#389 Brian Prokop- Drummer, Educator, Session Musician and More!
This week’s guest is Brian Prokop! Brian Prokop is a musician/educator in the northern NJ and NYC area who has been playing drums for over 30 years.
Brian started out with just a practice pad and a pair of sticks, but it wasn’t long before his parents decided to support his new interest by purchasing him a drum set. He began taking lessons at the age of nine.
In high school, Brian was a member of all the school ensembles (concert band, marching band, jazz band) and played with many local groups.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology from William Patterson University in New Jersey, Brian made the decision to re-focus his energy towards music and drumming, taking lessons with top players and educators, including Darren Patrick, Jay Dittamo, Ron Thaler, Joe Bergamini and Ignacio Berroa
Brian loves to share his passion for music and drumming with students of all ages and ability levels. His work as a private instructor has instilled a continuing appreciation of music and the arts in his students. His ability to communicate musical concepts and techniques effectively is evident in his ever-growing presence in musical performances and programs throughout the community. Brian’s students have been accepted into county & region ensembles as well as college & university music programs.
In addition to his private students, Brian has worked as the Percussion Instructor for the Midland Park High School Marching Band and Indian Hills High School Marching Band since 2005. He has also written & arranged the percussion program at MPHS for multiple seasons. In 2019, the MPHS Marching Band won their first NY State Field Band Championship for SS3.
Brian continues to perform with countless musicians and groups in the tri-state area in styles such as rock, pop, R&B, hip-hop, blues and jazz. He is also an active player with various local school and regional musical theatre productions.
Brian is a member of the Percussive Arts Society (PAS) and the Sabian Education Network, and he has been a judge for the Guitar Center Drum Off in Paramus, NJ.
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to Kana Omori! Kana Omori is an international marimbist and percussionist from Japan.
Kana has been awarded several prizes, including First Prize at the International Music Competition in Kobe, Japan in 2006 and the First Prize and Absolute Prize at the International Percussion Competition in Italy, in 2010, where she was also awarded a special prize from jury member N. J. Zivkovic. In 2011, she was awarded the Cultural Prize of the City of Kyoto.
Kana has performed as a marimba soloist with many orchestras throughout Japan and has appeared on several Japanese music television and radio broadcasts.
Having released six albums of marimba music. And her newest album, Gifts Of The Wood, has got an “Semi-Specialty Aword” in Japanese record magazine. Kana is always interested in performing, recording and premiering new works written for her. Her 7th album is coming soon. She has also published a collection of essays My Dreams and many books of her arrangements, include “Masterpieces of Classical Music on Marimba” by HCO Music. Kana’s many arrangements are published by Edition Svitzer.
Kana has given recitals, master classes and clinics around Europe, the USA, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia, and Argentina. She was a member of the jury for the final round of The Japan Classical Music Competition. She has been a member of faculty and jury of The International Marimbafest Festival and Competition in Australia since 2019.
Kana completed both her Masters of Music and graduate studies at the Osaka College of Music. Additionally, Ms. Omori completed a Masters of Music at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Munich, Germany, where she studied with a percussion legend, Dr. Peter Sadlo.
Kana is an international artist of Adams Percussion, Encore Mallets, Inc/Salyers Percussion, Aluphone, and Sabian Cymbals. Kana has her own signature line of mallets “Kana Omori Signature Mallets Series” with Encore Mallets, Inc. Fall Creek Marimbas designed a special glockenspiel model named after Kana Omori - the “KANA-Glock”. And, Adams Percussion has made a special pink colored marimba for her.
Now she is a tourist ambassador in Ishinomaki, Miyagi, Japan as well as a presenter of her radio program “Kana’s Marimba Twitting”. Starting in April of 2023, she is a lecturer of the Osaka College of Music.
