The Drummer Mindset Podcast

This is my first return guest. Yahzay has been incubating with his new record over the past several months, maybe his whole life. He colabs with some of the best musicians around. He's been doing a lot of work, personally and professionally and that's what this album Lionheart is all about. It was an honor to check back in with him and get a sense of his studio. You must see him play with Get Right Band wherever they play. You can still catch him play live every Monday with Rahm, Caromia, and Danny Iannucci at 5 Walnut Wine Bar in DT AVL. If you haven't been in a while you need to go back because they are breaking out all new material these days and they continue to develop musically. Follow Yahzay on IG and download/listen to his work from the links below! Thanks for listening. Spotify https://open.spotify.com/album/5MQz0eOsNLWMmHRgSeqkqx?si=3XbojqJ-SWaZ8vPQVeDpGA Bandcamp https://yahzay.bandcamp.com/album/lionheart Follow him on IG @yahzay

Micah has an inspiring story about his transition to full time professional drumming. Check out his recording with Tall Tall Trees, Brushfire Stankgrass, and Jason DeCristofaro's latest album, Falconry. Go see him live every week at The Foundry Hotel on Saturday nights and Hemingway's every Tuesday evening. Follow him on IG @micahleighwoodthomas Jason DeCristofaro - Falconry https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_OY0Nq9cCo Brushfire Stankgrass https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=593QHWDnRZw Tall Tall Trees https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boHJHPlfavw

I think most of the musicians in Asheville have heard of Ted or have trusted him with mixing their music. He's also an incredibly talented musician with next level chops on bass and drums. You can catch him playing drums with Ashes and Arrows, a country/rock vocal trio based here in Asheville with origins stretching all the way to New Zealand. You can also check out his project, Tu Koyote, with Jaze "Yahzay" Uries on youtube and spotify. OR you can go back and hear his bass playing with Caitlyn Krisko and The Broadcast on their album Battlecry. If you're catching this episode when it releases you can catch him playing with Ashes and Arrows live 3/16/2024 at Asheville Music Hall with support by Hustle Souls. Check out his IG: https://www.instagram.com/tedmarksmusic

River Guerguerian is a percussionist and composer that has toured the world sharing and in search of sound. His parents observed his love of percussion early. He was the kid in school obsessed with transcribing drum solos by greats like Elvin Jones and Max Roach and would go on to study music from around the world. He is as comfortable with the limits of a single frame drum as he is with his world drum set including typical western trap kit pieces like bass and tom toms along with drums from around the world including the djembe, doumbek, and several other instruments. If you are reading this soon after it is released you can catch him live with his group, Free Planet Radio, in Asheville at the AyurPrana Listening Room on March 16, 2024. You can also see him performing at Big Ears Music Festival with Min Xaio-Fen for a commission from the Smithsonian Institution to compose soundtracks for two Chinese historical silent films, Romance of the Fruit Peddler and Romance of the Western Chamber. River is also the music director at Odyssey Community School in Asheville, NC and is the founder of Rhythm Asheville. Conversations with River during private music lessons were on of the inspirations for me in starting this podcast. River's website https://www.guerguerian.com/ Free Planet Radio https://www.freeplanetradio.com/ Asheville Rhythm https://www.ashevillepercussionfestival.com/ Tickets for his show at AyurPrana Listening Room https://stagehoundtix.com/events/freeplanetradio Big Ears Festival https://bigearsfestival.org/event/min-xiao-fen-with-river-guerguerian/

Benjamin Falcon has been contributing to the Asheville music scene for the past 12 years since attending the music program at UNCA in several ways. Asheville drummers should check out the Ashevill Drummers' Guild on Facebook for for novel solutions to drummer tech problems, gear for sale, and occasional fill-in gig opportunities. Go see Ben on drums with his Phish project, The Lumpy Heads, at Asheville Music Hall's One Stop in downtown Asheville, NC every Thursday at 10pm. You can also see him on drums with the American roots outfit, Abby Bryant & The Echoes. Once in a blue moon you will catch him as the frontman for JLloyd's Mashup presentation of the Paul Simon Tribute. It is truly spot on.

Joe is entered the Asheville music scene just a couple of years ago and is making a big impact. On this episode he shares how he pushed past the compulsion to kill on the drums every time he plays and how it has given him new energy to put into his music. I highly recommend checking out this artist whenever and wherever you can. He can be seen with his band Sugar Bomb with Jacob Bruner and Eli Kahn, sitting in Mood Ring, and several other projects. He can be found on IG @electric.jophis Sugar Bomb is @sugarbombjazz He gave us another amazing playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6J5ktLNH0bS0ih9tsmGqEM?si=394a671317ba4347 Feel free to reach out to me on https://www.drummermindset.com/contact Don't miss out on the amazing live musical talent in Asheville or wherever you live.

