#410 Maurizio Ravalico- Percussionist, Composer, Educator and More!
This week’s guest is Maurizio Ravalico! Born in 1963, Maurizio was an amateur musician throughout his childhood and adolescence; he played drum kit, flute, quickly figured out the evolutionary advantages of learning how to sing and play a tune on guitar, and indulged his congenital obsession for percussion music by building his own instruments, collecting resonating object of any sort, and hitting pretty much anything that was catching his attention, while carrying his studies in architecture and interior design in his hometown Trieste, Italy.
He turned full attention to music at 21, when he began studying conga drums with local teachers. By 1986 he had abandoned any other form of livelihood, and officially started his full-time career as a musician, playing for theatre, and local jazz, salsa and rock bands.
Between 1989 and 1991 he went through an intensive period of study of Congas and Afro Cuban Percussion, frequently visiting La Havana, Cuba, and learning from Tomàs “El Panga” Ramos, Changuito and Los Chinos, amongst others.
He moved to London in 1991, where he quickly established himself as a session musician.
Quite an active presence in the British Funk scene throughout the nineties, he was the percussionist of Jamiroquai during their “Emergency” and “Space Cowboy” period, and of the James Taylor Quartet from 1994 to 1999; plus a number of less notorious acts with some of the most relevant artists involved in that scene, such as Dennis Rollins, Mike Smith's The Whole Thing, Jessica Lauren and many others.
During the same decade, in different stages, he was involved in most of the Salsa and Cuban related project to originate from London. His collaborations in that field include, amongst others, Jesus Alemani, Snowboy, Alex Wilson, Tumbaito, Herman Oliveira. -Read More
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to Erin Elstner! Erin is an experienced percussionist and conductor who has been the head of the Webster University percussion department and the conductor of both the Webster University Percussion Ensemble and the Webster University Community Music School (CMS) Percussion Ensemble where she also taught private drum and percussion lessons. Erin has also been the co-director of the Strike Institute, a summer percussion symposium in St. Louis where she conducted the percussion ensemble. She is currently the Assistant Director and Director of Ladue Percussion at Ladue Schools as well as a professor at Webster University.
Erin is a percussion and drum set professor teaching applied percussion lessons and percussion methods courses at Webster University and percussion classes at Ladue Schools. Previously Erin was a member of the adjunct faculty at Maryville University. She has taught percussion through the St. Louis Symphony Community Music School, the Third Street Music Settlement and Carnegie Hall in New York where she was a Teaching Artist, the Taichung School of Arts and Music in Taiwan, The Strike Institute and The Erin Elstner Percussion Studio. Erin is also an active adjudicator and clinician in both Missouri and Illinois and has toured Europe with the Missouri Ambassadors of Music. At Webster University, Erin has hosted many internationally renowned artists in masterclasses including Stanton Moore (Galactic), Chuck Silverman (Latin artist-L.A.), Jason Bittner (Shadow’s Fall), Keith Aleo (Boston Conservatory), Michael Israelievitch (Stuttgart Philharmoniker), Matt Nolan (U.K. based instrument maker), Robert Glasper and the Experiment (gospel/R&B), Danny Seraphine (Drummer for Chicago), Thor Anderson (Cuban artist), John Blackwell (Drummer for Prince) and Dave King (The Bad Plus).
As a freelance performer, Ms. Elstner’s numerous performance achievements include playing percussion with the International Women’s Brass Conference, an American tour led by Susan Slaughter and principal orchestral players with a residency at Interlochen, percussionist for the new music ensemble Synchronia, member of the Brazilian groups The Sambistas and the Sambanditos,“The True Heart” performance with Glen Velez, the VH-1 Fashion Awards in New York with the group De La Guarda, playing percussion with Peter Cetera of Chicago, percussionist with the Joffrey Ballet, the Grateful Dead reunion tour, Motown and Weird Al Yankovic at the Fox Theater, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, 100-year centennial celebration performance of Jerome Robbins’ Broadway and the Wiz at the St. Louis Muny, Cirque Musica, The Who and drum set for the “Bright Lights, Broadway” Asian tour, Cabaret at the Repertory Theater of St. Louis and Sondheim’s Company at the Edison Theater at Washington University.
