The Upbeat Hang

Drummers are a special breed for sure and in this 45th Episode of The Upbeat Hang Duke and K Bo (Amy is off this week) explore that unique bond that timekeepers share with one another. Part of that bond is supporting one another and sharing insights on performing, technique, equipment, and, generally coping as a musician. When done in a group setting some call it a "drummer's hang." Listeners will be interested to hear about what drummers talk about and why some think these performers and...

“Playing” with technology....have we crossed the line where technology is no longer just an aid to enhance our performance to where it is now a necessary component of our musical arsenal? In this 44th episode of The Upbeat Hang Duke, K Bo and Amy explore the ever-changing role that technology has played vis-a-vis many musical performers. The trio debates the pivotal question of when is too much simply too much? Just as importantly, they ask if the audience really cares if musicians...

What starts out as a discussion on the topic of sugar and its effect on health, gradually unravels as you get an honest glimpse of what happens behind every production somewhere along the line: the inevitable train-wreck. Some are visible and others are not; some are intentionally released and others just slip out; some are funny and some are cringeworthy. In this 43rd episode of The Upbeat Hang Duke, Amy, and K Bo come to you unfiltered and they bring with them various, and increasing...

Drummer, songwriter, vocalist, and model Jotan Afanador does it all and in Episode 42 of The Upbeat Hang, K Bo, Duke, and Amy find out more about this Bronx, New York, native. Best known as the drummer for international sensation Romeo Santos as well as the Latin megaband Aventura, Afanador has traveled and played around the world to huge crowds spanning various continents. Additionally, as an originator of adding drums to the “Bachata” rhythms, Afanador has made a name for himself and the...

The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame—is it reality? ...an illusion? ...or worse, a politically motivated decision? In this 41st episode of The Upbeat Hang Duke, K Bo and Amy examine the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame ahead of this year’s class of potential inductees. In particular, the trio discusses whether any of the potential inductees should be inducted, whether there are current members who do not belong, and, whether there are certain artists who have not been admitted but should be. We also examine...

In this 40th episode of The Upbeat Hang, Duke and K Bo welcome Modern Drummer writer, Russian native, and, phenom drummer Ilya Stemkovsky. Ilya has played for a number of nationally-touring groups including a long stint with the San Francisco-based electric jazz group The OM Trio who were winners of the SF Bay Guardian’s 2001 Reader’s Poll for best local jazz band. OM has also been featured in The Washington Post, The Village Voice, and, Jazz Times Magazine. Ilya has also performed with the...

The elusive “holy grail” of songwriting is finding that piece of music that people consider “timeless.” And what makes a track or an album timeless? Simply put, music that doesn’t get old and forgotten no matter when it was written. In this 39th Episode of The Upbeat Hang, Duke, K Bo, and Amy go back 50 years, all the way back to 1971, to explore and share their picks for “timeless” music from 50 years ago. As many avid fans of music history know, the year 1971 spawned a great amount of...

Even though everyone in the country just voted for their pick for president, in November of 2020, in Episode 38 of The Upbeat Hang, Duke and K Bo share their picks for president (and the accompanying cabinet members) which can only be chosen from the drummer community. Huh? Drummers for public office? Sound crazy? Well maybe, but this was a lot of fun. Tune in to find out who the guys picked for office and then BE SURE TO TELL US WHO YOU WOULD CHOOSE!.

Anger. It’s an emotion that we all deal with at some point in our life and sometimes, even on a daily basis. However, everyone’s approach as to how to handle this natural human emotion can sometimes vary greatly. In Episode 37 of The Upbeat Hang podcast, Duke and Amy share their thoughts about how to address, contain, and deal with the emotion of anger. Do you lash out? Attend therapy? Exercise? Here, listeners will get a behind-the-curtain peek as to how the two hosts of The Upbeat Hang...

In Episode 36 of The Upbeat Hang podcast, Duke, and Amy get the opportunity to sit down with Angel Ramirez, Jr., who is a founding member of the Latin pop boy band, Barrio Boyzz. The Barrio Boyzz hit the scene in the 1990s when they placed various singles on the Billboard Latin Pop charts including their number one hit entitled, Wherever You Are (recorded as a duet with the late artist Selena, and placing on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs). The group went through line-up changes and...