Thom is an incredible multimedia artist and musician that puts out monster sounds that can disturb your sensibilities as easily as soothe them. We had a lovely chat and I was honored to have him over to learn more about what makes him tick and for him to grace my drums. I was amazed at how easily he seemed to adapt to a kit not set up for him and without his usual double kick rhythms. You'll get a chance to hear his solo at the end of this conversation. Check out his IG for some inspirational and truly original content. Don't miss his link tree with so much original music of the last several years. @thom_nguyen__ Backline some of his gear! www.batteriabackline.com His Drummer Mindset Playlist contribution: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1FsCyxEflpIL4Hnwjp0qdK?si=6a4977a9fa794213 Go see him live! The folllowing dates are for 2024 Feb 4th - Brett Naucke duo GAZA Benefit at Static Age Feb 9th - Vurn at Static Age Feb 10th - Vurn at the Cave (Chappel Hill) Feb 22nd - Min Xiao-Fen, Mari Ohta Trio at Folkmoot Center Feb 28th - Wind Cults at BMCM March 1st - Drums of Doom (Scott Middleton*, Elanti, & I) at Eulogy *Scott Middleton did the podcast! Go back and check it out here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drummer-mindset-podcast/id1695051119?i=1000638723699 Please don't forget to like, comment, subscribe, leave a review, follow, and share with your drummer and musical friends. Also let me know if you have a drummer you'd like to hear on the podcast. Thanks for listening!

Rahm Mandelkorn has been playing music in Western North Carolina and beyond for the past 23 years. Rahm Squad is his project that includes some of the best players in/around Asheville, NC. He was also the guitarist that Claude Coleman, Jr. of Ween chose for his solo project, Amandla (also with Yahzay on drums). I've been a fan of the Monday night crew at 5 Walnut Wine Bar in downtown Asheville for a while now. In fact, I've had each of those players on the podcast. Go back and listen to Jaze "Yahzay" Uries on episode 1, Caromia on episode 5, and Danny Iannucci on episode 12. I was lucky enough to play with Rahm during the early funk jam at One Stop in Asheville a few weeks ago. It was a blast. Go see Rahm Squad at Eulogy in Asheville with Sugar Bomb and balm. on February 3rd, 2024 at 7pm! GET TICKETS HERE! Links: His album, Sojourn, on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/artist/0pWmKwQKrlPnpuSyixy9xD?si=STk68pRCR-eke3_QqDuo_w Claude Coleman, Jr's project supported by Rahm: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6ntFg3SNXDIEfnUXGnG7f5?si=krELQunMSVm5bauSR5fUXQ IG: @rahmsquad FB: RahmSquad Youtube: Rahm Squad Live WNCW Studio B https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMJXkiX-MEY Rahm Squad Live I Am AVL at Salvage Station 2/10/23 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-u6VPYnZzA

Jamie is a sought after drummer. He's recorded several projects and toured with Shooter Jennings, Duff McKagan, Samantha Fish, Jesse Dayton, and many more. I first became aware of Jamie when I stumbled into a club in Ft Collins, CO on the recommendation that Samantha Fish was a ripper. The whole band was destroying! I felt like a newborn baby with the idea that I had never heard of her before. If you haven't yet, make yourself aware of this artist and the personnel that supports her. I reached out to Jamie and he graciously carved out some time to sit and chat while the band was in Asheville on their US tour this past Fall. Unfortunately, the rock show was cancelled due to malfunctioning systems at the venue. Hopefully, they'll come back soon. When Jamie isn't touring or recording he enthusiastically teaches math to high schoolers. In this episode he shares just how that informs his mindset and how he engages with other musicians and develops/hones his drumming skills. Jamie supports Duff McKagan on Jimmy Kimmel Live! https://youtu.be/qRyDG2ev4rQ?si=g1R8eYn5vXKeFnWi Check out Jamie’s playlist of his recording projects. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0ZTZK3vokEEsKMCqayZnGX?si=1juFQ8loRPGzTSckeJKQMQ&pi=u-4OunTBKHSSGg Follow him on IG @drumsetartist Watch him on KEXP Live with Duff McKagan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-DzCTPZRpU&t=167s Watch him destroy his drum set playing with Sam Fish. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/vDO0aAmuGPE Here is a great educators' podcast where Jamie shares his enthusiasm for teaching math and tries to break some of the negative feelings many of us have about math. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-5-jamie-douglass-on-exponents-and-emotions/id1553657980?i=1000534703122

