This week’s guest is Mark Powers. A drummer, educator, author, speaker, actor and more, Mark Powers has studied, performed, and taught throughout North America, as well as in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the South Pacific. As a teaching artist, he facilitates a variety of percussion programs—educating students of all ages in schools, presenting at youth/adult correctional facilities and leading businesses and organizations in rhythm-based leadership and team building workshops. Mark is a two-time TEDx speaker, co-author of Alfred's Drumset Method: Book 2 and The 2-in-1 Drummer, and author of Solo in Style (all three published by Alfred Music), as well as author of two children's board books, I Want To Be A Drummer and I Want To Be A Reader (both published by Blue Manatee Press). He has written for Modern Drummer Magazine, Percussive Notes, and other percussion publications, and releases 60-second video drum lessons on DrumItInAMinute.com. Mark plays and endorses Tycoon Percussion instruments, REMO drumheads, SABIAN cymbals, Vic Firth drumsticks, ProLogix practice pads, Humes & Berg cases, and Cajon Brush. Find out more at PowersPercussion.com

R.I.P.

The music world was rocked with sad news on July 9th, 2023, when former music director for Whitney Houston, Michael Baker, passed away. Known for his exceptional music talents, Michael Baker built an incredible career spanning over eighteen years. He worked with some of the most iconic musicians, including some of the biggest names in the industry. He was an amazing drummer and had a profound contribution to the music world. -Article

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to Bryan Carter! With a confidence reflecting an instrumental and compositional maturity that both belie his age and announce the arrival of a remarkable talent, Bryan Carter exudes what promises a highly successful career.

Shortly after completing his training at The Juilliard School in New York City and still at the very outset of his career, Carter has already played and/or recorded with many notable artists including Clark Terry, McCoy Tyner, Wynton Marsalis, Marcus Roberts, Kenny Barron, Michael Feinstein and Kurt Elling.

Carter attended The Juilliard School as a Jazz Studies major and studied with Carl Allen and Kenny Washington. He was the recipient of the Irene Diamond Scholarship as well as the Samuel L Jackson Scholarship. While at Juilliard, Carter took a strong interest in composition, orchestration and interdivisional cross-collaborative performance.

Bryan is currently touring the world with his band, “Bryan Carter & The Young Swangers”. He also served as the house drummer for NBC’S “Maya & Marty” starring Maya Rudolph, Keenan Thompson and Martin Short. The show has featured guests including Miley Cyrus, Nick Jonas, Tom Hanks, Drake, Steve Martin and Tina Fey.

Happy Birthday to Rolando Morales-Matos! Rolando Morales-Matos is a well sought after Latin, Jazz and Classical percussionist. He is a band leader/vibraphonist/composer of Latin Jazz group Rolando Morales-Matos & Forward. He has toured worldwide performing at the major jazz festivals and venues as a member of Ron Carter Foursight Quartet, as well as appearing with artists such as Paquito D’Rivera, Dave Samuels, Dave Valentine, Willie Colon, William Cepeda, to name a few. Rolando has recorded with Ron Carter, Celine Dion, Michael Bolton, Birdland Big Band, as well as numerous film soundtracks and classical works. In 2006, Rolando was the recipient of Drum Magazine's World Beat Percussionist of the Year Award. Since 1997, he has been the Percussionist and Assistant Conductor of the Tony Award- winning Broadway musical The Lion King. Rolando has developed unique vocabularies of playing melodies on non-pitched instruments such as drums, cowbells, cymbals and more. His published works include the textbook “Techniques and Basic Patterns for Congas, Timbales, and Bongos” and over 20 compositions for percussion ensemble. In 2008, Rolando released his solo album “From The Earth” featuring the Hang Drum, and most recently, his Latin Jazz group’s debut album “Forward”.

Happy Birthday to Vince Wallace! Vince Wallace is an active percussionist, composer, and music educator from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is a 2009 graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania holding a degree in Music Education studying with Michael Kingan and Jack Stamp. In 2011, Vince completed a two year tenure as Teaching Assistant in Percussion at Truman State University in Kirksville, MO where he also served as interim director of the Truman State University Percussion Ensemble. As a student a Truman, Vince obtained master’s degrees in Percussion Performance and Music Composition, studying percussion with Michael Bump as well as Kansas City Symphony percussionists Chris McLaurin and Joe Petrasek. His composition studies were with Warren Gooch.