Happy Birthday to Ian Hale! Ian Hale received degrees in percussion performance from the University of Calgary and the University of Massachusetts Amherst where his teachers included Dr. Glenn Price, Eduardo Leandro, and DCI Hall of Fame member and past Associate Director Thom Hannum. Ian was a member of the music faculty at UMass from 2007-2008 and has served as a percussion instructor and clinician ever since. He was the Assistant Director of Bands for the Calgary Stampede Showband from 2009-2011 and has served as Percussion Director for Spirit Winter Percussion from Orleans, Massachusetts since 2012. Ian has worked with many national and international ensembles including the Calgary Stampede Showband, Spirit of America, Thomas Jefferson High School, Dartmouth Indoor Percussion, United Percussion, Boston University, University of Massachusetts, and the U.S. Army All-American Marching Band. He was a member of the percussion staff for the Madison Scouts, Carolina Crown, and the Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps. He is currently on the percussion staff for the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps. He can be reached at ihale@umass.edu.
Happy Birthday to Thom Hannum! Thom Hannum has been teaching at the University of Massachusetts Amherst since 1984; he serves as the Coordinator of the Marimba Band/Marimba Ensemble program as well as Associate Director of the Minuteman Marching Band. His contributions were acknowledged when he received the Distinguished Service to the University Award.
Mr. Hannum has long been regarded as one of the nation's foremost percussion arrangers, instructors, and clinicians having presented numerous seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and Southeast Asia. He is known internationally for his work with the DCI World Champion Cadets of Bergen County and Star of Indiana. Thom is also a charter member of the design team for the Tony Award-winning show Blast!
In the summer of 2001, Mr. Hannum was selected for induction into the Drum Corps International Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the Hall of Fame for the Cadets of Bergen County, and the Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corps. Thom is a product consultant and clinician for the Avedis Zildjian Cymbal Company, Evans Drum Heads, the Pearl Corporation, and Vic Firth Sticks & Mallets where he has developed several Signature Series drumsticks and keyboard mallets. He is an active member of the Percussive Arts Society where he has served on the Marching Percussion Committee for 12 years.
Through the Hal Leonard Corporation, Mr. Hannum has published a Textbook and corresponding Student Workbook, Championship Concepts For Marching Percussion, which provide many band programs with a comprehensive foundation for percussion education. His instructional video, produced by Alfred's Publishing, Fundamental Techniques For Marching Percussion, demonstrates many of the concepts outlined in the books. Thom has published percussion arrangements and solos with Warner Brothers, Rowloff Productions, and Drop6 Media, Inc. He also wrote a new book with Alfred Publishing called A Percussionist's Guide to Check Patterns: Building a Rhythmic Vocabulary .
Mr. Hannum is the founder and director of his MOBILE PERCUSSION SEMINAR, which offers clinic and workshop programs for high schools and colleges of all ability levels. For more information call 1-413-549-8066, or visit the website at www.percussion.org.
Both Thom and Ian are part of this episode
Happy Birthday to Monette Marino! Monette Marino is a world percussionist. She spent the majority of the last 20 years studying under Master Drummer Mamady Keita from Guinea. In 1999 she received her Teaching Certificate from Mr.Keita and opened a branch of Tam Tam Mandingue USA in San Diego, California. From 2004–2012 she managed Mamady’s world tours, assisted him in teaching master classes, and performed with his ensemble, Sewa Kan. She received her diploma from Mamady Keita & Tam Tam Mandingue in 2011.
She has since branched out as a solo artist releasing her debut album “Coup d’Eclat” and also opened her own school of percussion called MO’RHYTHM. In addition, Monette Marino has created an iPhone App “Mo’Rhythm Africa – Play Along Djembe/Dunun App” now available on iTunes for iPhone/iPad/Apple TV. Prior to her involvement in West African percussion Monette studied folkloric and popular rhythms from Cuba, Brazil, and Korea.
Happy Birthday to Marcus Santos! A contemporary percussionist and educator, Marcus, is a native of Bahia, Brazil. He commits his life to the study, teaching and performance of his hometown's Afro-Brazilian music and heritage.
Marcus performed with several world renown artists such as the Gypsy Kings (Spain), Daniela Mercury (Brazil) and the Brand New Heavies (England). He has also performed for the president of Brazil, TEDx and with the “One World Band” produced by MTV. Marcus also played at the Sony Pictures Oscar nominated movie ‘Rachel's getting Married’ with Anne Hathaway. He has been honored with the 2013 KOSA Recognition award, Outstanding Arts Performer Award by the Brazilian Immigrant Center (2008) as well as Outstanding Percussionist Award by Berklee College of Music in 2004.