She has also been the percussionist/drummer for blues, rock and pop bands, including vibraphonist/vocalist for New York group Champale, featured in the New Yorker magazine, guest performer with Bambi Kino in Hamburg, Germany for the 50th anniversary of the Beatles at the Kaiserkeller, drummer for gypsy blues group Hazmat Modine performing regularly at Terra Blues in Manhattan, and RED, a rock trio in New York City. Erin has played with artists such as David Garza, Japanese pop group Pizzicato Five and recorded/played on many records including those of Clem Snide and Kill Henry Sugar. Erin is a member of the St. Louis Bach Society performing regularly at Powell Hall and the Swing of Hearts Orchestra, performing regularly at McKendree University. Ms. Elstner has been published in Percussive Notes and her electronic compositions have been included on Billy Martin’s album, Meshes, on Amulet Records and in several U.K.-based documentary videos.
Erin Elstner is an endorsed artist by Canopus Drums and the Zildjian Cymbal Company. Erin received her B.M. in Percussion Performance at Mannes College of Music in New York (The New School University), her Music Education certification from the University of Missouri-St. Louis and her M.A. in Orchestral Conducting at Webster University, both of which she graduated summa cum laude with departmental honors.
Shout-Out to the Vets!
There have been several Veterans on this podcast. In no particular order:
Master Sergeant Glenn Robertson and Master Sergeant Robert Marino.
Sergeant First Class Gerald Myles
Gig Alerts
Friday November 15th at S.O.B.s in NYC, friend of the show, Nate Smith will be performing with Jason Lindner, Tim LeFebvre and Stout.
SAVE THE DATE: The Montreux Jazz Festival Miami has released their lineup for February 28-March 2, 2025.
The Jazz Foundation of America has announced its concert dates for November and December.
PASIC week is here! See you there (if you’re attending).
Educational Spotlight
Friend of the show, Richie Flores is giving a masterclass in Guadalajara Mexico on November 27th.
Product Review
Damon talks about the Switch Board percussion table created by percussionist and drummer, Peter Saleh.
Iconic Recording
Maurizio picked the iconic recording for the week. It is “Ustensiles Horizontaux” by French/Vietnamese percussionist, Lê Quan Ninh.
Music News
BROADWAY MUSICIANS RATIFY NEW AGREEMENT! Beginning this week, musicians earn an increase of 4.5 percent on performances, rehearsals, premiums for on-stage, in-costume, choreography & body paint, and out-of-town break-in expense money. The agreement runs through Aug. 31, 2025.
The full list of Grammy nominees can be found HERE.
Shout-out to friend of the show, Andy Akiho, for his multiple nominations!
Maurizio Ravalico Interview
The song leading into the interview is called “A Cheaper Love Letter” performed by Maurizio and friend of the show, Will Fry.
Maurizio talks about his new educational platform called The New Conga Lab.
Maurizio also has some transcriptions and studies.
Maurizio has a new album called, “A Thousand Rawhide Diaphragms”. It is available on Bandcamp.
Maurizio is from Trieste, Italy. He talks about growing up there and his studies.
He talks about going to Cuba and finding teachers. He took some lessons with Jose Luis “Changuito” Quintana.
Shout-out to Ernesto Simpson.
Maurizio traveled to Cuba with his friend and fellow drummer, Davide Angiolini.
Maurizio studied also with “El Panga. That could be Rodolfo Hechavarria “El Panga” or it could be, Tomas Ramos Ortiz "El Panga".
After Cuba, Maurizio and Davide traveled to London.
Maurizio talks about his approach in pop music as a percussionist.
He also clarifies the specific James Taylor he played with.
Damon and Maurizio talk about the role of congas in funk music. Maurizio elaborates on the orchestration.
Shout-out to Jorge "El Niño" Alfonso.
Maurizio talks about the different musical and artistic settings he has played in.
Maurizio mentions the album “Five Loose Plans” he did with Sam Britton.
Maurizio picks the iconic recording. Shout-out to Lê Quan Ninh.
Maurizio mentions his album, “Nobody’s Husband, Nobody’s Dad”
Maurizio goes into more detail about his new album.
You can follow Maurizio on his Website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
The song leading out of the interview is, “Fear Of Mapping” performed by Fiium Shaarrk (Rudi Fischerlehner - drums, Maurizio Ravalico - percussion, Isambard Khroustaliov - computer) from the album, ‘No Fiction Now!’
