Pete's Percussion Podcast - Pete Zambito

Pete Zambito
  • 5.0 (17)
  • Arts
  • Biweekly

A place for long form talk with percussionists and other compelling people.

  1. 6d ago

    Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 518 - Gabriela Ordoñez Villalobos (Part 1)

    Episode 518 - Gabriela Ordonez Villalobos (Part 1) Pete's Percussion Podcast Percussionist,  Educator, Entrepreneur, and Freelancer Gabriela Ordoñez Villalobos stops by to talk about her job as the Artistic Director of the Juventud Center at Sewá Charter School in Chihuahua (Mexico) and her freelancing career (03:40), her work setting up and running the Festival Internacional de Percusiones de Chihuahua, the challenges and successes there, and the grant writing process (18:35), growing up in Chihuahua, her father’s love of rock music, her background in drumset, Mexico’s Rock music scene, music education in Mexico and Mariachi Programs in the U.S. (38:40), and talks about her experiences at the Chihuahua Conservatory of Music, her years in gymnastics, and eventually earning the full-time timpani position in Chihuahua (01:00:20). Finishing with a Rave on the 2016 film Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (01:30:00). Gabriela Ordoñez Villalobos links: Gabriela’s Flamenco Music Dissertation Gabriela’s Instagram Feed Other Links: El Sistema in Venezuela Timothy Jones Dean Gronemeier Maná Zeferino Nandayapa Raves: Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping trailer

  2. Oct 22

    Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 517 - Morgan Parker (Part 2)

    Episode 517 - Morgan Parker (Part 2) Pete's Percussion Podcast New York City-based drummer and percussionist Morgan Parker returns to talk about moving to leaving Kansas and heading to NYC after undergrad, the pandemic occurring during her NYU masters, studying with great teachers and getting connected, and taking tap dance lessons (03:00), then settles in for the Random Ass Questions, including segments on the importance of listening to recordings, Morgan’s experiences as a woman in the percussion world, great movies and books, bad jobs, crazy live gigs, and experiencing newer artists live (27:25). Finishing with a Rave on the 2026 film Primetime (01:11:25). Morgan Parker Links: Part 1 with Morgan Parker Morgan Parker’s website Morgan Parker’s Maestra Page Other Links: Jonathan Haas James Saporito Valerie Naranjo In the Heights Hamilton Muscle Shoals Sound Studio The Rocky Horror Picture Show trailer Dude, Where's My Car? trailer Back to the Future trailer Back to the Future Part 2 trailer Ferris Bueller’s Day Off trailer The Breakfast Club trailer The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F___ - Mark Manson Keith Moon Drum Solo John Bonham Drum Solo Jack Stack BBQ Pancho’s Mexican Food YUNGBLUD Travis Barker: Louder Than Fear trailer Raves: Primetime trailer

  3. Oct 15

    Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 516 - Morgan Parker (Part 1)

    Episode 516 - Morgan Parker (Part 1) Pete's Percussion Podcast New York City-based freelancing drummer and percussionist Morgan Parker stops by to talk about her career in NYC, her recent 2-year tour with A Beautiful Noise, and her upcoming PASIC performance supporting Valerie Naranjo (04:00), her work as a Broadway sub, and what 2 years of touring meant for her gear and how she managed her physical and mental health (22:35), growing up in rural Kansas, getting involved in music and how it saved her life, the importance of musical style, how she manages social media (50:20), and the importance of her teachers in and out of her years at Kansas Wesleyan University, attaining both music performance and music education degrees simultaneously, and her experiences in student teaching (01:21:10). Finishes with a Rave on the 2000s TV Series Slings & Arrows (01:43:25). Morgan Parker Links: Morgan Parker’s website Morgan Parker’s Maestra page Previous Podcast Guests mentioned: Mackenna Tolfa in 2026 Other Links: A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical MJ The Musical Fiddler on the Roof Valerie Naranjo Jonathan Haas Keith Levenson The Who The Doo Woo Project Raves: Slings & Arrows

