This week’s guest is Roland Garcia. Hailing from Los Angeles, California, Roland "Gajate" Garcia is a touring , percussionist and educator. Roland is the son of renowned percussionist, teacher and inventor, Richie Gajate Garcia.

Roland Gajate Garcia was the percussionist for the internationally acclaimed television show, American Idol as well as Dancing with the Stars. A dynamic and versatile multi percussionist, Roland brings his energy and talent to the show's house bands.

Roland Garcia has also toured and/or worked with Rosalia, Kanye West, Stevie Wonder, Robin Thicke, Raphael Saadiq, Diana Ross, Patti Labelle, Franky Valli, Googoosh and Tamia. Roland has received his musical education from the prestigious Berklee School of Music and Cal State University Northridge.

You can also catch Roland Garcia in various LA Latin clubs with the Yari More Orchestra, Latin Sol salsa band and Oskar Cartaya Enclave.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to Dominique Thomas! Dom is a dedicated percussionist from Philadelphia who began to travel & study percussion at the age of 14. He and his mom traveled to Senegal & Mali West Africa to study drum and dance with the National Ballet of Mali along with other masters. He then attended Berklee college of Music to further his studies.

Teachers He continued to learn under some of the greatest players such as Giovanni Hidalgo, Horacio Hernendez, and great friend and mentor Doc Gibbs of the “Emeril Live” cooking show.

Experience Dom has played with a number of groups and bands in and around the tri-state area, starting with his mother as the lead drummer of a West African drum and dance group called “Kuumba”. He later toured with the Apollo Circus of Soul band as the percussionist. Continuing on his journey Dom has played with some of the top hip/hop & R&B artist such as Questlove & Black Thought from the Legendary Roots Crew, Mos Def, Raheem DeVaughn, K’Jon, Syleena Johnson, Kindred The Family Soul, touring and performing on “Dancing with the stars & Jay Leno” with Grammy award winning R&B singer Maxwell, ended 2013 on a 16 city tour with Grammy nominated R&B artist Jaheim. In 2014 also performed in Johannesburg, South Africa with Jaheim. In 2015 played on “Jimmy Kimmel” & Centric presents the “Soul Train Awards” with Philly’s own Jill Scott, all which landed me a full time spot as her percussionist. In March 2016 he also landed the position playing for Eminem and did the 2016 South American Lollapalooza Tour. The entire summer of 2016 we toured Europe (North Sea Jazz Festival) & the US with Jill Scott also doing shows in Tokyo, Japan. October 2016 performed on the Ellen Degeneres show with John Legend which landed me the full time percussion position. In 2017 I toured more than half the year starting in the U.S., Europe, and South Africa with John Legend as well as doing a show in Hawaii while finishing the year touring with Jill Scott. February 2018 we did the Dubai jazz festival with John Legend as well as a month long Asia tour. We also did U.S. tour with Jill Scott and currently gearing up for a end of the year/U.S. Christmas tour with John Legend.

Happy Birthday to Marcos Lopez! Marcos is one of the most promising multi-genre percussionists that broke through the music scene out of his native Puerto Rico. He's armed with a reputation for his profound ability to transition seamlessly between diverse styles with great precision, thanks to a history of great and abundant influences from every part of the world. Marcos is leading an inspiring movement among the musicians of this time that has broad implications for the modern percussion performers.

Lopez began to make his path known with the salsa group N’Klabe. Following its inception, he has become unstoppable. He has toured and performed with figures like Cuban superstar Issac Delgado, Puerto Rican all-stars Wisin & Yandel and salsa veterans like Victor Manuelle, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Tony Vega, Andy Montañez, Ismael Miranda, La India and Tito Nieves in venues like the Madison Square Garden, Lincoln Center and the Carnegie Hall. Marcos has also appeared in ABC’s Good Morning America and the Late Night Show with Seth Meyers along pop duo Karmin.

As a Berklee College of Music alumni and after only 4 years as a New Yorker, Marcos Lopez has expanded his frontiers as a percussionist. He has appeared in countless recordings, including his contribution and featuring in major studio projects including Ceremony with Nea jazz master Dave Liebman, which was released in November 2014 and Maldades with Grammy winning artists Humberto Ramirez and Oskar Cartaya, released in 2015. He has become a member of the Max Weinberg Orchestra and has also been on tour with Multi-Grammy award winner Lila Downs, superstar Thalia as well as with the Grammy nominee band Plena Libre.

Thanks to family influences, including his grandfather Sammy Ayala, who was one of the founders of Cortijo y su Combo, Marcos began playing caribbean percussion instruments at age two. At age seven, he got into the Conservatory of Music in Puerto Rico and at age twelve he was accepted in the Escuela Libre de Musica where he trained in classical percussion, graduating in 2006. Within that time, in 2005, he won a full scholarship from Berklee College of Music, from which he obtained his bachelor’s degree in Music Business & Management in 2011.
While at Berklee, Marcos was part of “La Timbistica”, a group of Latin Jazz with worldwide influences that represented the talent of the renowned college. They headlined the Heineken Jazz Fest in Puerto Rico, the Monterey Jazz Fest in California, the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival in Washington D.C, the Saratoga Jazz Festival in NY,and many more. They were awarded Downbeat Magazine’s 2008 Jazz Group of the Year Award in the collegiate category.

