#384 Hal Rosenfeld- Drummer, Percussionist, Composer, Producer and More!
This week’s guest is Hal Rosenfeld. Hal Rosenfeld is equal-parts composer, music producer, percussionist, and orchestrator whose work can be heard in nearly 250 films, television shows, and video games.
Hailed for his extreme versatility, creativity, and expansive production across all genres, Hal has been involved with projects that have garnered Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony recognition, including The Greatest Showman, Fosse/Verdon, In the Heights, Only Murders in the Building, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2023), and Laufey's sophomore album Bewitched.
He recently co-scored NBC’s highly-acclaimed primetime sitcom American Auto and produced songs for Paramount’s upcoming Robbie Williams biopic Better Man (directed by The Greatest Showman director Michael Gracey). In March 2024, Hal was appointed by the U.S. Embassy of Egypt as musical director for their 2024 Egyptian International Women’s Day Concert and has music-directed acts for Junior Eurovision, Lollapalooza, and international stadium tours, including Rosa Linn's opening spot on Ed Sheeran's 2024 Mathematics Tour. In 2019, he co-produced the music for FX’s Emmy-winning miniseries Fosse/Verdon, starring Sam Rockwell and Michelle Williams, under Hamilton music director Alex Lacamoire.
He is prominently featured on blockbuster soundtracks such as Top Gun: Maverick, Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Chicken Run 2, Fortnite, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and groundbreaking Netflix series The Witcher.
Working outside of film and television, Hal has appeared with Ringo Starr, Lady Gaga, Hozier, Yoko Ono, Kanye West, Jonas Brothers, Hans Zimmer, Kelly Clarkson, Christina Aguilera, Sting, Imogen Heap, Cuco, and Rosa Linn, as well as on albums that total millions of unit sales and over 1 billion Spotify streams, globally. His orchestrations have been performed by symphonic orchestras worldwide, including the LA Philharmonic, China Philharmonic, and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra; he is a recurring musical guest on Sweden’s TV variety show Bingolotto.
Aside from music, he actively raises funds and awareness to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Hal currently lives in Los Angeles, where he once made prolonged eye contact with Emma Watson at a party.
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to Brevan Hampden! Born in New York City in 1985, Brevan was born instantly a member of a high-level musical family; his father Ivan, who has toured with Luther Vandross, Vanessa Williams, Jennifer Lopez, Roberta Flack, Grady Tate, and Ashford & Simpson, and his mother Brenda, who has performed on Broadway, with Dizzy Gillespie, Angie Bofill, Marian Anderson, and Jazzmobile.
After moving to Durham, NC in 1988, Brevan began showing signs of talent in music from age 7. He began playing percussion in church with his mother and brother at age 9. Soon after, he began playing pick up gigs and at other churches in the Raleigh/Durham area. His older brother Brian moved to North Carolina when Brevan was 9, and introduced him to the world of Latin and World Percussion. Brevan learned how to read music in middle school, playing in concert band and jazz band, and participated in the marching band once moving on to high school. Although there were no high school programs that catered to Latin percussion or jazz/popular music in general, Brevan continued his study of percussion, by listening to and being influenced by percussionists Ray Barretto, Mongo Santamaria, Carlos “Patato” Valdes, Tata Guines, Changuito, Giovanni Hidalgo, Angel “Cachete” Maldonado, Tito Puente, Miguel “Anga” Diaz, Tomas “El Panga” Ramos and other artists such as Curtis Mayfield, James Brown, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Kool and the Gang, Parliament, Daryl “Munyungo” Jackson, Leon “Ndugu” Chancelor, Steve Kroon, Roger Squitero, Sheila E. and Luis Conte.
Twice, during his high school years, Brevan attended the Berklee World Percussion Festival in Boston, where he studied with Giovanni Hidalgo, Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, Eguie Castrillo, and Ernesto Diaz. This helped further his knowledge of percussion, and of music in general, which, upon his return to North Carolina allowed him to continue performing locally, with bands such as Junk in the Trunk, Samecumba, Carnavalito, and the North Carolina Central University (NCCU) Jazz Ensemble, with whom his other brother, Iajhi, was performing at the time.
Happy Birthday to Brian Frasier-Moore! Brian was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, grew up in church playing drums at the age of 5. His professional career started 1993 and continues to the present. He has performed with artists like: The Whitehead Brothers, Les Nubians, Jill Scott, Glenn Lewis, Aaliyah, Usher, Goodie Mob, Patti LaBelle, George Howard, Vivian Green, Bruce Parham(Gospel), Ernie Sanders(Gospel), Steve Middleton(Gospel), Vikter Duplaix, Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, Billy Paul, Bunny Sigler,Teddy Pendergrass, James Poyser, Backstreet Boys, Justin Timberlake, Ciara, Eric Benet, Ginuine, Toni Braxton, Keny "Babyface" Edmonds, Christina Aguilera, Janet Jackson, Madonna, Timbaland, Queen Latifah. More of his recording credits can be found by CLICKING HERE.
