The Drum Shuffle

Dirty Honey is a band that proves that Rock and Roll is still alive and well.  The power-groove drumming of Corey Coverstone is currently propelling the band to sold out shows across the country.  The first and only band to top the Billboard charts without record label support, these young men mean serious business without taking themselves too seriously.  On episode 088, Jamie catches up with Cor...

Jamie is joined once again by Dena Tauriello to discuss her career on Broadway as an in-demand drummer.  When Dena was on the show last, (episode 051) she was just wrapping up the Head Over Heels musical.  She is now working on the Little Shop of Horrors production and recently completed the recording of the cast album for the show.  On episode 087, Dena and Jamie discuss what the transition is li...

Rod Elkins started drumming professionally at age 12 in his dad's country band, The Elkins Brothers.  Growing up in a musically-rich family tradition in Huntington, West Virginia, his early start has paid dividends for him.  Not only was he paying dues with his family's group, he also spent his youth forming bands with his classmates, ultimately ending up doing hundreds of gigs in his hometown ear...

Fred Eltringham had a very busy 2019.  Not only is he Sheryl Crow's full-time touring and recording drummer, he also recorded with Willie Nelson, Vince Gill, Miranda Lambert, among many others.  He also appears regularly on Skyville Live as the house drummer for that incredible show.  On episode 085, Fred and Jamie discuss his start as a drummer in the Philadelphia suburbs, his early influences, m...

On episode 084, our friend Doug "Cosmo" Clifford stops by for an in-depth look back on his amazing career with Creedence Clearwater Revival and Creedence Clearwater Revisited.  It could be argued that CCR was the world's first Americana band, but without question, they were the flag-bearers for American Roots music from 1968 through 1972.  In that short four-year span, they released seven classic...

On episode 083, Brendan Buckley returns to catch up on all he's been up to over the past year.  Brendan shares how he landed a gig with Perry Farrell and the tour that followed.  He also talks about his day-to-day routine being a high-demand drummer and offers exceptional advice on how to keep working toward your goals.  This is a great and truly inspiring interview with one of the world's busiest...

Joe McCarthy should be a mentor to every drummer.  His playing is both brilliant and creative, his work ethic is strong, and his experience is second-to-none.  As leader and founder of the New York Afro Bop Alliance Big Band, he has one heck of a band.  A Latin Grammy winner, the group's newest release "Upwards" is sure to garner similar industry attention.  On episode 082, Joe and Jamie discuss J...

Kent Aberle is a prime example of hard work and hustle paying massive dividends in the music world.  Growing up in rural Illinois, Kent started drumming at a very young age and was forming bands by his teens.  He completely immersed himself in the local music scene and became THE in-demand drummer.  He soon decided to relocate to Atlanta to explore bigger opportunities in a larger city.  He quickl...

John DeChristopher is a wealth of drum related knowledge and stories.  After growing up in Massachusetts, he relocated to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the music industry.  After working for Simmons for several years he became the first artist relations representative for an upstart custom drum company, Drum Workshop.  He relocated back to Boston during this time and in 1989 he was asked to me...

Samuel Torres moved to the United States from his native Columbia in 1999 and has been an in-demand percussionist since that time.  His touring and recording credits include Arturo Sandoval, Shakira, Paquito D'Rivera, Tito Puente, Ricky Martin, Jeff "Tain" Watts, and Chic Corea.  On Episode 079, Samuel discusses his early years as a percussionist, his education, making the move to the United State...

Israeli-born drummer, Dor Herskovits is creating some of the finest Jazz music available today.  His terrific drumming can be heard on his newest release under his name, Flying Elephants and on Earprint's new release Easy Listening.  Both albums showcase both his incredibly musical drumming and superb composition skills.  On episode 078, Dor joins Jamie for an in-depth review of both records as we...

Josh Feldstein has been drumming since age 11.  He has always been a jazzer...He formed the Verve Jazz Ensemble in 2006 and since that time, the group has released six studio albums.  Five of those releases have charted in the top 10 of JazzWeek, their 2018 effort, Connect The Dots, hit number 1, and the current album, Night Mode, has been in the top 10 for the past five straight weeks.  This is a...