In Episode 35 of The Upbeat Hang, K Bo and Duke reflect back on the year that passed since the legendary timekeeper of the band Rush, Neil Peart, had died. Peart, a household name to musicians and particularly drummers, left an impressive legacy that spans many iconic records and tours and today, that legacy is building and expanding more than ever. However, in this episode Duke introduces some pretty obscure (and interesting) facts about “The Professor” which are a bit off the beaten path....

Earlier this year, (in Episode 25, if you want the shortened version) we spoke with Tris, who was candid about many aspects of his career and his life. This talented and humble human being has toured, performed, and recorded with countless hit artists, all over the globe. In this episode, you get to see the full, unedited interview, where he talks about singing, playing the harmonica, Mitch Mitchell, Jimi Hendrix, overcoming cancer, heartbreaks, playing memorable gigs, finding his life...

If “free” ever good? In this 33rd episode of The Upbeat Hang, K Bo, Duke, and Amy examine that very premise vis-à-vis performing as a musician in the Jersey Shore cover band circuit. More specifically, is it acceptable (or even desirable) for musicians to offer their services for free to venues or, does playing for free dilute the market? Does it open doors to musicians to find “paying” work? These and similar arguments are bantered about in this engaging episode which any working musician...

“Cut!” This popular filmmaking expression has been uttered by directors for decades in the movie business and in Episode 32 of The Upbeat Hang, we visit with an up and coming director and former NYPD member, Brian Pollock. Brian is the proud recipient of the Manhattan Film Festival’s 2020 Junior Lifetime Achievement Award and in this segment, we delve into Brian’s interesting journey which began when he was a first-responder on 9/11 all the way up to his contemporary status as a filmmaker,...

In Episode 31 of The Upbeat Hang, we welcome former NFL cheerleader, fitness and beauty guru, and current commentator for Monster Jam, Kimberly Cantoni-DiRoma. Having concluded a successful career as a “Jets Flight Crew” member for the N.Y. Jets, Kimberly talks about her experiences professionally cheering (including working a Pro Bowl event), moving on to being a sports entertainment host, and, starting a family. Always an engaging and effervescent personality, Kimberly shares her thoughts...

Did you ever wonder what it would be like if one of your musical idols had never died and he or she was still alive today? What would they be doing? In Episode 30 of The Upbeat Hang, we examine this very question. After soliciting suggestions from our audience, K Bo, Duke, and Amy ponder what some of your favorite artists might be doing today. Indeed, it is an interesting proposition to debate and an even more interesting proposition to put to the imagination and in this episode, we try to...

In this fast-paced world, technology is advancing at an unprecedented pace. Indeed, that fact makes protecting your creative works a priority now, more than ever before. Enter Richard Liebowitz. In Episode 29, listeners will get to hear from Mr. Liebowitz, who is one of the nation’s preeminent copyright attorneys, as to how to go about protecting their intellectual property in this torrid landscape. As an added bonus, The Upbeat Hang solicited questions from subscribers as to what their...

For centuries, few things have captivated our imagination as much as magic and illusion and in Episode 28, K Bo, Duke, and Amy sit down the magician/comedian phenom Steven Brundage. Steven became a household name after he captured the attention of the nation on America’s Got Talent when he amazed the judges with his Rubik's cube magic tricks. Since then Steven has gone on to dazzle and perplex audiences all around the world with his wit, illusionary craftwork, and steel-trap mind techniques....

In Episode 27, K Bo, Duke, and Amy attempt to answer the age-old question which has been asked in entertainment circles since the beginning of time; who is the all-time greatest at their particular craft or instrument? In this instance, the debate centers around Led Zeppelin’s thunderous percussionist, John Bonham, and Rush’s “Professor” of the drum kit, Neil Peart. Both artists come with their own legendary status however, for as many parallels that can be seen between the two, there are...

In Episode 26, K Bo, Duke, and Amy bid goodbye to Summer 2020. In what has been nothing short of an unusual time for us all, the trio remembers best what they each took out of the recent past warm summer months. The gang also offer their first annual pre-season NFL Superbowl picks. With professional sports being slightly unpredictable this year, The Upbeat Hang weighs in on their odds-on favorite to win it all. And last but certainly not least, The Hang’s own Duke Clement has announced that...