Working Drummer

Working Drummer
Working Drummer

With close to 500 episodes and counting, Working Drummer Podcast is the source for those interested in what it’s like to be a professional drummer. Hosted by Matthew Crouse and Zack Albetta, Working Drummer covers it all with a dynamic range of pro drummers who represent many different genres and scenes. Each weekly interview features a different performer, sometimes with a less recognizable name, but always with an impressive and distinct body of work. This unique approach has garnered a loyal audience hungry for unfiltered stories about making a living as a musician today.

  1. 7 NOV

    494 - Martina Barakoska: The Power of Meditation, Touring Southeastern Europe, Fine Tuning and Cultivating Creativity

    Martina Barakoska is a drummer and musician who in her considerably short career has gained notable achievements. Deep and thoughtful yet energetic and playful, her style reflects her love of modern music and her fascination with the power of the drums. Throughout the years, she has maintained continuous growth of success preaching individuality, quality, and persistency.Winning an award for the best drummer at “T’k Tak” drum competition when she was only 17 was followed by many successful music projects. She is actively involved in North Macedonia's music scene, currently working and touring with Funk Shui. She's also worked with artists like Swindle, Emmy Meli, Luboyna, Vladimir Chetkar, MPNG, Efterklang, Duper, Luboyna, Vladimir Chetkar, etc. Her projects have taken her on tours across Europe and the Balkans.In 2022 she released her second solo album named "Sunrise” and took part in the “Yamaha Drum Days” Festival in Paris. She was also a part of the line-up at the workshops in Salzgitter Drum Meeting 2022, Berlin Drum Days 2023 and Dresden Drum and Bass Festival 2024. Martina is also featured in the newly released Yamaha documentary “Way Up House - Portugal”. ​ In this episode Martina talks about:    ◦   The power of meditation    ◦   Touring southeastern Europe    ◦   Using social media to connect with musicians, not impress drummers    ◦   Diving deep into Ringo’s drum parts to better understand his musicality    ◦   Fine tuning and cultivating creativity Here's our Patreon Here's our Youtube Here's our Homepage

    1h 24m
  2. 24 OCT

    492 - Chad Wackerman: Working with Allan Holdsworth, Making a Band Sound Better, Auditioning for Frank Zappa

    Chad Wackerman’s professional career began in 1978 with the Bill Watrous Refuge West Big Band. Since then he has amassed a remarkable body of work including a seven year association with Frank Zappa, with whom he toured the USA and Europe and recorded 27 albums including the London Symphony recordings. He has also recorded 8 albums and toured with guitar legend Allan Holdsworth, played on the ‘One Voice’ album and video with Barbra Streisand, and recorded albums and toured with artists as diverse as James Taylor, Steve Vai, Andy Summers, Steven Wilson, Men At Work, Ed Mann, Albert Lee, Colin Hay, Dweezil Zappa, Pasqua/Holdsworth/Haslip/Wackerman Group, Terry Bozzio, Carl Verheyen, David Garfield,John Patitucci, Jennifer Batten, Joe Sample, Robbie Kreiger, Banned From Utopia and The World Drummers Ensemble (Bill Bruford, Luis Conte, Dou Dou Ndiaye Rose and Chad Wackerman) . As a band leader and composer Chad has five critically acclaimed CDs: ‘Forty Reasons’, ‘The View’, ‘Scream’, ‘Legs Eleven’ and his latest release, ‘Dreams Nightmares and Improvisations’. Chad has written music for the television show ‘The Dennis Miller Show’, as well as composing music for Allan Holdsworth’s ‘Secrets’, ‘Wardenclyffe Tower’ and ‘Sixteen Men of Tain’ CDs. His trio has a performance DVD, ‘Hits Live’. In this episode, Chad talks about:    Working with Allan Holdsworth    The amazing story behind recording Allan’s record “Road Games”    “Improvising at the highest level sounds like composition”    Interpreting charts efficiently    Auditioning for Frank Zappa    How to make a band sound better    Learning from Murray Spivack    Figuring out what’s important for each gig and artist Here's our Patreon Here's our Youtube Here's our Homepage

    1h 54m
  3. 491 - John R. Beck: Building on Dad's Legacy, Looking Beyond it to Form His Own, Serving as President of PAS

    17 OCT

    491 - John R. Beck: Building on Dad's Legacy, Looking Beyond it to Form His Own, Serving as President of PAS

    John R. Beck, Professor of Percussion at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, also teaches at Wake Forest University. He is the principal percussionist of the Winston-Salem Symphony and is a member of the Greensboro Symphony, Brass Band of Battle Creek, and the Philidor Percussion Group. A former member of the United States Marine Band, for 10 years he performed regularly with the National and Baltimore Symphonies, Washington and Baltimore Operas, and the Theater Chamber Players of the Kennedy Center. Beck has toured the United States as a xylophone soloist with the Jack Daniel's Silver Cornet Band, Brass Band of Battle Creek, and the New Sousa Band. John is a Past President of the Percussive Arts Society and presents clinics endorsing Yamaha percussion instruments, Zildjian cymbals, Innovative mallets, and is a Remo Endorsed Drum Circle Facilitator in the Health and Wellness community. In this episode, John talks about: What it means to play credibly How his thoughts on versatility vs. specialization have evolved  Questioning the relevance of knowing how to read a big band chart How getting good at drumset gives percussionists a better sense of internal time The advantages and baggage that came with being John Beck’s son Valuing sound over everything, regardless of instrument or genre His time as president of PAS and helping the organization become more inclusive and outward-looking Here's our Patreon Here's our Youtube Here's our Homepage

    1h 10m

Ratings & Reviews

4.9
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

With close to 500 episodes and counting, Working Drummer Podcast is the source for those interested in what it’s like to be a professional drummer. Hosted by Matthew Crouse and Zack Albetta, Working Drummer covers it all with a dynamic range of pro drummers who represent many different genres and scenes. Each weekly interview features a different performer, sometimes with a less recognizable name, but always with an impressive and distinct body of work. This unique approach has garnered a loyal audience hungry for unfiltered stories about making a living as a musician today.

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