Drummer's Weekly Groovecast

This week the Groovecast is delighted to publish an exclusive interview with Joel Rosenblatt. Most of you know Joel from his work with Michel Camilo and later with Spyro Gyra. In this episode we discuss his early flirtations with trumpet and a chance encounter with drums. From there we get to his college studies with Ed Soph and Randy Jones which helped prepare him for his first major gigs. We then cover the gigs with: Matt Murphy, Pure Prairie League, Michel Camilo, and Spyro Gyra. We spend a good amount of time talking about Joel's early adoption of the home studio. We also discuss Joel's grip/technique change and his personal teaching practice including his own set of play along tracks. Finally he falls victim to the DWG personality test...We'd also like to send our condolences to the Allman Brothers family on the sudden loss of founding member, Butch Trucks. In the outro (under a bed of the ABB's "Hotlanta") we discuss Butch's influence and importance. Join us every Monday for a brand new podcast. We're a

A good percussionist can add that special touch that turns a regular gig into pure magic. Then again if the drummer and percussionist are not agreeing on time feel, instrumentation, or timbre the gig can turn into a big, inarticulate pile of mush. In this week's show we discuss the different types of percussionists you might encounter and their particular characteristics. We then talk about what you can do to prevent issues before they happen and ultimately work well together moving forward. In the final segment of the show we each pick an underrated drummer. Join us every Monday for a brand show. We're available on Itunes, Google Play Podcasts, Stitcher, and all of your favorite podcast apps. Subscribe today!

Adam Deitch has played with The Average White Band, Meshell Ndegeocello, John Scofield, Pretty Lights and currently leads the duo Break Science and funk jam icons, Lettuce. During Lettuce's current tour we were fortunate enough to meet up with Adam for a few hours before show time and talk about life, music, and drums. Knowing that Adam has done several other podcasts along with a host of print interviews we decided to take a slightly different direction. We delve into topics such as: drumming with parents who are drummers and the pressure associated with that, growing up with and managing ADD and how it shaped his drumming, early teachers and what he learned, getting into Berklee, the classwork, the ensembles, and the early origin of Lettuce, first big gigs, handling adversity on the gigs, his teaching and giving back to other musicians. Join us every Monday for a brand new episode. Subscribe today on your favorite podcast app, Google Play Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, or Itunes. And while you're in Itunes if

We can't do it all by ourselves. No matter how much responsibility we have to practice and perfect our art form in private we eventually interact with other musicians, business people, clients, and the public in general. In this podcast we specifically address the incredible importance of building and maintaining positive and fulfilling relationships that last well beyond the gig. To finish up the show Phil and Jon both pick a great, underrated drum track. Join us every Monday for a brand new show. Subscribe today! We're available on all your favorite podcast apps as well as Google Play Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, and Itunes. While you're inside Itunes if you would please take a moment to leave a review we'd be forever grateful.

To kick off a new year the Groovecast, much like everyone else, is in self-improvement mode. Everyone wants to be better, right? We can safely assume that everybody would like to improve their drumming as well as all the different facets of their life. To do this we need to practice. Seems logical, doesn't it? Well, it's easy to say and a no-brainer in the 'duh' department. However, having a specific goal and then consistently acquiring the motivation and determination to get there is easier said than done. Whether you're starting out and the goals seem unattainable or you're an accomplished musician wanting to attain a new level we all have to find the passion and discipline to reach the finish line. In this podcast Phil and Jon outline the desire to get better and then talk about the concepts and psychology behind practice and the different techniques (both physical and mental) it takes to stay interested, motivated, and ultimately satiated. Join us every Monday for a new episode. Subscribe today on Itunes

Happiest of Holidays to the Groovecast Nation! This week we take a moment to reflect on the first year of the podcast. We took the highlights from various shows along with great moments from our interviews to make our "Best of 2016". It's our little gift of retrospective all wrapped in a bow and delivered in the timeliest of fashions! We think you'll enjoy reliving some of the moments from earlier this year. Plus it's a great way to invite some of your friends to listen for the first time! We'll be back next Monday with a brand new show to start the new year. As always, thank you for listening and we wish you all the best for a wonderful 2017.

