Drummers Pathway Podcast

This episode features my conversation with drummer Paul Wertico. Based out of Chicago, Paul is highly regarded for his fearless approach, artistry and musicality. He is best known for being the legendary Pat Metheny’s drummer for 18 years, during which he recorded multiple Grammy award winning albums. Paul is a bandleader and prolific composer who has released numerous projects under his own name....

This episode features my conversation with drummer Alphonso Young Jr. Based out of Virginia, Alphonso is highly regarded for his versatility and musicality. Throughout his 50 year career, he has worked with numerous high profile jazz artists, but is best know for his work with the Eric Byrd Trio, of which he has been a member for over 20 years. Alphonso is a music teacher with the Loudoun County P...

This episode features my conversation with Andy Zildjian, who is the President  and CEO of Sabian Cymbals. Based out of Meductic, New Brunswick, the Sabian Cymbal company was established in 1981 by Andy’s father, Robert Zildjian. The company is highly regarded for its artistry and dedication to craftsmanship, focusing on traditional manufacturing processes and continuing to innovate to meet the de...

This episode features my conversation with drummer Jake Sommers.  Originally from New York and currently based in Nashville, Jake is highly regarded for his versatility and dynamic playing. He is best known as the touring drummer for country superstar Luke Combs, which is a position he has held since 2015. Discovering his passion for music at a young age, Jake went on to study music at the Univers...

This episode features my conversation with Tim Carman.  Tim is an accomplished drummer and respected educator known for his musicality and versatility across a variety of genres.  Growing up in the Boston area and currently based in Denver, his passion for drums started at a young age. He studied with several renowned teachers, honing his skills and exploring various drumming techniques. Throughou...

This episode features my conversation with Paul Quin. Based out of Tampa, Florida, Paul is a highly regarded lawyer and professional drummer who has dedicated his career to educating creative artists in navigating the industry. Born and raised just outside Liverpool, England, Paul began his career as a drummer at the age of 13 when he starting working with his older sister who was a professional s...

This episode features my conversation with drummer, Gene Champagne. Born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario, Gene is a founding member of the Juno award winning band The Killjoys. In 2016, he became the drummer for Canadian music icons, Teenage Head, a band that was very influential in his development years. Gene is also a singer and songwriter and currently is the frontman for his own project, Gene...

This episode features my conversation with drummer & motivational speaker, Angelo Pentaris. Based in Greece, Angelo was born with cerebral palsy and quadriplegia. At 4 months of age, the doctors said that he would not be able to move his arms and legs, therefore not allowing him to lead an independent life. Through the support of his parents and their belief that he would be capable of living...

This episode features my conversation with drummer, Victor Indrizzo. Based out of Los Angeles, Victor is an in-demand session drummer who is highly regarded for his creative approach and versatility. He is the current drummer for music icon Alanis Morrissette, a position he has held for over 15 years. At a young age, Victor became fascinated with the process of how records were made. This fascinat...

This episode features my conversation with drummer, Matt Starr. Born and raised in Toronto, Matt began his musical studies at the age of 5 learning the violin. At 13, it was his discovery of the Beatles and drummer Ringo Starr which launched his journey as a drummer. Matt pursued formal music education at the University Of Toronto, but after a couple of years, felt that it wasn’t what he was seeki...

This episode features my conversation with drummer, Mike Sleath. Based out of Toronto, Mike is best know as the drummer for internationally acclaimed artist, Shawn Mendes. Developing his passion for music at a young age and led by his perseverance and positivity, Mike has navigated his own way through the music industry. His energy and enthusiasm for his work is infectious and he has become highly...

On this episode, I’d like to welcome back drummer Jon “Bermuda” Schwartz for his second appearance on my podcast. Bermuda is best known as the drummer with the iconic "Weird Al" Yankovic, which is a position he has held for over 4 decades. In between projects with Weird Al, he continues to play and record with other L.A. area artists and maintains an active online presence. In our conversation we...

This episode features my conversation with drummer Chris McHugh.  Chris moved to Nashville from New Jersey in 1985 to start his professional career. Known for his rock solid grooves, he is highly regarded as one of Nashville’s most respected session drummers. His work can be found on multiple gold & platinum selling albums from artists such as Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Garth Brooks, Amy G...