  4. Oct 8

    Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 515: Kat Otto-Gentry

    Episode 515 - Kat Otto-Gentry Pete's Percussion Podcast Paseo Academy of Fine and Performing Arts (in Kansas City) band director and Lincoln University (MO) alum Kat Otto-Gentry stops by to talk about her new job there and the changes from her previous post at FL Schlagle High School (03:55), growing up in Kansas City, her parents the radio DJs, drumming from a young age, playing cello and sousaphone, and meeting former LU band director Rhonda Harper (16:40), Kat interviews Pete about his years teaching at Lincoln (39:00), Kat discusses her own time as an undergrad at Lincoln (58:00), her post-Lincoln career beginning at Lee A. Tolbert in KC and her learning curve about the teaching profession (01:12:30), teaching at Schlagle, replacing a legend, her thoughts on attaining future degrees, and her decision to leave her alma mater (01:21:30), and finishes with the Random Ass Questions, including segments on her experiences in the band world as a woman, grilling food, the Kansas City Chiefs, great KC Ethiopian food restaurants, and the JS Bach Cello Suites (01:45:05). Finishing with a Rave on the recent Missouri Symphony Performance of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (02:15:40). Kat Otto-Gentry Links: Paseo Academy of Fine and Performing Arts Staff Page Previous Podcast Guests Mentioned: Charles Smotherson in 2017 Other Links: F.L. Schlagle High School Youth Jazz Lincoln University Music Department Sunset Reggae with Sister G The Grand Emporium, Kansas City VH1 Save the Music Foundation Verdine White The Warm Demander Wicked trailer Team America: World Police trailer A Song For You: My Life with Whitney Houston - Robyn Crawford Black Garlic restaurant Blue Nile Cafe Yo Yo Ma on Arthur Yo Yo Ma playing JS Bach’s Cello Suite in G Major, Prelude Raves: Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in concert

  5. Oct 1

    Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 514 - Steph Davis

    Episode 514 - Steph Davis Pete's Percussion Podcast Boston-based marimbist, educator, collaborator, composer, arranger, and Africana historian Steph Davis stops by to talk about with entrepreneurial and performance career, his teaching at Boston Conservatory, living and working in Boston, and playing gyil (03:35), growing up in Orlando (FL), getting into percussion, his years as a gymnast, and his love of reading (28:50), attending Boston Conservatory for his undergrad and masters, studying with Nancy Zeltsman, moving to a new city, and getting into the foodie culture (46:05), and settles in for the Random Ass Questions, including segments on making a career on marimba, maintaining physical and mental health, the Twilight movies, Toni Morrison, and Lauryn Hill (01:13:40). Finishes with a Rave on the 2026 film Is God Is (01:42:20). Steph Davis links: Steph Davis’ website Steph Davis’ Boston Conservatory page Steph Davis’ Marimba One page Castle of Our Skins “Of Thoughts and Thinking” - Tony Lymon Previous Podcast Guests mentioned: Britton-René Collins in 2023 Julie Spencer in 2021 Other Links: Matt Sharrock Vicente Lusitano Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges Gabriela Lena Frank New Gallery Concert Series Valerie Naranjo Nancy Zeltsman Harry Potter The Twilight Saga Ender’s Game - Orson Scott Card Sweet Song - Nancy Zeltsman “Variations on Lost Love” - David Maslanka “Scenes from Mexico” - Alice Gomez Samuel Solomon Marti Epstein John Murphree Moonlight trailer Twilight trailer Song of Solomon - Toni Morrison The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill - Ms. Lauryn Hill Nicki Minaj Close Up - SBB & DBR Zora Neale Hurston’s Anthropological Legacy Raves: Is God Is trailer

  6. Sep 24

    Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 513 - Mackenna Tolfa

    Episode 513 - Mackenna Tolfa Pete's Percussion Podcast Percussionist and Freelancer Mackenna Tolfa stops by to talk about her long run with the Blue Man Group, getting the job and the physical and acting demands of the role, the daily schedule, and cooking on tour (02:10), growing up in Green Bay (WI), surrounded by music at an early age, her extensive piano and percussion background, and her fondness for the composer Sergei Rachmaninov (30:50), her undergrad years at the University of Minnesota and studying with Fernando Meza (47:30), her post-undergrad years, the Blue Man Group auditions, the importance of social media for her success, and her Broadway gigs and the Dust Bowl Radio Hour (59:25), and finishes with the Random Ass Questions, including segments on mental health in school programs, social media, thrifting, traveling, great books and music, her love of sports, and the importance of the music of AURORA (01:14:00). Finishing with a Rave on the 2000 film Miss Congeniality (01:49:30). MacKenna Tolfa links: MacKenna Tolfa’s website MacKenna Tolfa’s Instagram MacKenna Tolfa’s Facebook Previous Podcast Guests mentioned: Fernando Meza in 2020 Britton-René Collins in 2023 Eriko Daimo in 2025 Nicole Patrick in 2020 Julie Spencer in 2021 Other Links: Blue Man Group Clayton Craddock David Anania Philip Mayer Keiko Abe Kansas Billy Joel Rush Yes Josh Groban “Prelude in G minor” - Sergei Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 2 - Sergei Rachmaninov Concerto in F - George Gershwin Mean Girls The Lion King Chris Cerreto Kasey Dillon Patrick Newton Disclosure Day trailer The Odyssey trailer Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - JK Rowling The Courage to be Disliked - Ichiro Kishimi Alexander Scriabin Graystone Ale House Erling Haaland Jordan Love AURORA Raves: Miss Congeniality trailer

