This week’s guest is Dr. Elizabeth DeLamater. Elizabeth is a percussion and steelpan performer, educator, and scholar. Recent highlights include the National Women’s Music Festival, the Northwest Percussion Festival, and the Honduras International Percussion festival.

Dr. DeLamater has performed, researched, and taught in Honduras, Panama, Trinidad & Tobago, the Gambia, Ghana, Senegal, Japan, Taiwan, and throughout North America. She has taught at the University of the West Indies at St. Augustine, the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Youngstown State University, North Central College, and Roosevelt University. She teaches at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and is the principal timpanist of the Weidner Philharmonic.

A passionate advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion in the arts, Dr. DeLamater is Chair of the Percussive Arts Society Diversity Alliance. Her work has been published by Instrumentalist, Percussive Notes, Rhythm! Scene, and Panpress.

Dr. DeLamater holds degrees from Arizona State University, Florida State University, and Northern Illinois University. Her principal teachers include Vicki P. Jenks, Dr. Clifford Alexis, G. Allan O’Connor, Robert Chappell, Rich Holly, Gary Werdesheim, J.B. Smith, and Mark Sunkett.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to Yoel Del Sol! Yoel graduated from The National School of Music in Havana, Cuba. There had the opportunity to study under some of the world's most renowned Percussion educators, such as Jose Luis Quintana (Changuito), Reynaldo Fernandez, Roberto Vizcaino, Roberto Concepcion, among others.

From 1993 until 1995 he had the oppurtunity to teach percussion at The National School of Music where he studied. In 1995, Yoel won 1st Place at the PERCUBA Percussion Competition. This is one of the most prestigus awards in Cuba.

In 1999, Yoel relocated to Miami, Florida for more opportuntities to preform and record. He has performed with top artists including: Celia Cruz, Cachao, Raul DiBlasio, LENA, Malena Burke, Afro-Cuban Jazz Group ORIENTE, Luis Bofill, Roselyn Sanchez, Alicia Machado, Luis Enrique, Palo, Spam All Stars, Rebeca Mauleon, Arturo Sandoval & many more. In addition, Yoel has performed at Jazz Festivals in Cuba & around the globe with the group Havana-Sax (saxophone quartet & percussion) also with Chucho Valdez, Carlos del Puerto, Miguel Anga Diaz, Enrique Pla , Frank Emilio.... among others. He has also recorded with very important names in the Latin Pop Industry : Alexander Pires, Raul DiBlasio, Garage H , Eddy Thomas, Dj LAZ , Jose Luis Rodriguez ”El Puma” & his work can be found on the soundtrack album of the independent film LA MALA" ( Spain/Puerto Rico production).

Happy Birthday to Dr. Julie Hill! Dr. Julie Hill is the Co-President, CEO, and Founder of Global Citizen Adventure Corps, a non-profit whose mission is to facilitate global service-learning with a focus on access for rural students from the Mid-South. Julie has 30 years of experience as a music educator, scholar, performer, lecturer, administrator, and non-profit arts leader/advocate. Previously, she served as Chair of the University of Tennessee at Martin’s Department of Music where she was also a Professor of Percussion since 2005.

As a scholar/performer, Julie has presented hundreds of workshops, concerts, and lectures championing opportunities for social mobility through music, specifically for black women and underserved children in Northeastern Brazil. As a member of the award winning Caixa Trio, Julie has performed in Peru, Poland, Mexico, Brazil, France, Puerto Rico, South Korea, Taiwan, and throughout the United States. She is fluent in Brazilian Portuguese and functional in Spanish.

Julie is the inaugural recipient of the University of Tennessee President’s system-wide Educate Award, a winner of the University of Tennessee at Martin's Cunningham Outstanding Teacher/Scholar Award and the Hardy Graham Distinguished Professorship Award, and the UT Alumni Association Outstanding Teacher Award. Julie holds Member Laureate distinction from the Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity, was the 2023 recipient of the international Percussive Arts Society’s Outstanding Service Award, and is a 2024 Sterling Award Recipient.

Julie is the principal percussionist with the Paducah Symphony Orchestra. She also serves as the Co-Editorial Director for Percussive Notes, the scholarly journal of the International Percussive Arts Society of which she serves as a Past-President. Julie is the co-author of an audition method book entitled All Inclusive Etudes (Row-Loff Productions) and a collection of solos/duets entitled Music for Multi Percussion: A World View (Alfred Publications). Julie has numerous percussion ensemble publications with Innovative Percussion and Row-Loff Productions. Her scholarly research has been published in Percussive Notes and the Garland World Music Encyclopedias.