Dony Wynn remembers so vividly the day he fell in love with music and wanted to become a drummer.  He started playing at a very early age and became a pro as an early teen.  Using a fake mustache to play in the bars, he was a well-seasoned drummer by the time he moved to Los Angeles.  On episode 076, Dony talks about his early years, joining the great Robert Palmer's band for 20 plus years, tourin...

Rodney Edmonson started drumming early.  He was playing gigs by his early teens in his native Virginia.  His first thought was to become a music teacher or band director until he came to the realization that he'd rather play than teach after his first year of college.  He soon found himself relocating to Nashville where he began his journey trying to make a living as a drummer.  On episode 075, Ro...

Hot Tuna, NRBQ, Rusted Root, and Bill Frisell are all a part of Harvey Sorgen's discography.  It that weren't enough, he has just released the superb, New Origin, with his own trio.  On episode 074, Harvey joins Jamie for a career-spanning interview that covers a lot of ground.  Harvey shares some insights into the master classes that he teaches, his approach to improvisation, and how to make musi...

Cindy Goldberg is a Canadian drummer and filmmaker.  She began drumming as an adult and it quickly became a true passion for her.  Cindy quickly noticed that men vastly outnumbered women in the drumming world which created a true sense of "sisterhood" among female drummers.  This led her to film a short documentary focusing on female drummers.  The overwhelming response to this short film led her...

Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez is a living legend within the drumming community.  Growing up in Cuba in a large musical family, he was destined to be a drummer.  He immersed himself into the instrument and scored a job at EGREM studios in Havana where he would record sessions for up to 20 hours each day.  After thousands of hours of practice, touring, and recording he decided to apply for asylum in...

Ed Toth has spent the past 15 years drumming in The Doobie Brothers.  Prior to that, he was a member of the multi-platinum band Vertical Horizon.  As if those two entries on a resume weren't enough, Ed is also in constant motion when he's not on the road doing session work and playing gigs in dozens of different groups.  Ed's first gig was in his dad's Top 40 band when he was 11 and he hasn't slow...

Matt Slocum is one of the great Jazz drummers in the US right now.  His terrific new release, Sanctuary, highlights his abilities as a drummer and composer within this record's trio setting.  On episode 070, Jamie catches up with Matt to discuss his beginnings as a drummer in Wisconsin, his move to Los Angeles to study at USC's Thornton School of Music, then his move to New York where he has been...

Jerry Pentecost is a Nashville native that seems to be everywhere in the Americana world these days.  "I try to be a virus in the best way possible," as Jerry puts it.  Some recent accolades for Jerry include a feature in Modern Drummer, being nominated for Instrumentalist of the Year by the Americana Music Association, and serving as the house drummer for the AMA's awards and honors show for the...

Mark Walker is an amazing drummer with amazing stories to share.  After growing up in Chicago, Mark spent a decade in New York playing with the likes of Paquito D'Rivera, Ralph Towner, Michel Camilo, and Lyle Mays.  Making his home in Boston for the past 13 years, he is a first-call drummer to the greatest names in Jazz.  On episode 068, Mark and Jamie discuss his new album, You Get What You Give,...

Logan Todd is a young up-and-coming drummer originally from Memphis, TN.  After moving to Nashville to attend Belmont University, he stayed in the Music City to start his career.  Logan is currently touring with the Jason Lee McKinney Band, doing session work, and producing other artists' projects.  On episode 067, Logan joins Jamie in The Drum Shuffle studio to talk about his career, the state of...

Shawn Pelton hardly needs an introduction in the drumming community.  Having recording credits as diverse as Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Pink, Sheryl Crow, Van Morrison, and Pavarotti, it goes without saying that he is an in-demand session drummer with nearly unmatched versatility.  Shawn may be best-known as the drummer on Saturday Night Live since 1992; however, that is only...

Rob Mount started drumming at an early age in his hometown of Rochester, New York.  When he reached early adulthood, he set out to be a professional musician.  After a couple of early trials in the music business, his story almost had a different outcome.  After those letdowns, he took a break from drumming and the music business, but he remained prepared for opportunities that would surely come h...

Innovative.  This word is heard and read constantly in the drum industry.  A lot of the time, it is marketing hype.  Josh Allen founded Independent Drum Lab in 2015 and got down to innovating.  Inde Drums have a ton of hype within the drumming world, and it is not just marketing.  Josh is a brilliant product designer, but he is a drummer first.  On episode 064, Josh sits down with Jamie to discuss...