As an educator, he has given percussion clinics and performances at The Montreal Drum Fest, PASIC, Berklee College of Music and in the Percussion Festival in The Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music.

Marcos is continually working to reach new levels, musically and artistically. His evolution rests on a solid foundation layered with diligence and a strong work ethic that has been nourished by all his years in the music industry. These qualities manifest themselves in a form of professionalism rarely found in musicians his age and make him a treasure among the percussionists of this era.

Happy Birthday to Weedie Braimah! Weedie is a young premiere master of the djembe. He began his career at the early age of two, born in Ghana, where he was first introduced to West African culture and drumming. In East St. Louis, which is considered home for Braimah, he began his life long quest and professional career in the study of cultural music of the diasporas. A maverick performer of the highest caliber, Braimah has an almost insatiable knack to draw the entire audience into his grove, zigzagging through Africa on a breathtaking rhythmic roller coaster.

Braimah comes from a long lineage of musicians; including his mother, a respected jazz drummer and his father, a world renowned composer and master drummer. Having studied with the greats such as Mamady Keita, Famadou Konate, Abdoul Doumbia, and Fadouba Oulare just to name a few, it was no surprise that Braimah excelled musically and became well known on the drum and dance circuit. Braimah has been a performer, teacher and preserver of African culture for over 20 years and continues to peruse new musical journeys every day.

Gig Alerts

The ATL Collective has a Camp Collective Songwriter Series from May 20th-24th that builds more opportunities to create, meet new collaborators, and write master-ready releases. Camp Collective is an opportunity to find new inspirations and revitalize existing ideas through a creative sprint with other musicians and artists across Atlanta.

What you get:

1-2 fully produced songs
10+ collaborator relationships
Access to 5 nights of professional development programming
5+ hours of direct mentorship with music business professionals
3-6 writing sessions with a professional producer and other participants

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Friend of the show, Jordan Rose, will be going on tour with Maggie Rogers for most of 2024.

The Rolling Stones’ “Hackney Diamonds” Tour kicks off with a sold-out Houston show, the first of 18 performances across 16 North American cities through July. -Article

They’ve also announced their opening acts for the tour.

Billie Eilish has announced her forthcoming “Hit Me Hard and Soft” tour going through North America, Europe and Australia. -Article Presale starts April 30, regular sales start May 3.

Damon will be giving a percussion clinic/masterclass at Los Angeles College of Music in Pasadena, on Thursday May 9th from 8-10pm in “The Garage”. It is open to the public. CLICK HERE for more details.

Educational Spotlight

If you are writing your own music and want to start selling your compositions and arrangements, then CLICK HERE to read an article on one way to do that and create some passive income.

Iconic Recording

This week’s iconic recording is “As” by Stevie Wonder from the ‘Songs in the Key of Life’ album. It features tons of talented musicians.

Here is PART 1 and PART 2 of the Greg Phillinganes interview on the Questlove Supreme podcast.

Music News

What happens after music fans leave behind the Coachella and Stagecoach festivals in Indio, California? The answer is finding a new home for more than 24 tons of left behind gear, garbage, and more. -Article

Following an expanded agreement with Ticketmaster and an AXS tie-up earlier in April, TikTok has officially unveiled a global ticketing partnership with CTS Eventim. -Article

Roland Garcia Interview

The song leading into the interview is, “LA FAMA” by ROSALÍA feat. The Weeknd from the album, ‘MOTOMAMI’

There is another Roland Garcia out there and he plays pool.

Roland plays ping pong and basketball. He has shifted from the Lakers to the Clippers.

Roland marched the Santa Clara Vanguard. Before that he marched the Black Knights drumline.

Damon mentions Dr. Andrea Venet, and Kris Pooley. Kris marched The Crossmen.

After drum corps, Roland toured with Patti LaBelle.

He started by subbing for his dad, Richie Gajate Garcia. One of the first acts Roland subbed on around age 16, was Frankie Valli.

Roland talks about learning shows.

Roland talks about subbing.

Roland talks about other sounds and tracks. He started with the Handsonic.

Roland attended Cal State Northridge for his undergrad.

He talks about using the Flyaway.

Roland spent some time at Berklee for the summer program.

Damon mentions one of the instructional videos he bought that features Roland’s dad Richie. The other ones mentioned were Walfredo Reyes Sr. and Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez.

Roland talks about understanding drumset to know what to play (or not to play) as a percussionists. Roland mentions that advice coming from Munyungo Jackson.

Roland and Damon talk about the Sunday Service orchestration with Kanye.

Roland played in the Super Bowl Halftime show with J. Lo and Shakira. Shout-out to Adam Blackstone.

Roland talks about time management. Shout-out to James Clear.

Roland talks about shifting his priorities in music. He has added songwriting and producing as well as playing.

Damon mentions the Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough video and the Iconic Pop Percussion Playlist.

Roland talks about teaching.

Roland picks the iconic recording.

Roland talks about auditioning for American Idol and meeting Ray Chew. He also does Dancing With The Stars with him.

He also talks about reading and writing music.