Julie holds the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Kentucky, a Master of Music degree in Percussion Performance from Arizona State University, and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Tennessee at Martin.

Julie Hill is an Artist and Educator for Zildjian Cymbals, and a Performing Artist for Yamaha Corporation of America. She is an artist and endorsee for Innovative Percussion, REMO, and Grover Pro Percussion. For more information, visit Julie Hill’s website at www.juliehilleducator.com.

Happy Birthday to Valerie Naranjo! Valerie Naranjo’s performance career is one many percussionists would dream of having. She plays percussion for NBC’s Saturday Night Live band and performs on Broadway’s The Lion King. She has recorded and performed with some of the biggest musical acts in history, including the Philip Glass Ensemble, David Byrne, the Paul Winter Consort, Tori Amos, Airto Moreira, and the international percussion ensemble MegaDrums, which includes Milton Cardona, Zakir Hussain, and Glen Velez.

More than her impressive performance credits, Naranjo’s career has broken boundaries of genre and gender to help redefine the way we as percussionists engage with our communities. Valerie has created a space for percussionists that is more inclusive to everyone, especially women. “She broke a gender barrier by being the first woman to perform on gyil and to become a first-place prize winner in Ghana’s Kobine Festival of Traditional Music,” says Dr. Patrick Roulet. She has incorporated musical instruments and styles from around the world into pop, classical, rock, and folk traditions, which have influenced our entire field. “Her contributions to music and percussion are boundary breaking, crossing, and uniting,” says Dr. Roger Braun. “From the popular music of the Saturday Night Live band, to the New York musical theater scene, to the gyil music of Ghana, to her impact as a world music educator, her influence is profound.”

Valerie Dee Naranjo was born in Los Angeles to Native American parents, and she was raised in the San Luis Valley of Southern Colorado. Her father was Southern Ute and her mother had roots in the Navajo nation. Valerie grew up in a very musical family. “The majority of my extended family are singers or instrumentalists,” she says. “My family members came to visit often, usually unannounced, since we didn’t have telephones at the time. At some point, someone would pick up an instrument and we would play together.”

Valerie’s parents were very supportive and encouraging of her learning to play an instrument. “My father deeply respected the power of music in the community,” Naranjo recalls. “Before I was old enough to join the school band, my parents were telling me how great it would be to play a musical instrument.” She first heard marimba in Baja, California at the age of six and was immediately attracted to the instrument. When it became time to choose an instrument in school, she wanted to play the flute. “I had decided to play flute, but my mother asked, ‘Would you consider playing drums? There’s more need for drummers than there is for flautists.’” Her mother wanted to play the drums when she was young, but her grandfather felt that drummers were typically associating in environments with alcohol and did not feel it would be a good setting for a young woman to grow up in.

Valerie moved away from her parents at age 14 and made a living as a waitress and chamber maid. “Throughout high school, music was the guiding force to get me up in the morning and to excel in school,” she explains. “I took responsibility to play piano for my church to learn how to play the instrument.” -Read More

Happy Birthday to Dr. John Wooton! John is a lover of music as he performs, teaches, and listens to a variety of genres, but prefers a blend of jazz and several Caribbean styles. Known as a rudimental specialist, John actually gets more work as a singer and steel pan player. So, when he isn’t flipping sticks and playing ratamacues around the globe, you can find him dressed in linen playing at a casino, on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, or dressed in style playing at a jazz club in New Orleans. Otherwise you can find him on a basketball or tennis court trying to stay young. An 81% free throw shooter and 4.0 tennis player, recently bumped down from a 4.5…, proof that age is winning.

The past few years Dr. Throwdown has played paradiddles with stick tosses and hertas with “Hi Moms” as well as flam 5s and diminished scales on his steel pans, in places like Tenerife, The Forbidden City, Novi Sad, Ludz, Madrid, Bucaramanga, Biella, San Juan, Missoula, Rome, Pescara, General Roca, Xinxiang, Buenos Aires, Lima, Houston, Gdansk, Vienna, Cali, Ferrara, Tegucigalpa, Port of Spain, Dallas, London, Mayagüez, Dusseldorf, McAllen, and many others. No, the countries are not listed… do your homework. He is an international artist and clinician for several percussion companies, whole heartedly endorsing each one of them, not only for their wonderful products but for the support they all give to percussion education around the world. Those companies are Pearl Drums, Zildjian Cymbals, Remo, and Vic Firth. John also endorses Row Loff Productions, publisher for his books, solos and ensembles. Check out all their web sites, not only for wonderful products but also for their educational material.

