Contraption Podcast

Michael Kassel

Contraption: The Drummers' Podcast features interviews with professional drummers and drum educators who share their expertise with new and returning drummers. Host Mike Kassel is a returning drummer who explores the stories and approaches of famous drummers, as well as the unsung heroes of all things drums.

  1. 02/15/2020

    Tom Lonardo: "It All Leads Back to 1"

    Memphis based drummer and drum educator Tom Lonardo has a wonderful approach to drums - play fearlessly and realize the drums are a place of peace. The son of a bass player and music store owner, much of Tom's life has been devoted to music. Learn about his path to the drums, his own drum education and his thoughts on approaching the drums. Deep stuff here, I promise!

  2. 11/15/2019

    Stanton Moore: "Be Kind to Yourself"

    When I started the podcast back in October of 2018, I had a list of people I really wanted to talk with. One of those at the top of the list was this episode's guest, Stanton Moore. Whether you know him as the drummer for Galactic, or with other bands and projects covering a wide range of styles, as a drum educator and founder of the Stanton Moore Drum Academy, as a clinician, or for his signature Crescent cymbals by Sabian or his own Stanton Moore snare drum, he is a drummer's drummer. Stanton's excellence and passion in all things drums – and all things life in general, I'm sure – make Stanton the perfect musician for the new and returning drummer to listen to and explore. In this interview, we talk about a wide variety of subjects, from high school drum programs to equipment to some wonderful tips on timing, the jazz ride pattern and, for the first time anywhere, as far as I know, anyways, a definition and demonstration of "playing in the cracks." Special note: Now that I've been back at drums for a couple of years, I decided to record the signature outro jazz ride pattern that has become our theme song.  So that's me you hear on the kit at the very end of the episode.  Let me know what you think - unless you don't like it.  After all, as Stanton advises in this episode, we've got to be kind to ourselves.

  3. 11/06/2019

    Ulysses Owens Jr.: "Let's Get Back to Basics"

    Ulysses Owens Jr. has firmly established his place in drums, from his work as a jazz drummer, educator, and author of his upcoming Hal Leonard publication on brushes. Lauded in publications like Jazz Times, All About Jazz, and The New York Times, Ulysses reputation is well deserved and firmly secured.  Keeping a busy schedule of touring, workshops, recording, producing and teaching, the Grammy award winning Owens, well known for his work with the Christian McBride Trio, remains gracious and humble, always looking to help his fellow artists, giving back the lessons he's learned.  Case in point – Owens is artistic director for Don't Miss a Beat, Inc., a youth-empowerment non profit founded by his family in his hometown of Jacksonville, Florida.  We caught up with Ulysses on the same day he was flying to a gig in the UK.  He happily shared with us his thoughts on drum education, his new Hal Leonard book on brushes, his upcoming book on the music business, and thoughts on the importance of becoming a good listener and taking the time to get back to the basics.

  4. 11/01/2019

    Cindy Goldberg: Beat Keepers

    Artist, writer, musician, drummer and filmmaker, Cindy Goldberg is getting great reception for her new feature length documentary, "Beat Keepers: Women with Rhythm." Exploring the challenges and prospects women face in the drum community. Cindy was kind enough to talk with us about her film, her path to drums, and her own empowering ideas for new and returning drummers.

  5. 10/06/2019

    Sarah Thawer: Each Limb is a Voice

    Toronto based drummer, Sarah Thawer, has been bringing Indian rhythms, infused with her incredible talent and energy, to numerous stage and recording projects.  Her love of the instrument is seen in every video and performance she graces, proving once again that those with the greatest passion for the instrument make the greatest drummers.   Sarah studied jazz and world music at York University, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude. She received the Oscar Peterson Scholarship, the highest award given by York. For all her academic achievement, Sarah, like so many of the drummer's we've talked with this first season, started playing at a very young age and never touched a drum book--technique or otherwise--until college, developing a very natural style inspired by the Indian music her father performed and listened to.

  6. 07/29/2019

    Tony TC Coleman: "I'm a Natural"

    He's been the drummer for the best of the blues, from Albert Collins to Albert King to the "King of the Blues" himself, B.B. King.  Tony TC Coleman, this episode's guest, talks about how he came to appreciate the blues and how aspiring drummers need to approach playing it. A self-confessed natural, Tony has mastered the "less is more" style, placing groove above all and making it pay off in a wonderful career that continues to keep him one of the busiest blues drummers around.  A living legend we can all learn from in an amazing "no holds barred" interview!

  7. 06/13/2019

    Tony Bartone: "Just Stay in that Groove"

    Tony Bartone has been playing drums most of his life. His early training in rudiments definitely paid off as he grew to become a working professional with some pretty high profile gigs, including a year on the set of Everyday with Joan Lunden. Today, Tony teaches a wide variety of students in his home state of New Jersey; he's also an accomplished piano player and vocalist who gigs weekly. We met up on the phone early one Saturday morning before his student's began arriving for lessons to talk about his path to drums, his professional experience, and his advice to new and returning drummers.

  8. 05/29/2019

    David Anderson: "What the Music Calls For"

    David Anderson is another drummer who came to us through our interview with legendary drum educator, Ed Soph. A student of Lee Rucker at the University of Central Oklahoma, David would also drive three hours to Denton, TX to study privately with Soph. Between Rucker and Soph, along with inspiration from his brother -- the late William Salter, a professional drummer twenty years his senior -- David made it out to LA where he is still flourishing as a working drummer and drum educator. David has toured and recorded with some incredible musicians, including Eddie Harris, Dionne Warwick, The Rippingtons, Tom Scott, Hubert Laws, Chaka Khan, and Larry Carlton, to name just a few.  For listeners serious about drumming, David is a wonderful inspiration. He had a dream from a very young age, knew what he wanted to do, and, despite his doubts, stuck with it. And that's what being a pro takes, regardless of what you're doing. It's hours and hours of practice, chasing down lessons three hours away with the best teacher you can get, knowing that the practice and learning never ends, and ultimately, having a belief that you can do it. And all of that takes courage, because devoting to something you really want takes courage. For those of us who have less ambituous dreams, like being able to play locally without embarrassing ourselves too, too much, well, that takes courage, too. And time. And practice. And a belief in yourself.  For all his success, David strikes me as an incredibly humble, grateful person; he was kind enough to share stories of his history, work, and approach to drums.

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About

Contraption: The Drummers' Podcast features interviews with professional drummers and drum educators who share their expertise with new and returning drummers. Host Mike Kassel is a returning drummer who explores the stories and approaches of famous drummers, as well as the unsung heroes of all things drums.

Information

  • Creator
    Michael Kassel
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2020
  • Episodes
    18
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Interviews and all original content copyright 2018 Michael Kassel
  • Show Website
    Contraption Podcast