#368 Mike Bennett- Drummer, Percussionist, Producer, Composer and More!
This week’s guest is Mike Bennett. Mike is an internationally recognized drummer, percussionist, programmer, producer & composer working with many of today's top stars as well as legends of the music industry.
His tremendous musicality and high energy performances has led DRUM! Magazine to call him, "a full fledged chameleon, showing restraint or blasting chops when called for, with a clean sound, metronomic feel and a distinctly melodic soloing style." Modern Drummer Magazine agrees saying that Bennett is, "on the fast track... a versatile drummer who has built a reputation as one of L.A.'s finest."
Able to easily cross many contemporary and world genres, Bennett has performed and/or recorded with artists such as Hilary Duff, Richie Kotzen, Steve Stevens, Charlie Wilson, Pitbull, Benise, Andra Day, Mary Mary, Alicia Keys, Bruno Mars, Sabrina Carpenter, Common, Prince, Slash, Stevie Wonder, Marie Digby, Jamie Foxx, Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band and many others all over the globe. He has also made television appearances on programs such as The Tonight Show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Good Morning America, The Today show and many more.
Off stage, Bennett is an in-demand producer, programmer and television/film composer for networks including NBC, ABC, FX, HISTORY, DISCOVERY, MTV, VH1, HGTV, DISNEY CHANNEL, A&E, BRAVO, Lifetime, ABC Family and many others.
Mike Bennett proudly endorses Yamaha Drums, DTX Electronics, Sabian Cymbals, Vic Firth Drumsticks, Aquarian Drumheads & LP Percussion.
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to Mike Piolet! Mike majored in Studio Music and Jazz Instrumental Performance at the University of Miami Frost School of Music where he was a Stamps Distinguished Ensemble Scholar and a member of the inaugural Stamps Jazz Quintet, Class of 2013. He studied drumset and jazz percussion privately with Steve Rucker and John Yarling. As a member of the Stamps Jazz Quintet at the Frost School of Music, he performed at the Monterey Next Generation Festival in California and the 2011 and 2012 JEN conferences in New Orleans and Louisville. He was also featured on the Stamps Jazz Quintet’s self-titled debut album on Summit Records. The Stamps Jazz Quintet was chosen as the “Jazz Group” winner in DownBeat magazine’s 34th Annual Student Music Awards in the Undergraduate Outstanding College Performances category (2011). Michael Piolet performed in a variety of other jazz groups at Frost, including the award-winning Frost Concert Jazz Band at the Coconut Grove Arts Festival in Florida with flautist Nestor Torres and at Festival Miami with saxophonist Dave Liebman, both in 2012.
Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Piolet is regularly performed with local artists throughout South Florida when attending the University of Miami and he often returned to Chicago to perform professionally. He has performed extensively with steel pan virtuoso Leon Foster Thomas. In 2018, he moved to New York City, where he joined the touring company of Hamilton.
Happy Birthday to Scott Quintana!
Gig Alerts
The Neanness of You concert in honor of Michael Brecker is happening on February 6th at 7.30pm in The Appel Room at 10 Columbus Cir, New York, NY 10019.
Coachchella is happening from April 12-14 and 19-21 in Indio, CA.
Governors Ball is happening from June 7-9 in Queens, NY.
New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival (Jazz Fest) is happening April 23-May 5 in New Orleans, LA.
Damon will be participating in the Montreal Day of Percussion, which is part of “The Space Between”. This will be at McGill University (QC) on January 25-27, 2024. Similar to the previous gathering, this event will feature lectures, demonstrations, performances, and research posters. Organized in collaboration with the Quebec Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society/Day of Percussion 2024 (shout-out to the chapter president/friend of the show, Shawn Mativetsky), this event is open to all percussionists from Canada and abroad. Thanks to a SSHRC Partnership Development Grant (PDG), this event will be free of charge to all participants. The Space Between 2024 will bring together perspectives from both research-creation (i.e., new works for percussion, different approaches to performance) and percussion-focused research (i.e., examining percussionists’ gestures, analyzing percussion acoustics). We aim to explore the “space between” these typically siloed efforts, to build new connections and benefit from a wider range of perspectives and expertise related to the ever-growing world of percussion.