John is in his 30th year of teaching at Southern Miss, close to where he grew up in Lafayette, Louisiana, so he gets to enjoy dat great Cajun cuisine and Miss’ippi bar-b-que. Doc, as his students call him, loves his job… making music with his students on various percussion instruments. Search Youtube for “Southern Miss Percussion” to enjoy some of the ensembles he teaches. He was educated in Lafayette, Lou., Denton, Texas and Iowa City, Iowa, receiving documents from all three places, but he was also educated by teachers such as Marty Hurley through the experience of drum and bugle corps, specifically one from Rockford, Illinois. He has won some prestigious trophies, including several national titles as a soloist, ensemble member, composer and teacher, along the way with these organizations but prefers to play music for the joy of the experience.

Gig Alerts

The Jazz for Kamala concert is happening at Le Poisson Rouge in the West Village of NYC at 7pm in Sunday October 20th.

The Concert for Carolina will be taking place on October 26th at Bank of America Stadium. There have been new artists added to the bill. -Article

Damon will be playing the NYCLU/ACLU benefit again “Sing Out For Freedom” as part of the house band.

Educational Spotlight

The educational spotlight is the fall drum camp in New Orleans hosted by Stanton Moore. There are still a few remaining spots available.

Iconic Recording

This week’s iconic recording is “Tell My Feet” by Vinx from the China Club in 1990, with special guests Sting, Herbie Hancock and Bill Evans.

Music News

AXS has partnered with Lyft to help redefine travel convenience for sports and live entertainment fans both to and from their chosen venue. -Article

Here’s some tips on how to avoid surge pricing.

Philadelphia-based indie band Spirit of the Beehive loses everything, including their touring van, gear, and merchandise, while touring in Seattle. -Article

Damon recommends getting insurance for your music related gear. He uses Music Pro Insurance, but has also heard good things about Clarion Musical Instrument Insurance.

The Modern Drummer Reader’s Poll is up. Click HERE, enter your email and vote.

Elizabeth DeLamater Interview

The song leading into the interview is “Echo of Time”, by Nicholaus Meyers, performed by Elizabeth.

Elizabeth talks about her name and heritage.

Damon and Elizabeth talk about Wisconsin and cheese curds.

Elizabeth got her undergrad from Northern Illinois University.

She got her Master’s from Florida State University and her doctorate from Arizona State University.

She started on piano and singing in the choir before landing on drums and percussion in 7th grade.

Shout-out to the Madison Youth Symphony.

Damon and Elizabeth talk about conservatories, state schools and study abroad programs.

Elizabeth talks about steel pans.

She also mentions going to Trinidad.

Elizabeth clarifies the Steel Pan voicings.

Elizabeth talks about her time at Florida State.

Damon talks about schools setting you up outside of school. Elizabeth adds in more advice on this subject.

Elizabeth currently teaches at The University of Wisconsin - Green Bay.

Damon brings up personal finances.

Shout-out to the Percussive Arts Society committees.

Damon is on the World Percussion Committee and Elizabeth chairs the Diversity Alliance.

Damon brings up some of the special sessions that will be part of the schedule at PASIC.

Terri Lyne Carrington will be giving a special session, hosted by the Diversity Alliance at the Westin Hotel on Friday November 15th at 4pm in the Capital 2 room. Dr. Julie Hill and Heather Sloan will be the moderators and facilitators.

If you would like to submit questions for Terri, email Elizabeth at: elizabethdelamater1@gmail.com, or DM/Message the Diversity Alliance on their Instagram or Facebook pages.

Elizabeth talks about Music Therapy as a career path.

Elizabeth picks the iconic recording. The honorable mention is “A Love Supreme” by John Coltrane.

Elizabeth uses Zildjian Cymbals, Black Swamp Percussion, Remo Drumheads, and Innovative Percussion implements.

Shout-out to: Vicki P. Jenks, Rich Holly, Clifford Alexis, G. Allan O’Connor, Robert Chappell, Gary Werdesheim, Dr. Mark Sunkett, J.B. Smith, Bernard Woma and others.

You can follow Elizabeth on her Website, Facebook, and Instagram.

The song leading out of the interview is, “High Mas” by Paul G. Ross, featuring Elizabeth.