Adam Chase has been playing music all his life. He and his brother, Matthew Chase, headed the band Black Eyed Susan from high school through college that caught the attention of so many ears. This allowed them the opportunity to play with artists like Aerosmith, Crosby, Still & Nash, Wyclef Jean and many more. Since then he developed talent as music director, composer, and band leader and continues to create incredible tribute projects like Jazz is Phish, The James Brown Dance Party, and A Family Affair (tribute to Sly & The Family Stone). He also created Dab Sessions to celebrate improvisation. These projects have allowed him to collaborate with some of the best musicians of our era including Jeff Sipe, Adam Deitch, Domi and JD Beck, Jonathan Scales, Jeff Coffin, Felix Pastorius, Clyde Stubblefield, Dennis Chambers, Billy Martin, and Claude Coleman, Jr. The list goes on. After sitting down to talk with him it became clear to me that he has been able to work with so many greats, not just because he's a great musician (and he is), but also because he has focused on developing and cultivating relationships. It's clear he's not just in it for himself. Check out his latest band, Chess Club, where he and Danny Darress inject humor into well crafted melodies and rhythms. Learn more about him at https://www.creationsofadam.com/ Find him on IG @adamchasemusic and @chessclubrulez Follow Drummer Mindset on IG @drummermindset or on YouTube @drummermindset I invite you to rate, review, follow, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

A few things I learned in this episode: 1. Building drums can provide a special understanding of the relationship of sound to the individual artists and their audiences. 2. What we are looking for in a sound or a drum isn’t really what the drum is or was in that recording or what you even heard live. 3. Much like learning to be a parent of a child, you have to learn to let go of expectation and be open to the character and quality of the drum presented to you. We go deep into some of the technical aspects of drum building and sonic details of making music. Jeff kindly brought some of his handiwork to the studio. All I can say is that if you are interested in independent, individually crafted drums you need to check them out. I invite you to leave a 5 star review and comment or drop me a line and let me know what you think. Links: https://www.drummermindset.com/contact https://www.carolinadrumworks.com/ His appearance on Behind The Backline Podcast

Austn Haynes is a poet and producer from Asheville, North Carolina. He is a founding member of the hip hop group Free Radio. He is as much facilitator of music/creation as he is a creator. He's collaborated with Government Mule to remix their song Black Horizon. He also works with John Medeski and Jeff Firewalker Schmitt to produce their podcast Saint Disruption. In this episode we discuss some ways that hip hop influences the drummers and beat makers of other styles of music, technology as an instrument, and ways to stay engaged with the creative process even when we are not actively creating. Thoughtful guy enthusiastic about art. Give Free Radio a listen and follow them on their instagram page. I invite you to comment, like, subscribe, and review The Drummer Mindset Podcast! Drummer Mindset IG @drummermindset. Follow me on YT @drummermindset. Austn's IG pages: @austn_space @freeradio4all website: https://www.freeradio4all.com/ Saint Disruption Podcast: https://www.saintdisruption.com/podcast

Scott Middleton is a drummer doing admirable work. When he's not commanding the stage with Bask he's helping and teaching people with neurological, physical, and mental disabilities use music to heal. Learn more about the work he does with The Rhythmic Arts Project (TRAP) at https://traplearning.org/. ALSO! His band, Bask, cannot be missed! They are wrapping up a 10 year anniversary tour and plan to get back into the studio very soon. Buy their album and cool merch at their socials and bandcamp. Admirable drummer! If you appreciate this project please like, sub, and comment! Follow Bask on IG @baskband Find their merch and music on bandcamp at https://basknc.bandcamp.com/merch

Nik is a seasoned drummer that has been playing with Empire Strikes Brass for the past 8 years. https://www.empirestrikesbrass.com/ You can see him play with members of ESB at the Asheville Music Hall One Stop for the early jam every Tuesday night at 7pm. A good place to get into a musical situation with very capable players in a welcoming setting. https://www.ashevillemusichall.com/ His taste is eclectic and he gets to showcase different styles with ESB and other groups in the area. As at home on second-line brass ensembles as he is playing reggae, Middle Eastern percussion, Led Zeppelin covers, and soul. See my IG page @drummermindset for video of their No Quarter cover. He pays attention to the new talent that seems to come through Asheville regularly. Not just that but he is clearly a fan and uses his time on the pod to recognize those that impress and inspire him. A committed family man, he also shares the importance of being there for his family and sharing the healing nature of music. He has recently been recognized as an official Lake Eden Arts Festival (LEAF) musician and will be starting drum corps with them very soon. You can support LEAF Global at their website. https://theleaf.org/ This episode was recorded at the Sound Space at Rabbits - An awesome rehearsal space in downtown Asheville. https://www.soundspaceavl.com/ Thanks so much for listening and don't forget to follow, like, subscribe, and leave me a 5 star review!