The most commonly known ways to make a living as musician are performing, recording, and teaching. But is that all there is? Well, those might be the most glamorous. But let's face it, the music business is anything but glamorous. In this episode Phil and Jon spend some time revealing a host of other ways to make money inside the music business that may not be nearly as obvious. And no, these other ways do not involve Uber or the phrase, "You want fries with that?" The guys talk about things that others and that they've done (and continue to do) to include multiple streams of revenue to their income. For their weekly segment the guys each choose an underappreciated drummer for you to check out. Join us every Monday for a brand new episode. Subscribe today on Itunes, Google Play Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, and all of your favorite podcast apps.

Lil' John Roberts is one of the most sought after drummers in the music business. His resume crosses all genre lines (Janet Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, George Duke, Elton John, Quincy Jones, drummer for many TV house bands, etc.). His drumming peers may know him for his prodigious chops however Lil' John would rather allow his time feel and legendary groove to speak for themselves. In this interview John briefly discusses his early musical upbringing and how that led him to study at the Berklee College of Music. After that he spends the rest of the time detailing how his move to Atlanta jump started his professional career which ultimately led to his twenty year association with Janet Jackson. Throughout the show we touch on: studying, practicing, preparing, teaching, touring, studio work, professionalism, and how the music business has changed over the past 20 years. Join us every Monday for a brand new show. We're available on Itunes, Google Play Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, and all your favor

"You don't choose a career in music, instead music chooses you." There are numerous quotes along those lines and today the guys discuss just that topic. Can you or should you choose drumming as a career? Each of the guys tell their own story of how they came into the music business and then talk about the benefits and drawbacks. Topics covered are: being an entrepreneur, starting your own business, personal and family sacrifices, lack of traditional job benefits, travel, willingness to do what it takes, craft and business research, and much more. Finally the end segment of the show finds the guys each unearthing a favorite, yet underappreciated drum track. Join us every Monday for a brand new episode! Subscribe to us today on Itunes, Google Play Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, and all of your favorite podcast apps!

In this week's show the guys discuss the importance of and the different types of musical mentors. Phil and Jon both talk about the different mentors they've had, how they've affected their lives, and how it's lead them to become mentors of others. The various types they talk about are: teacher/educator mentors, co-working/gigging mentors, and distant/recorded mentors. Although each are different they share many of the same characteristics. For this week's ending segment the guys decide to talk about 'must have gear'. Join us every Monday for a brand new show. Subscribe today on Itunes, Google Play Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, and all of your favorite podcast apps!

Welcome back to part 2 of the Ryan Brown interview. In this episode Ryan gives details about his time in Los Angeles. Ryan talks about getting established, taking gigs, preparation, studio sessions, his teaching practice, family responsibilities, auditions, rehearsals, and a day in the life of touring with Dweezil Zappa. Before we finish I make Ryan play the time honored game show, "Beat the Clock". Hilarity ensues! Join us every Monday for a brand new podcast. Subscribe today on Itunes, Google Play Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, and all your favorite podcast apps!

This week the show goes on the road and shifts into interview mode! We had the great fortune of being welcomed inside the Zappa family for an extensive interview with Dweezil Zappa drummer, Ryan Brown. Join us as we discuss the topics of: growing up with music, gravitating toward drums, discovering Zappa, beginning drum studies, college audition tours, majoring in music, career decisions, moving to Los Angeles, the practicalities of making a living, establishing a music career, studio work, teaching, getting the call to audition with Zappa, getting the gig, rehearsals, touring and balancing work with personal life. Subscribe today and get a brand new episode every Monday. The show is available on Itunes, Google Play Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, and all of your favorite podcast apps!

Ahhhh...that click is so comforting...until it's gone! I'd bet some of you thought those words would never be uttered. But they are! Once thought to be a nemesis, the click track is now often a crutch. In this episode the guys discuss how the click track has become a safety blanket to the point of being a detriment. They also talk about how mental games regarding tempo and feel can be a major problem once the metronome is taken away. Numerous solutions are discussed such as: playing exercises with and without the metronome, body motion and mindful awareness, click manipulation, songs that should always be played without a click, and more. The guys then talk about the importance and proliferation of in ear monitors and how they can be a double edged sword. On one hand they can contribute to click track dependency. On the other they are wonderful at combating ear fatigue/hearing loss and monitoring definition. They end the show with a segment on great underrated drummers. Subscribe today and hear a brand new e

Everybody's doing it. Well, at least everyone has done it that's had any modicum of success in the music business. What we're discussing today is getting your career established in a new city. Whether you're a young gun or a relocating veteran you'll need some ideas. Phil and Jon cover wide ranging areas of discussion such as: modes and timeliness of communication, financial responsibility, low paying gigs, personal relationships, housing considerations, and the omnipresent and venerable 'hang out'. Inside this discussion resides the shadowy topic of self-promotion. The guys discuss their feelings on effective and tasteful types of self-promotion versus inundating social media with gratuitous and self-serving posts. Finally the guys close out the show with a segment on must have gear. Join us every Monday for a brand new show! Subscribe today on Itunes, Google Play Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, and all of your favorite podcast apps.