This event will be held through a partnership with the Québec chapter of the Percussive Arts Society Jan 25-26. The Québec Day of Percussion will take place January 27th (info for that event can be found at: DAY OF PERCUSSION. Tickets are AVAILABLE HERE. Other friends of the show that will be participating that weekend are Payton MacDonald and Andrea Venet.
Educational Spotlight
Oregon Chapter PAS Percussion Competition and Festival registration is now open! High School and Middle School percussion ensembles are encouraged to register! More information, and Festival registration HERE!
The others mentioned are:
North Texas Percussion Festival hosted by Forney ISD presented by PAS, at Forney High School in Forney, TX, February 23-24
University of Tennessee Percussion Festival, March 1-2
PAS Percussion Ensemble Competition and Festival at the University of Missouri, March 9
Registration is FULL - Southeastern Percussion Ensemble Symposium* at Walton High School in Marietta, GA, April 12-13
*Registration opens at 8 AM EST for this Symposium only
PAS Percussion Ensemble Competition and Festival at Portland State University, April 20
Space at each event will be limited, so directors should plan to reserve their spot as soon as registration opens.
The Juilliard School’s long-running Summer Percussion Seminar is a two-week percussion intensive designed specifically for advanced high school percussionists. Students may also be recent high school graduates taking a gap year before attending college.
Set in the exciting cultural environment of New York’s Lincoln Center, the Seminar offers students hands-on instruction in orchestral, contemporary, and world music styles. Participants experience a challenging range of master classes, clinics, lectures, rehearsals, and performances led by a faculty of today’s most prominent percussion teachers and performers. The Seminar exposes students to the many skills, careers, and passions represented by Juilliard’s faculty and graduates and prepares them for success in college auditions and beyond.
The friends of the show that are on the faculty are: Joe Gramley, Javier Diaz, Mike Truesdell, and Glen Velez.
Iconic Recording
Mike picks out the iconic recordings. He starts with mentioning the “Meaningless” album by Jon Brion.
He then goes on to choose, “Sideways” by Citizen Cope.
Honorable mention goes to Sheryl Crow’s version of the same song.
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Mike Bennett Interview
The song leading into the interview is “Riot” by Richie Kotzen.
Damon looked up Mike Bennett and saw there was wrestler, congressman, and football player.
Damon and Mike met playing a benefit in NYC, but Mike saw Damon play earlier in the summer on Nantucket when Mike was on tour with Natasha Bedingfield. You can see some of her photography HERE.
Mike toured with Richie Kotzen for over 10 years.
Mike talks about his family. He was the only musician in the family.
Mike talks about getting to play with Gordon Goodwin’s band.
Mike talks about getting the call to go on the road with Maynard Ferguson and then turning him down.
Michel Camilo’s One More Once big band album was extremely influential to Mike.
Mike got to study with Dave Weckl.
Shout-out to Cliff Almond, Jimmy Branly, and Chuck Silverman (and his Drumset Artists of Cuba video).
Mike studied some percussion with friend of the show Ron Powell.
Mike talks about Hilary Duff.
Damon and Mike talk about the relationship of percussionists and drumset players.
Mike and Damon talk about the feel and swing of grooves.
Shout-out to J.J. Johnson.
Mike talks about writing drum charts.
Mike talks about finding your voice on the instrument.
Damon brings up the movie Immediate Family.
Shout-out to Matt Chamberlain.
Mike also does production, writing, and recording for film and TV. He talks about that process.
Damon mentions the conversation he had with friend of the show Ray LeVier about writing for TV.
Damon brings up knowing your audience.
Mike picks the iconic recordings for the week. Damon mentions his, and why. Shout-out to Joel Rosenblatt.
Mike uses Yamaha Drums, Sabian Cymbals, Vic Firth Sticks and Mallets, Latin Percussion Instruments, and Aquarian Drum Heads.
You can follow Mike on his Website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Shout-out to Dave Weckl, Bernie Dresel, Chad Wackerman, Ron Powell, Joe Jewell, and Reed Gratz.
The song leading out of the interview is “The Damned” by Richie Kotzen.
