100 episodes

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

Pete's Percussion Podcast - Pete Zambito Pete Zambito

    • Arts
    • 5.0 • 15 Ratings

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

    Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 388 - Allen Otte (Part 1)

    Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 388 - Allen Otte (Part 1)

    Retired Cincinnati Conservatory of Music Professor, co-founder of BlackEarth Percussion Group and the Percussion Group Cincinnati, and performing percussionist Allen Otte stops by to talk about his current work with an early music improvisational group and The Innocents Project with John Lane (03:50), growing up in Sheboygan, WI, playing in church and with polka bands, his beginnings in piano and percussion, and studying with Michael Rosen (32:20), attending Oberlin (OH) for undergrad and getting into improvisation and new chamber music (43:50), and his work with BlackEarth, “inhaling music” vs. building repertoire and programs, and eventually making his way to CCM (56:40).
    Finishing with a Rave on Ireland, its people, and its parades (01:17:30).
    Allen Otte Links:
    Percussion Group Cincinnati’s PAS Hall of Fame page
    The Innocents
    Previous Podcast Guest Mentioned:
    John Lane in 2023
    Other Links:
    Anthony Braxton
    “The Fall of the Empire” - Frederick Rzewski
    Herbert Brün
    Garry Kvistad
    “Guantanamera” - Pete Seeger
    “If I Had A Hammer” - Peter, Paul, and Mary
    “So What” - Miles Davis
    “My Favorite Things” - John Coltrane
    Michael Rosen
    Richard Weiner
    Cloyd Duff
    George Hamilton Green
    “Log Cabin Blues” - G.H. Green
    The Polka Belt in the USA
    “Zyklus” - Karlheinz Stockhausen
    “Concertino for Marimba” - Paul Creston
    George Szell
    Pierre Boulez
    “Oiseaux Exotiques” - Olivier Messiaen
    The Rite of Spring - Igor Stravinsky
    “Third Construction” - John Cage
    “Music for a Summer Evening” - George Crumb
    Jan Williams
    “Suite for Percussion” - Lou Harrison
    “Inuksuit” - John Luther Adams
    “Ionisation” - Edgard Varése
    “Bolero” - Ravel
    “Atmospheres” - György Ligeti
    “String Quartet” - Witold Lutoslawski
    String Quartet No. 14, Op. 131 - Ludwig van Beethoven
    Al O’Connor
    Tom Siwe
    The LaSalle Quartet
    Bill Youhass
    Raves:
    Marching Mizzou at St. Patrick’s Day Parade 2024

    Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 387 - Bill Sallak

    Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 387 - Bill Sallak

    University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Music Professor Bill Sallak stops by to talk about his job and dual role as director of percussion and audio engineering, working previously at Kent State (OH), Akros Percussion Collective, and manufacturing his own percussion items (03:20), growing up near Buffalo (NY), his interests in science and math, and watching transcendent athletes and teams (29:05), attending SUNY-Fredonia for undergrad (48:40), his research into J.S. Bach’s music transcribed for marimba (56:25), attending the University of Akron (OH) for his master’s and accompanying for modern dance (01:06:30), his sabbatical year at Ohio University and his doctoral studies at Arizona State (01:20:45), and finishes with the Random Ass Questions, including segments on flexibility in performance, making pasta sauce, Invisible Cities, great percussion music, and Barbara Kingsolver (01:35:50).
    Finishing with a Rave on Marissa R. Moss’s 2022 book Her Country (01:57:50).
    Bill Sallak Links:
    Bill Sallak’s homepage
    Bill Sallak’s UWGB page
    Bill’s version of the JS Bach Cello Suites
    Previous Podcast Guests mentioned:
    Elizabeth DeLamater in 2019
    Aiyun Huang in 2023
    Kay Stonefelt
    Other Links:
    Phoenix Studios
    Center for Games and Interactive Media
    “Mutatis Mutandis” - Herbert Brün, performed by Akros Percussion Collective
    “Bird of Passage” - Karlheinz Stockhausen
    Steven Schick
    “Piano Concerto” - Györgi Ligeti
    “Nothing is Real” - Alvin Lucier
    Michael Rector
    Larry Snider
    Thomas Siwe
    “Sextet” - Steve Reich
    Domino Hasek Highlights
    Pat LaFontaine Highlights
    Golden State Warriors 2015-2016 Highlights
    Liverpool FC wins 2020 Champions League
    Jurgen Klopp
    Mo Salah highlights
    Bernard Woma
    “Psappha” - Iannis Xenakis
    “Zyklus” - Karlheinz Stockhausen
    Jean Geoffroy
    Leigh Howard Stevens
    J.J. Quantz on Ornamentation
    Wieland Kuijken
    Merce Cunningham
    Joan Meggitt
    “The Anvil Chorus” - David Lang
    Roger Braun
    J.B. Smith
    Mark Sunkett
    Anner Bylsma - Bach Cello Suites
    Paul Tortelier - Bach Cello Suites
    Decasia trailer
    Michael Gordon and the Bang on a Can All-Stars
    Invisible Cities - Italo Calvino
    “Hold On I’m Comin’” - Sam and Dave Live
    The NOW Pizzeria - Hamburgh, NY
    “Top of the Hill” - Tom Waits
    “Tom Traubert’s Blues” - Tom Waits
    “A Valentine Out of Season” - John Cage
    Demon Copperhead - Barbara Kingsolver
    Raves:
    Her Country - Marissa R. Moss

    Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 386 - Arin Levy (Part 2)

    Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 386 - Arin Levy (Part 2)

    Denver-based sound bath specialist and freelance percussionist Arin Levy returns to talk about getting their DMA from Alabama, falling out of interest in getting a teaching job, and their personalized dissertation (01:35), getting into sound baths, moving to Denver, and working for MakeMusic (19:25), and settles in for the Random Ass Questions segment, with segments on the 432 Hz Debate, their experience in Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity, terrible jobs, the extensive Star Wars universe, the Twilight movies, traveling internationally, and Everything Everywhere All At Once (27:15).
    Finishing with a Rave with 2 films from the True/False Documentary Film Festival (01:07:10).
    Arin Levy Links:
    Part 1 with Arin Levy
    Enso Sounds
    Other Links:
    Tim Feeney
    “Reflections on the Nature of Water” - Jacob Druckman
    Pauline Oliveros TedX Talk
    “Bor——-H” - Anthony Braxton
    MakeMusic Cloud
    Schumann Resonances
    AWAKE Festival
    Biofreeze
    The Bad Batch trailer
    Twilight Saga - “Doesn’t He Own A Shirt?”
    Tao Te Ching
    The Tao of Pooh - Benjamin Hoff
    Luigi’s Restaurant in Akron, OH
    Robert McClure
    Everything Everywhere All At Once trailer
    Raves:
    Daughters
    This is Going to Be Big trailer

    Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 385 - Arin Levy (Part 1)

    Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 385 - Arin Levy (Part 1)

    Denver (CO)-based percussionist Arin Levy stops by to talk about Enso Sounds, gong selection, dealing with logistics, and the business of sound baths (03:15), growing up in Canton (OH), drum corps, playing trombone, and their involvement in theater (26:40), their undergrad years at Ohio University (36:55), going to Eastern Kentucky for master’s and teaching as a sabbatical replacement (47:00), and living in Indianapolis after the master’s degree, teaching high school drumlines, working with Jeff Queen, and freelancing (57:35).
    Finishing with a Rave on the Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra (01:03:10).
    Arin Levy Links:
    Enso Sounds
    Previous Podcast Guests mentioned:
    Becca Laurito in 2023
    Other Links:
    Gongs Unlimited
    Tim Feeney
    Steven Schick
    Pro Football Hall of Fame
    Bill Hamilton
    Glassmen DBC
    Roger Braun
    Paul Rennick
    Paschal Younge
    Jason Koontz
    Chosen Vale
    Doug Perkins
    Jeff Queen
    Raves:
    Maria Schneider’s Website

    Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 384 - Louis Raymond-Kolker

    Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 384 - Louis Raymond-Kolker

    High Point University (NC) Professor of Percussion, Theory and Composition Louis Raymond-Kolker stops by to chat about HPU, North Carolina, and teaching at Appalachian State and Winston-Salem State (02:25), getting into composing and the art of teaching composition (26:05), growing up in Austin, TX and getting into all things percussion (37:40), his undergrad years at Texas A&M-Commerce and his time in drum corps (49:05), his masters years at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (01:08:15), his gap year before heading to North Carolina, including his time as a USPS letter carrier (01:18:45), and finishes with the Random Ass Questions segment, including discussions of “The Percussion Canon”, Jhumpa Lahiri, Miyazaki movie scores, and “Dave the Diver” (01:26:45).
    Finishing with a Rave on the 2023 film The Zone of Interest (01:52:35).
    Louis Raymond-Kolker Links:
    Louis Raymond-Kolker’s website
    Louis Raymond-Kolker’s High Point University website
    Previous Podcast Guests mentioned:
    Danny Frye in 2018
    Christopher Thompson in 2020
    Dave Hall in 2020
    Brian Zator in 2017
    Other Links:
    Mat Campbell
    Brian Meixner
    North Carolina Brass Band
    Inside Out Steelband
    Austin Percussion Collective
    High Point University Community Orchestra
    Diana Loomer
    Gordon Stout
    Liam Teague
    Greg Beyer
    Greg Simon
    Partita for Eight Voices - Caroline Shaw
    Discovering the Waterfront - Silverstein
    “Remember, Marimba” - Errollyn Wallen
    “Dream of the Cherry Blossoms” - Keiko Abe
    “Time for Marimba” - Minoru Miki
    Guardians DBC
    Great Plains International Marimba Competition
    Hayao Miyazaki
    Jhumpa Lahiri
    DAVE THE DIVER
    Raves:
    The Zone of Interest trailer

    Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 383 - Blair Helsing

    Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 383 - Blair Helsing

    Percussionist, Band Leader, and Podcaster Blair Helsing stops by to talk about his life and a percussionist, band leader and percussion enthusiast (02:30), his work with the PAS Diversity Alliance and his career in Information Technology (17:25), growing up in Chicago and California (26:40), moving to the Bay Area in college, playing in bands regularly, PAS, Digital Audio Workstations, and San Francisco during the 1990s and 2000s (32:20), and finishing with the Random Ass Questions, including sections on maintaining good posture while playing drumset, Edgar Wright movies, John Cage, Hal Blaine, Ringo Starr, the final Sex Pistols show, and Rick Beato’s YouTube page (54:15).
    Finishing with a Rave on the 2021 documentary The Sparks Brothers (01:23:45).
    Blair Helsing Links:
    Blair Helsing’s LinkedIn page
    Echo Beach Jazz Band
    Previous podcast guests mentioned:
    Elizabeth DeLamater in 2019
    Heather Sloan in 2021
    Dave Gerhart in 2018
    Other Links:
    PAS Diversity Alliance
    Hurtado Brothers
    M’Boom - Max Roach et. al.
    Max Roach
    Art Blakey
    Hit Like A Girl
    Winterland Ballroom
    James Helsing
    Calypso - Harry Belafonte
    Charlie Watts
    Ringo Starr
    Drummers Collective
    Dave Casini
    Anthony J. Cirone
    Béla Fleck
    Edgar Meyer
    Zakir Hussain
    Stewart Copeland
    Gary Burton
    Steven Schick
    Eugene Novotney
    Baby Driver trailer
    The Wrecking Crew trailer
    Standing in the Shadows of Motown trailer
    Muscle Shoals trailer
    Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me trailer
    Hal Blaine
    J.R. Robinson
    Last Night in Soho trailer
    The Drummer’s Path - Sule Greg Wilson
    Where the Heart Beats - Kay Larson
    “Wonderful Tonight” - Eric Clapton
    “Go Where You Wanna Go” - The Mama’s and The Papa’s
    “Dedicated to the One I Love” - The Mama’s and The Papa’s
    Jaleo by José Andrés
    Reckless Records
    Pizza in North Beach
    Tartine Bakery
    Cozy Cole
    Earl Palmer
    The Sex Pistols’ Final U.S. Tour
    The Sex Pistols’ Final Concert - Winterland
    Darkness on the Edge of Town - Bruce Springsteen
    Rick Beato interviews Keith Jarrett
    Rick Beato interviews Pat Metheny
    Rick Beato interviews Sting
    Aimee Nolte on Beatles Bridges
    Raves:
    The Sparks Brothers trailer

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
15 Ratings

15 Ratings

Littlejapanesegirl ,

Pete is the man

Great guy, I love the people he brings on. All around chill dude with a chill voice.

dhne'onfms ,

Adam hopper

Adam hopper is the best

cjviets ,

Fantastic Resource!

The insight revealed in these deep-dive interviews with prominent percussionists (and other musicians) is invaluable!

Top Podcasts In Arts

The Bright Side
iHeartPodcasts and Hello Sunshine
Fresh Air
NPR
The Moth
The Moth
99% Invisible
Roman Mars
The Recipe with Kenji and Deb
Deb Perelman & J. Kenji López-Alt
McCartney: A Life in Lyrics
iHeartPodcasts and Pushkin Industries

You Might Also Like