This episode features my conversation with drummer, Josh Trager.  Originally from Montreal and currently based in Toronto, Josh is an accomplished musician who established a professional career after studying at the Berklee College of Music.  At the age of 20, he was personally selected by guitar legend Frank Marino to join the band Mahogany Rush and held that position until 2005. Josh is best kno...

This episode features my conversation with renowned drummer and educator, Bruce Becker.  Known for his long time affiliation with drum guru Freddie Gruber, Bruce is highly regarded as an expert in Freddie’s unique approach to understanding the principles of physical movement and its application to developing flow on the Drumset. Bruce is also an accomplished musician and went on to establish a pro...

On this episode, I’d like to welcome back Ray LeVier for his second appearance on my podcast. Based out of New York, Ray is an in demand drummer who divides his time between session work, composing and teaching. Ray recently completed work on his new book “Drumming In Flow” which is a guide to concentration, creativity and incorporating breathing techniques in drumming, which allows you to achieve...

This episode features my conversation with the legendary David Garibaldi. Best known for his work with the iconic group Tower Of Power, David is one of the most influential drummers of our generation, and a renowned educator who inspires others to explore new concepts and embrace their own creative voice. Follow David: https://www.facebook.com/davegaribaldi https://www.instagram.com/davidgaribaldi...

This episode features my conversation with drummer Aaron Spink. Known for his versatility, Aaron is a freelance musician and educator based out of Ajax, Ontario. After studying Jazz Performance at Humber College, Aaron embarked on a career that has seen him work with numerous artists in many genres in both live and studio environments. Aaron is also highly regarded as an educator and clinician and...

This episode features my conversation with drummer Allison Miller. Based out of New York,  Allison is an award winning musician, composer and educator who is highly regarded for her jazz improvisational skills showcasing her versatility and dynamic approach to the drum set.  Allison was named as a Rising Star Drummer in Downbeat magazine's 67th Annual Critics Poll and Best Jazz Drummer in Jazz Tim...

This episode features my conversation with drummer Rob “ Beatdown “ Brown. Based out of Toronto, Rob is a self taught musician who discovered his passion for drumming as a teenager and developed his skills by analyzing and playing along with the music that inspired him.  After leaving a full-time retail job to pursue a career in music back in 2012, Rob quickly circulated through the local scene pe...

This episode features my conversation with renowned drummer & educator Jim Riley. Originally growing up in Boston, Jim went on to study at the University of North Texas where he received his degree in Music Education. In 1997, he moved to Nashville and established himself as one of the most respected and versatile drummers there. For 20 years, Jim was the drummer and bandleader for the multi-p...

This episode features my conversation with drummer Davide DiRenzo. Based out of Toronto, Davide is highly regarded as one of Canada’s most versatile and in-demand drummers. He has performed and recorded around the world with a wide range of artists including Cassandra Wilson, jackSoul, Tom Cochrane, Tomi Swick, Holly Cole, David Wilcox, Molly Johnson and many more. In addition to his extensive stu...

This episode features part two of my conversation with drummer Nate Morton.  On this episode, we continue our discussion about his experiences on The Voice and Rockstar series. We also talk about his perspectives around finding success in the music industry and working to find balance in your life. If you haven’t had the opportunity yet, be sure to go back and check out episode 39 which features p...

This episode features part one of my two part conversation with drummer Nate Morton. Based out of Los Angeles, he is the highly regarded drummer for the house band on NBC’s The Voice. Previously, Nate was the drummer for the reality series Rockstar:INXS & Rockstar: Supernova, and was also part of the house band for the Bonnie Hunt Show. Nate has also worked with such diverse artists as Paul St...

This episode features my conversation with drummer David Abbruzzese. Growing up in Texas, David discovered his passion for music early on and began to develop his skills as a drummer through his work with many local bands. In 1991, through a recommendation from drummer Matt Chamberlain,  David went to Seattle to audition for Pearl Jam, who were just getting ready to release their debut album.  He...