As an active freelance performer, educator, and composer throughout the Pittsburgh area, Vince taught at and arranged for numerous percussion programs throughout Western Pennsylvania, including nearly a decade as Percussion Specialist at Gateway Senior High School. Vince was a co-founder of the Gateway High School Indoor Drumline, developing the group from its inception into a consistent WGI PSA regional finalist in the mid 2000s. From 2009 through 2011, Vince spent two seasons as a front ensemble technician for Gateway Indoor, a Percussion Independent World class indoor drumline from St. Louis, Missouri. From 2013 until 2018, Vince co-owned and operated Monroeville Music Lesson Center, a music lesson teaching facility serving hundreds of student musicians from Pittsburgh's eastern suburbs.

As a performer, Vince has performed with the Altoona Symphony Orchestra, Butler Symphony, Edgewood Symphony, McKeesport Symphony, and was a member of Indiana University of Pennsylvania's Keystone Wind Ensemble. He has several published compositions for solo and ensemble percussion, all available through C. Alan Publications. Vince is founder, owner, and director of The Pittsburgh Steeline, the official drumline of the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers. Founded in 2012, the Pittsburgh Steeline consists of 30 professional musicians who perform at all Steelers home games. The group has maintained a prolific calendar of private and community event appearances throughout Western PA, Ohio, West Virginia, and Virginia for over a decade, entertaining thousands of people from around the country and all walks of life. Vince currently resides in Pitcairn, PA, where he is the elementary/junior high band director and percussion specialist for Propel Charter Schools at Propel Pitcairn and Propel East and continues to maintain a private lesson studio.

Happy Birthday to Jason Koontz! Dr. Jason Koontz has served as director of percussion studies at Eastern Kentucky University since 2000. He currently teaches applied percussion, percussion ensemble, percussion methods, music appreciation, world music, and directs both the EKU Percussion Ensemble and the EKU Steel Band.

He has traveled to perform and study world music/percussion in Europe (England, Holland, and Switzerland), Japan, Taiwan, Trinidad, Africa, India, Indonesia, and Brazil. Koontz has also performed with groups such as Global Rhythms, Blast, Birdsong Steel Orchestra, Silver Stars Steel Orchestra, the Cincinnati Pops and Ballet Orchestras, Lexington Philharmonic, Richmond Symphony, Lexington Theater, the Art of Rice Traveling Theater (Indonesia), Tonus Percussion Trio, Resonance Percussion Sextet, Star of Indiana drum and bugle corps, Brass Theater, and the Southwind drum and bugle corps.

He is currently the Treasurer for the Kentucky Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society, a member of the Percussive Arts Society International Convention world music planning committee, a member of the Kentucky Music Educators Association, and is endorsed by Vic Firth Inc., Pearl, and Coyle Steel Drums. His compositions and arrangements for steel band and percussion ensemble are published by Row-Loff and Coyle Steel Drums, and Pan Ramajay Productions.

Happy Birthday to Neil Grover! Neil W. Grover is a world-renowned percussionist, brilliant innovator and successful entrepreneur. His company, Grover Pro Percussion, has achieved worldwide recognition for the design, manufacture and distribution of world-class percussion instruments.

At the young age of 23, Neil Grover was appointed Principal Percussionist of the Opera Company of Boston, a position he held for seven seasons. His career soon started skyrocketing and he found himself in constant demand for all musical genres including symphony, chamber music, ballet, opera and commercial recording.

Highlights of Neil Grover's collaborations include the Royal, Bolshoi and Boston Ballets, American Ballet Theatre, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Music from Marlboro, Boston Musica Viva, Empire Brass, and with the iconic rock band Aerosmith. Much in demand as a recording artist, he can be heard on the film scores of Phillip Glass' Mishima and John Williams' Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

In addition, Neil Grover appears as a Boston Pops percussionist in the hit movie Blown Away, starring Jeff Bridges and Tommy Lee Jones.

He has toured with Music From Marlboro, the Boston Symphony, Henry Mancini, Boston Symphony Chamber Players and the Broadway production of The Pirates of Penzance. Among his greatest collaborations are his 35 years of dedicated service performing, recording and touring with the world-famous Boston Pops, where he has made music under the batons of Maestros Arthur Fiedler, John Williams and Keith Lockhart.