The Groovecast has delivered on its promise of an interview and it is a gem! Our guest, Scott Meeder, is the proverbial "Jeff Porcaro" of Atlanta. Even if you're not familiar with his name it's a virtual guarantee that you've heard him on record. He has been the first call session drummer on the Atlanta recording scene for the past 30 years. His credits include: .38 Special, Toni Braxton, Sugarland, Ricky Gunn, Aaron Shust, John Waller, and countless tv, motion picture, and radio dates. We discuss his musical upbringing and education, first gigs, musical influences, early use of electronics, his studio experiences, recording gear, large scale touring, his current work, and advice for young musicians. Please subscribe to the show on Itunes, Google Play Podcasts, Podbean, Stitcher or your favorite podcast app. A new episode is published every Monday!

Even the best musician will have a bad night. However that does not necessarily mean you're doomed to a bad performance. Even Buddy Rich had bad nights. There's an infamous video of Buddy near the end of his life where he's said to have had a heart attack right in the middle of an amazing solo! Now THAT'S a bad night. So our question to you is, "How good is your bad"? In other words, as a professional musician how can you to ensure that even your worst performance is better than an amateur player's best performance? In this show Phil and Jon discuss some of the reasons that may cause you to have a bad gig. Then they talk about what some of those potential bad nights look like. After that the guys give you solutions and tips to help you avoid things that contribute to not being your best. They also discuss ways to survive bad gigs due to circumstances outside of your control. It's time to build up some musical and technical 'headroom'! Please subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast app or find us on ITu

In virtually all disciplines there are very few shortcuts that deliver the desired results. In drumming that is especially true. In most situations practice and patience pays the highest yielding dividends. However, there are a few select instances where experience can provide excellent and sometimes unorthodox solutions to common problems. In this episode Phil and Jon give the listeners a few of these "magic bullets". Topics covered include: Pedal setup and adjustment, drum set ergonomics, alternative ways to carry spare drum heads, hardware solutions, reduction of set up time, and much more. In the return of "Underappreciated Drummers" segment the boys both give their respective kudos to two great players. Please subscribe to our show on Itunes, Google Play Podcasts, Stitcher, and your favorite podcast app. A new show is published every Monday!

Concepts on technique can be very polarizing. Everyone is an expert and everyone is correct. "Strict German grip with the level system is the only way to go!" "Forget that mess. Traditional grip using the Moeller technique is far superior." " Well, only if you're a gimp. Real men, like Billy Cobham, use French grip exclusively." See what I mean? In today's show I discuss grip and hand technique from a very different standpoint. I believe that adhering to one, very strict grip and hand position is actually detrimental. Rather, every musical situation that you encounter can and should modify your technique to enhance the music and your performance. Volume, velocity, tempo, instrument height, instrument angle, surface hardness, fatigue, and more will affect your grip and technique. Please subscribe and join us every Monday for a brand show available on Itunes, Google Play Podcasts, Stitcher and your favorite podcast app!

In any profession there is an existing vocabulary that is either exclusive or at least pertinent to the discipline. For drummers there is a distinct lineage of definitive method books that are a major part of our musical and educational vocabulary. In this show Phil goes through a list of must-have methods, their origins, uses, and importance in our field. At the end Phil adds a few of his personal, albeit lesser known, favorites to the list. Join us every Monday for a brand show available on Itunes, Google Play Podcasts, Stitcher and your favorite podcast app!

This week Phil and Jon discuss the many different ways we can learn to embrace others' strengths and weaknesses. The guys talk about differences between groove players vs. technical players, jazzers vs. rockers, younger players vs. older players, original/artsy gigs vs. corporate gigs, and pressures of the drumming community and how it can breed jealousy and envy. At the end of the show the guys each pick another underrated, great drum track. Please subscribe and join us every Monday for a brand new edition of the Drummer's Weekly Groovecast.