Marcus currently teaches in the Boston area at New England Conservatory, Middlesex Community College and Somerville High School. He is the author of the DVD ‘Modern Approach to Pandeiro’ and performed in the music education DVD ‘Musically Speaking II’ by BOSE. Marcus has lead workshops on Afro-Brazilian percussion and music for Social Change in festivals, universities and conventions around the world such as Fiesta Del Tambor (Cuba), Carnegie Hall (NYC), PASIC (USA) and Harvard University. He is currently the artist director of the Grooversity global drumming network project that includes twenty four drumming groups from the US, Canada, Germany, Mexico and France.
Gig Alerts
This website list 2024 UK and European Jazz Festivals.
There’s a Juneteenth Music Festival in Denver, CO happening on June 15th & 16.
A Juneteenth Celebration is happening in Lincoln Center in Manhattan NY on Wednesday, June 19, 2024 at 6:00 pm
Sheila E. is currently on tour.
Educational Spotlight
Jake Reed talks about mic placement, tuning, mixing and more.
The whole video is available at Drum Channel.
Iconic Recording
Brian picked this week's iconic recording. It is "Fool in the Rain" by Led Zeppelin with John Bonham on drums.
There’s an isolated drum track of the song on YouTube.
Music News
Friend of the show Christos Rafalides has a new signature series vibraphone mallet by Vic Firth.
You can find the Tony Award winners and nominees can be found HERE.
The 8G Band on the Seth Meyers show will be let go in September of 2024.
Kristen Klehr needed a bluetooth page turner that she could use with her stick and not her foot. This is the page turner she found.
Live Nation and the veteran rock group unveiled the concert series today. Expected to kick off on Friday, September 20th, the strategically scheduled residency will take place solely on Fridays and Saturdays, with the initial round of shows running into late October as a result. - Article
An Arizona man was indicted today for allegedly plotting the mass shooting of a Bad Bunny concert in Atlanta, Georgia. The plot was foiled when the man sold weapons to an undercover federal agent who he believed would help him carry out the plan. - Article
The Recording Academy has shared some rule changes and updates for the 67th Annual Grammy Awards in 2025. Here’s a peek at the changes.
More info can be found at Grammy (dot com)
Brian Prokop Interview
The song leading into the interview is "Duke (My Little Walk)" by Josh Kutchai from the album 'Salieri's Revenge'.
Damon and Brian met on a wedding gig in CT.
Brian grew up in Bergen County, NJ and currently lives in Ringwood, NJ which is in Passaic County.
Brian’s fav NJ musical artist is Bruce Springsteen. Friends of the show, Anthony Almonte and Everett Bradley have played with Bruce in the past.
Brian plays with the band Asbury Fever.
Brian’s cousin helped introduce him to music.
Brian talks about how he chose drums.
Damon and Brian talk about The Flinstones (and vitamins).
Brian talks about his first drumset and first teacher.
Shout-out to Joe Bergamini.
Brian went to William Patterson University for psychology.
Brian played with different bands during college including, Thunder Road.
Brian and Damon talk about the cover and tribute band situation that happens throughout New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut.
Brian teaches and records from his home studio.
Some of the gear Brian uses is an Apollo interface, Many Cam software, USB cameras, dynamic mics, condenser mics and a lapel mic.
Shout-out to Darren Patrick formerly of Victor’s House of Music.
Shout-out to friend of the show Gerald Myles.
Brian teaches at both Midland Park High School Marching Band and Indian Hills High School Marching Band.
Brian just finished a tour with Shayfer James.
Shout-out to Keith Warfield.
Brian talks about learning original music vs. cover tunes.
Damon and Brian talk about recording drum and percussion tracks.
Brian talks about realizing his goals.
Brian picks the iconic recording (above in the show notes).
Shout-out to Josh Kutchai, Darren Patrick and Joe Bergamini.
Brian is part of the Sabian Education Network and a member of the Percussive Arts Society.
You can follow Brian on his Website, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
After the interview Damon and Brian talked about these books by Phillip Johnston for teaching, Promoting your Teaching Studio, The Dynamic Studio and Teaching Rhythm by David Newell. For an accountability program for his students when Brian goes on the road, he is going to consider Go React.
The song leading out of the interview is "So Long City Of Angels" by the Mike Montrey Band from the album, 'Searching For My Soul'
