead. Damon mentions Kentville drums and their Kangaroo heads.
JR mentions the 6 1/2” X 15” Leedy snare drum (above) with 14 single tension rods and gut snares (in the background of the room they are in) with the original calfskin head.
JB talks about his relationship with Oliver “Ollie” Zinsmeister and William Street at Eastman School of Music.
JB talks about how he chose Eastman from a suggestion of his high school band director in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.
JB talks about how he chose his path in percussion.
JR started on piano, and then moved over to percussion. Jr studied with Ruth Cahn as well as his dad.
JB talks about his teaching philosophies. JR talks about some of JB’s students.
JB and Steve Gadd played a bunch of Wilcoxon solos and duets.
JR mentions friend of the show, Chris Lamb.
JB talks about his commitment in traveling to study with Art Harbert in Pittsburgh, PA. Art worked in a drum shop run by Bill Hammond, who was one of the thirteen original signers of the National Association of Rudimental Drummers. He also talks about having positive attitudes.
JR talks about the groove and feel as well as being a good person and understanding the technology of today. He also talks about being able to record at home.
Damon mentions the Clayton Cameron interview and the relationship of brushes to tap dancing. Damon also brings up the video of Steve Gadd tap dancing on the Mickey Mouse Club.
JB talks about some of his different jobs over the years. From playing to teaching to writing.
JR talks about his different jobs of playing to teaching to health and wellness and community drumming.
JR also has a percussion ensemble called the Philidor Percussion Group.
JR talks about his position as Percussion Department Chair at UNC School of the Arts and also Wake Forest University (where he is adjunct faculty).
JB talks about some of the new challenges he has seen evolve with the demands of percussionists.
Both JB and JR are past presidents of the Percussive Arts Society. JB is in the Hall of Fame.
JB talks about the beginning of PAS and JR talks about the evolution of the organization and creation of the Rhythm Discovery Center.
Shout-out to friend of the show, Joshua Simonds.
JB talks about stepping away from teaching lessons and teaching the history of percussion.
JB brings up the importance of using hearing protection. JR asks about Damon in Blast! being on the cusp of the evolution of the culture being more aware about protecting your hearing.
Shout-out to Zack Albetta and The Working Drummer Podcast.
JB talks about playing 4 sets and playing in bands where people drank a lot.
JB has a book out called: Percussion Matters, Life at the Eastman School of Music.
JB picks his iconic recording for the week. Honorable mention goes to “Big Noise from Winnetka”.
JR picks his iconic recording for the week and refers to the famous drum fill.
JR uses: Yamaha Drums, Zildjian Cymbals, Remo Drumheads, Innovative Percussion Sticks and Mallets.
JB started with Slingerland Radio King, then Rogers Drums, and now uses Yamaha Drums, and Zildjian Cymbals. He has used all sorts of timpani from Ludwig to Ringer, to Hinger. His first marimba was made by Leedy.
Shout-out to Dave Loyal.
JB mentions some mentors in Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Steve Gadd, William Street, and more! On marimba some of his former students in (friend of the show) Leigh Howard Stevens, Michael Burritt, and Gordon Stout.
JR mentions some mentors in Michael Rosen, his dad JB, and Ruth Cahn.
You can follow JR on his Website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
HAPPY 90th BIRTHDAY TO John H. Beck!
The song leading out of the interview is, “Nola“ performed by Jack Daniel's Silver Cornet Band.