Happy Birthday to Tommy Diehl! Tommy is a Fairfield County, Connecticut-based drummer who has worked in many genres including jazz, classical, theater, singer-songwriter, folk, rock, country, blues, hard rock, ska. He has toured, performed or recorded with Ryan Montbleau, Yes Darling, InAshton, Spookie Daly Pride, Acoustic Junction (Fool’s Progress), Jamie McLean Band, Chad Hollister Band, Stephanie Ryann, Helmet, Moriah Formica, Queen V, Jamey Aebersold, David Baker, Andrew Jones & SpiritHouse, Frank Migliorelli & The Dirt Nappers, Kim Fox, Skamikaze, Vinny Nobile & The Trummytones, The Cherry Bluestorms, Frank Manzi, Barry Kingston, Todd Thibaud, Jeffrey Mitchell-Ross, Zo Tobi, Jeff Tuohy, and many others.

Drumming has taken Tommy on a journey that began in the elementary school band in Ohio and continued on to venues and festivals across the country and overseas. These experiences landed him in recording studios from Boston to NYC to Nashville to LA and many others. While out traveling with his drums, Tommy has made lasting friendships, seen long-distance family members, and even met his wife! He learned self-discipline, how to listen with his whole body, how to let go and let the music happen, and so much more. Music is his passion.

Gig Alerts

The 2023 Steve Weiss Mallet Festival is taking place Monday, July 31, 2023 9:30 PM to
Sunday, August 6, 2023 3:30 PM. Friend of the show, Tony Miceli is heading things up! A couple friends of the show will be in attendance in Justin Thomas (aka Justin Vibes) and Christos Rafalides.

Friends of the show, Karl Perazzo and Michael Spiro will be reuniting with their group Conjunto Karabali on July 20th and also July 22nd.

The Music City Drum Show will be taking place in Nashville, TN onJuly 29th and 30th from 10am-5pm each day.

The Eagles are doing their “Long Goodbye, Final Tour” with Steely Dan as the supporting act. The Eagles have enjoyed a 52-year career, performing for fans worldwide, and now the band is announcing their final tour, “The Long Goodbye.” More dates will be forthcoming. Presale tickets and VIP packages will be available beginning Wednesday, July 12, for all announced shows, while the general on-sale starts Friday, July 14, at 10 AM local time. -Article

Damon will be playing percussion with the Hip Hop cover band, Concrete Jungle at the Chicken Box on Nantucket from July 13th-15th.

Educational Spotlight

Jason Koontz and Andy Narell will be leading the Laborie Steel Pan Workshop in January of 2024 in St. Lucia.

Iconic Recording

Mark picked out the iconic recording for the week. Damon chose the song “Baba” from the album ‘Shoko’ that Mark selected. It is by Oliver Mtukudzi.

Music News

Madonna shares health and touring updates for the first time since being hospitalized with a bacterial infection that forced her to postpone her ‘Celebration’ tour: “I’m on the road to recovery.”

Since falling ill last month with a bacterial infection that landed her in the ICU and forced her to postpone her “Celebration” tour, Madonna took to social media to update fans on her recovery and tour rescheduling plans. -Article

Threads has managed to sign up more than 100 million users in just a week—as users flock away from Twitter.

The app is currently available in most countries except Europe, where privacy regulations keep it at bay for now. Threads had 10 million users within the first seven hours of launch and then 30 million by the following morning. By Friday, that number jumped to 70 million and with the weekend included the app has racked up 100 million users. That’s currently less than one-third of the 350 million users believed to be on Twitter. - Article

There is an article talking about tools to help you with remote collaboration. One of those tools is Soundbetter. Damon has a profile there if you want him to record for you!

Mark Powers Interview

The song leading into the interview is “If You Like What You See” by Dylan Dean.

Mark talks about how he bought a house and built a studio during the pandemic.

He talks about his multi hyphenate career.

Damon and Mark talk about being self-employed.

Mark talks about recording in other people’s studio vs. his own home studio.

Here are a bunch of tracks Mark has recorded drums on.

Mark talks about the pros and cons of recording from home for clients.

Mark and Damon talk about holding on to files.

Mark and Damon talk about how clients can “join them in studio” when recording from home. Zoom, Audiomovers, JamKazam, and the Black Magic ATEM Mini Pro are mentioned. Mark also uses the Black Magic for teaching with different camera angles.