  7. Sep 17

    Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 512 - Michelle Colton

    Episode 512- Michelle Colton Pete's Percussion Podcast Toronto-based Percussion Educator, Composer, and Freelancer Michelle Colton stops by to talk about her sessional teaching work at the University of Toronto, teaching in the local school district, and the freelancing scene there (03:25), her time as the Ontario Chapter President of PAS (19:15), growing up in Marion (IA), her musical family, soul and funk music, marching band, and marathon running (25:50), attending the University of Iowa for undergrad, her wide variety of experiences there, and eventually meeting her husband Alejandro Cespedes (41:50), going to the University of Toronto for her grad degrees, studying with lots of great professors, and her dissertation on percussion gestures (50:25), and finishes with the Random Ass Questions, including segments on developing well-rounded percussionists, being a woman in the percussion world, keeping up her mental and physical health, great food, audiobooks, and her compositional inspirations (01:09:20). Finishing with a Rave on a recent University of Missouri Faculty Music Recital (01:38:00). Michelle Colton Links: Michelle Colton’s website Michelle Colton’s YouTube page Michelle Colton’s University of Toronto page Previous Podcast guests mentioned: Victoria Sparks in 2018 She-e Wu in 2025 Michael Schutz in 2025 Todd Meehan in 2017 Other Links: Alejandro Céspedes Community Music Schools of Toronto NewJeans “Havana” - Camila Cabello “Tom Sawyer” - Rush Canadian Percussion Network Tom Mackey Pure Funk “Natural Woman” - Aretha Franklin “Stay” - Lisa Loeb “If I Ain’t Got You” - Alicia Keys “If” - Janet Jackson Keiko Abe Iowa Flood of 2008 John Rudolph Dan Moore Dane Richeson Anthony Di Sanza Orlando Cotto NEXUS Beverley Johnston Christopher Lamb Margaret Atwood Russell Hartenberger Steve Reich Christos Hatzis Mississauga Children’s Choir Liquidrum’s Marimba Moves Tomaso’s Pizza Me - Elton John The Woman in Me - Britney Spears Becoming - Michelle Obama Spare - Prince Harry Born a Crime - Trevor Noah “Uninvited” - Alanis Morisette and Brandi Carlile “Adia” - Sarah McLaughlin Unsuk Chin Raves: Mizzou School of Music Faculty

  8. Sep 10

    Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 511 - Domenico Zarro

    Episode 511 - Domenico Zarro Pete's Percussion Podcast New Jersey-based percussionist, educator and researcher Domenico Zarro stops by to talk about our Italian names, living and teaching in New Jersey, his college teaching doctorate and his research interests (06:45), the Percussion Student Blog and Pete’s experience with it (28:30), growing up in Bergen County (NJ), his early percussion experiences and his connections to many great percussion educators, marching in VFW parades, improvisation in performance, and his thoughts on the current state of percussion education (40:15), his wide-ranging teaching career and further considerations for future percussion teachers (01:19:40), and settles in for the Random Ass Questions, including segments on clothing, Turner Classic Movies and classic film stars and directors, Ron Chernow books, New York sports, and the art of Americana (01:31:00). Finishing with a Rave on the 2026 film Obsession (02:01:10). Domenico Zarro links: Zarro Percussion Foundations Series for Band Perspectives of Percussion Pedagogues Domenico’s article on Ney Rosauro’s Marimba Concerto No. 1 Music for Percussion - Domenico Zarro Previous Podcast Guests mentioned: Neil Grover in 2023 Other Links: John H. Beck Murray Houllif James L. Moore John S. Pratt Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra Ed Uribe Modern Method for Timpani - Saul Goodman Modern School for Xylophone, Marimba, and Vibraphone - Morris Goldenberg Portraits in Rhythm - Tony Cirone Twelve Studies for Snare Drum - Frederic Delecluse Buster Bailey Ray DesRoches National Conference on Percussion Pedagogy Gordon Gottlieb Leonard Bernstein Georg Solti Bill Cahn Percussion Instruments and Their History - James Blades Geary Larrick Man of La Mancha Alan Abel Stanley Leonard Danny Gottlieb Jonathan Haas Tom Stubbs Douglas Howard Benjamin Herman Arnie Lang The Thin Man trailer The Searchers trailer You Can’t Take It With You trailer The Maltese Falcon trailer Pat and Mike trailer Key Largo trailer The Quiet Man trailer John Ford Frank Capra Alexander Hamilton - Ron Chernow Washington - Ron Chernow The Making of the American Mind - Matthew Spalding Don Mattingly 1986 Mets Highlights “Sleigh Ride” - Leroy Anderson “Fanfare for the Common Man” - Aaron Copland Norman Rockwell Raves: Obsession trailer

See All (100)

5
out of 5
17 Ratings

About

A place for long form talk with percussionists and other compelling people.

Information

You Might Also Like