Gig Alerts
The Blue Note Jazz Festival, Black Radio Experience will take place in Napa, CA from Aug 30-Sept 1.
The Soundside Festival (formerly Sound on Sound) will take place in Bridgeport, CT on Sept 28 & 29.
The Greenwich Town Party will take place in Greenwich, CT on May 25.
The SF Jazz Festival will take place in San Francisco, CA from June 5-16.
The Austin City Limits Festival will take place in Austin, TX from Oct 4-6 & 11-13.
The Bronx Brewery will host Salsa ‘Pa La Cultura on Fridays in the Bronx, NY May 31, June 28, July 26 and Aug 30.
Damon will be playing with Concrete Jungle and Billy Ruegger in MA and NH from May 24-May 31.
Educational Spotlight
Colin McNutt and Paul Rennick will be hosting a marching percussion camp from June 2-6 at the University of North Texas.
The Drum Fantasy Camp will be happening in Los Angeles from Aug 2-6.
Iconic Recording
The first iconic recording is, “De Selby (Part 2)” by Hozier. Here is the personnel.
The second iconic recording is, “Tom Sawyer” by Rush, performed by The Bad Plus.
Music News
Maryland Governor Wes Moore has signed the state’s comprehensive secondary ticketing legislation into law. The ticketing reform law will go into effect July 1.
Bill SB539 sponsored by Dawn Giles, bans the practice of speculative ticketing and makes resellers accountable for any speculative ticket sales on their platforms. The law carries a penalty of $10,000 for the first infraction and $25,000 for each subsequent infraction. -Article
Another “Taylor Swift” bill has surfaced, this time in Minnesota, where ticket resellers and the involved platforms will be subject to a number of new requirements beginning next year.
The North Star State yesterday adopted House File 1989 (the latter is Swift’s birth year and the title of her fifth studio album), with Governor Tim Walz having signed the measure into law at downtown Minneapolis venue First Avenue, per local reports. -Article
Hal Rosenfeld Interview
The song leading into the interview is, “Teach Me To Tango” by Ringo Starr from the albm, ‘Zoom In’.
Damon mentions the posts by Cody Tucker.
Hal talks about how he deals with being a multi-hyphenate musician.
Damon mentions Glenn Robertson and the Six String Soldiers.
Hal talks about different norms for different cultures.
Damon mentions “In Living Color”.
Hal presented at PASIC 2023.
Shout-out to Aaron Smith, friend of the show and one of Hal’s professors.
Hal mentions some of the movies he’s played on.
Hal talks about some of the requirements needed to play on film scores and TV soundtracks.
Hal talks about creativity in sounds.
Hal is from Boca Raton, FL. He attended Bak Middle School for the Arts. Then the West Boca Raton Community High School.
Hal attended Florida State University for his undergrad.
Shout out to Dr. John Parks.
Hal had some experience with marching percussion. He also played in the pep band.
Hal mentions recording on The Big Door Prize. Damon mentions Mission Impossible and the Top Secret Drumline.
Shout-out to Lorne Balfe.
Damon mentions the Man of Steel recording session. Hal was helping out Bernie Dresel.
Shout-out to Satnam Ramgotra.
Hal and Damon talk about the distinction of being involved in award winning projects vs. winning an award.
Hal was a copyist for Gordon Goodwin and his Big Phat Big Band.
Before attending Cal State Northridge, he attended a summer program in L.A. first.
Hal talks about The Siege of Jadotville and playing the bodhrán. Damon mentions friend of the show, Rónán Ó Snodaigh.
Hal picks the iconic recordings for the week.
Hal talks a bit about samples and sample libraries.
Damon talks about Ludwig Göransson and his work with real drums, real drummers, and technology.
Damon mentions his loop and one-shot library (shameless plug). Hal mentions his work with Spitfire.
Hal uses Gon Bops Percussion, Native Tounge Percussion, Vic Firth Sticks and Mallets, Sabian Cymbals, and shout-out to Gretsch Drums.
Chad Eisinger, Addison Gilbert, Johnathon Jadvani, Drew Tucker, Dr. John Parks, John Maggnusun, Aaron Smith, John Roscigno, Ladd Mcintosh, Bernie Dresel, and Joe Trapanese.
You can follow Hal on his Website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The song leading out of the interview is, “A Million Dreams” from The Greatest Showman soundtrack.