Erik Hargrove played drums with James Brown and The Soul Generals (AKA The Soul G's) in the late 90's and early aughts. After James Brown's death he went on world tour with Bootsy Collins for "A Tribute to James Brown" and later with Bootsy Collins & His Rubber Band. Erik has played with countless other notable artists and has taken demanding drum gigs including first drum chair for Ringling Bros. Circus. Learn more about his career on his website. In this episode he talks about some of the difficulties and rewards in working such demanding gigs. He also talks for the first time about some outrageous things that can occur in the production of these shows. In preparation for this conversation I found some great conversations with other podcasts. If you want to learn more about Erik and his drumming career check out his episodes on The Drum Candy Podcast and The Double Jab Podcast.

I can't get over how many times I say I can't get over how much talent there is in Asheville, NC. Logan Jayne is one of the reasons. He's a thoughtful dude that grew up in Asheville and has been a first call drummer, probably since he started playing. He pays tribute to his family and friends for support and inspiration. Logan can be seen playing with Magenta Sunshine and Chilltonic in Asheville and elsewhere when on tour. This episode was recorded October 11, 2023, very soon after his mentor and friend, Joey K, passed away. He honors Joey and processes the grief in a beautiful and fitting way as he continues creating music. Look out for the new album by Magenta Sunshine coming soon! Make sure to check out his IG! https://www.instagram.com/funksouldier/?hl=en Magenta Sunshine https://www.instagram.com/magenta_sunshine/?hl=en Chilltonic https://www.instagram.com/chilltonic/?hl=en Here's a link to a tribute written by one of the many musicians with whom Joey K performed. https://www.50pluslivingwnc.com/single-post/remember-joey-k-the-sudden-death-of-my-friend

David was born into the music industry. From an early age he was able to share space with many of the greats, including Buddy Rich, as human and not celebrity. He's garnered success as a session drummer, music producer, synth composer, and vocalist. In this episode he shares his methods for making creation, promotion, family, and play work. He is enthusiastic about sharing ideas with artists on how to make their art work for them financially and how to avoid getting pulled into many of the business and promotional practices that do not serve them. His appearance on Unmistakable Creative Podcast: https://podcast.unmistakablecreative.com/the-universal-language-of-music-with-david-johnson/ Directorial debut in Patch CV: Controlling Voltage https://www.amazon.com/Patch-CV-Controlling-Morton-Subotnick/dp/B08DLN94MF David is a Paiste Artist: https://www.paiste.com/en/musicians/david-johnson

Delia Detritus is an artist working in London in multiple mediums from noise art to drumming to wood working and conceptual sculpture. She has also found ways to deal with her autism spectrum disorder and ADHD through drumming and art. The playlist for this one is incredible and I will continue to explore the artists that inspire her for a long time.

This is the most exciting new drummer to me ever. No cap. I love hearing this drummer over all others. My daughter, June Puryear, is 7 years old and has been playing the drums since she was 2. She began playing intently when she got her own kit last Christmas. She LOVES music and can be found reading sheet music or matching harmonies and learning lyrics with whomever is playing on the speakers - but mostly Taylor Swift. She also loves graphic novels and cheese pizza as you're about to hear. Look out for her upcoming podcast, TOYS. Release TBD. Enjoy! #kidsondrums #drummerlife #kidsmusic #drummerfam #floatingluxery

Eliza Hill has been playing in Asheville bands since she was a kid. She approaches the drums a little differently than most of the guests on this show. Check out her contributions on most of Andrew Scotchie's albums, The Smoky Mountain Sirens, and Istari. You can also see her live with Tight! We cover several things including her freeform approach to drumming, navigating band politics, and imposter syndrome. Her rock performances are also an opportunity to explore stage fashion. She's a powerful drummer and it was a great conversation! Enjoy! Follow her on IG: https://www.instagram.com/lizadrummer/?hl=en Go see her live: https://www.instagram.com/tight_rock/?hl=en This is another great podcast and where I began learning about her: https://jph.buzzsprout.com/1406740/11832229 Her contribution to Andrew Scotchie: https://open.spotify.com/album/1LAHmAL58pgEpmGjJC0mKJ?si=8ZUFWeyVQt-Bvg67O-Jcyg Her contribution to Smoky Mountain Sirens: https://open.spotify.com/album/31PB9a03XAMlKjz2OCEsMC?si=SuWS_OvoSFyt6AJFe3TmYA