Working Drummer Working Drummer

Steve Picataggio has lived in New York for over a decade and has stayed busy on the jazz and musical theatre scenes there. He has toured with The Hot Sardines, The Four Phantoms, and others, and is active on the New York jazz scene playing everything from trio to big band. He is a graduate of University of North Florida where he studied with Danny Gottleib and Ulysses Owens Jr., and NYU where he studied with Billy Drummond. He is also active as an educator, with students from age 4 to adult as well as at the collegiate level.
In this episode, Steve talks about:

His fully remote college gig

Touring with The Four Phantoms

Why he loves rehearsing

The mentorship and influence of Matt Wilson and Bill Drummond

How cutthroat attitudes are mostly gone

His love of accompanying singers

Yamil Conga is a percussionist and drummer with over 20 years of experience playing a vast array of musical genres in live venues, music videos and in the studio. A native of Puerto Rico and a current resident of Nashville, Yamil has benefitted from a vast array of musical influences. Salsa runs in Yamil’s blood due to his father, singer songwriter, Eladio Jimenez, who wrote and produced for several Latin giants. Knowing that music has no boundaries, Yamil’s mission is to make people fall in love with the art of live performance and foster a new generation of percussionists.
Yamil tours nationally and internationally bringing educational lectures on the conga drum and salsa music. He is currently the percussionist and DJ for Country artist Frank Ray. Yamil rounds out his calendar performing with corporate bands as well as performing as a soloist as a drumming DJ.  
In this episode, Yamil talks about:

   Diversifying your "portfolio”

   Being proactive with your daily activities

   The evolution of the drumming/DJ thing

   Playing with artist Frank Ray

   Lecturing on the origin of the conga in American music

   The influence of his father’s legacy

   Percussion advice for drum set players

Tom Jorgensen is an active and highly-requested drummer, session musician, composer, and mixing engineer based in New York City, currently on the first national tour of the Beetlejuice Broadway musical. Tom is a graduate with a BFA from The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in NYC, where he studied with jazz legends such as Reggie Workman, Charli Persip, and privately with Master Drummer Michael Carvin, with whom a mentorship continues to this day.
Tom frequently performs with the internet sensation Post Modern Jukebox, having toured with the group extensively in the United States, Canada, Europe, New Zealand, and Australia. His career has also taken him abroad throughout Europe, South America, French Polynesia, and the Caribbean while acting as Music Director onboard Holland America Cruise Line.
In this episode, Tom talks about:

The broad range of genres and drumming styles in the “Beetlejuice” show

Auditioning for a Broadway tour vs. being offered the gig outright

The “authenticity meter” in relationship building

What it means to have a sound-oriented approach

His experience studying with Michael Carvin at The New School in New York

What good relationships look like - if one person wins, we all win

“Go, do, be, have” in that order

Matt Muckle is a Pittsburgh based drummer who has worked with and toured with acts such as Paul Gilbert, Lynch Mob, Buckcherry, John Waite and many others. He is currently recording with and preparing to tour with the band Kingdom Come. This legendary rock band formed in the late 80’s and with Matt as their new drummer, continues to entertain their committed and string fan base. 
In this episode, Matt talks about:

   Who inspired him to pursue a career in music

   Working and recording with Kingdom Come

   Shedding negative energy from your life

   His experience in Los Angeles

   Teaching and producing in a mentorship style

   Finding your own voice

   Being proactive for your career

In this episode, Iajhi and Brevan talk about:

Their parent's musical legacy

Growing up in the Triangle area in North Carolina, and the music scene there

Attending North Carolina Central University, an HBCU and the only college in the state that offered a jazz degree at the time

The ill-fated gig that brought Iajhi to LA

Brevan's experience with being diagnosed as neurodivergent, and how that has changed how he approaches life and music

Creating structure for yourself to avoid getting "emotionally disregulated"

Iajhi's long-standing jam session at The Federal in North Hollywood, and the art and science of curating a good jam.

Hailing the small south Texas town of Poth, Miles was destined to drum. His mama felt him moving to the music before he was even born. At three years old he sat behind his first drum kit, and by age 5 he was banging out some version of "Under The Bridge" by TheRed Hot Chili Peppers. In junior high he joined the school band and began to study percussion formally. From marching band to snare drum solos, Miles took any and every drumming opportunity. He turned that into an affinity for marching, and a gold metal for every snare drum solo he ever played while in school, from a Junior High level solo all the way to "Africa Hot" by John Wooton. Along with other members of the high school drumline, this quickly let to garage bands. I was clear that drumming and taken a strong hold on Miles.
After high school, he headed for College Station and Texas A&M University, and he certainly didn't leave his drums behind. While earning a BS in Horticulture, Miles spent time playing in around Texas and surrounding states with a few bands. During that time he made friends with Cody Johnson. Fast forward a few years, Cody asked Miles to come on the road with him as his permanent drummer, which he has been for at least 10 years now.
When he isn't out on the road with the Cody and The Rockin' CJB, Miles enjoys spending time with his wife Samantha, their son Noah & their daughter Riley, watching football, woodworking, hunting and fishing.
In this episode, Miles talks about:

   Playing a sold out show at Bridgestone arena in Nashville

   Balancing life at home and life on the road

   Key components to getting the big gigs

   Establishing trust with the artist/band/singer

   Drumming for Cody Johnson

   Recording for Cody in Nashville studios

   Bringing your live energy to a recording session