#295 Brendan Mason- Drummer, Educator, Clinician and More!
This episode is sponsored by Dream Cymbals. Check out some of their hand crash cymbals and gongs!
This week’s guest is Brendan Mason. Brendan is an active teacher, performer, composer, and clinician in the New England area. He currently teaches general and instrumental music at East Shoreline Catholic Academy in Branford, CT (previously Saint Mary School) and serves as the Assistant Marching Band Director for Jonathon Law High School in Milford, CT. He provides private lessons to many students of all ages in the New England Area. Brendan also has served as caption head or technician to several area drum lines and percussion sections including the Cheshire High School Marching Band, Col. John Chester Drum Corps, Connecticut Patriots Drum Corps, The Stony Creek Drum Corps and the 7th Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps. He has provided clinics and workshops all over the United States and Europe, including a 2014 presentation for the Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Indianapolis, a series of performances throughout China, a week of clinics in Singapore for the Singapore Armed Forces Band and for The Royal Marine School of Music in Portsmouth, UK.
Brendan is a student of Ed Rhodes, Bob Rush, Paul Cormier, Mike Gagnon, Matt Mayotte, Tim Cecil and later studied under Ken Green while attending Northwestern State University of Louisiana where he pursued a degree in music education and percussion performance. Brendan started playing rudimental snare drum at the age of 6 as a member of the Col. John Chester Drum Corps. He soon began competing individually through the Corps, winning honors at the Connecticut, Massachusetts, Hudson Valley, and Northeastern States Championships. At age 9, Brendan became the youngest drummer to hold The Dan English Trophy as the Connecticut State Junior Snare Drum Champion, a distinction he has won more times than any other individual. In addition to teaching, Brendan is a member of the Connecticut Patriots Drum Corps. He has also performed with the Middlesex County Volunteers and The Top Secret Drum Corps of Basel, Switzerland. Through these groups, Brendan has toured both nationally and internationally, performing in Switzerland, France, Germany, and Australia. He has individually performed with notable musicians, such as Shania Twain, and was featured on an ESPN recording. Brendan is a proud member of The Company of Fifers and Drummers, USARD and NARD. He is also an endorsee of The Cooperman Drum Company, Innovative Percussion, ProLogix Percussion, and Loyal Drums.
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to Mark Reilly! Mark is considered by many to be one of the foremost military music connectors in the world. As an internationally recognized performer, speaker, educator, and consultant, Mark’s experience has allowed him to travel the world extensively working at the state and royal level.
Mark has presented at such prestigious institutions such as the Amsterdam Conservatory, the Royal College of Music, and the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, Austria. His collaborative work with the Top Secret Drum Corps , His Majesty’s The King’s Guard of Norway, Her Majesty’s Royal Marines, de la Garde republican and the Pontifical Swiss Guard has given him vast experience in international cultural events.
He holds degrees in Music Education from Northwestern State and Boston Universities, is endorsed by Mapex Drums, Majestic Percussion, REMO, Innovative Percussion, Sabian, Prologix, Loyal Drums, and Büchler Trommelbau and is a adjunct professor at West Virginia University.
Happy Birthday to Darren Hazlett! Darren is currently the Battery Percussion Director and Arranger for the West Chester University Incomparable Golden Ram Marching Band. He is a former arranger and educator of the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps. As a performer, he spent 7 years with the Crossmen (1992-1998) and was a cast member of the Broadway show Blast! (1999-2002). He is a marching percussion clinician for Vivace Production and is also a member of the Vic Firth Education team. Darren resides is southeastern Pa. with his family and works as a middle school band director.
Gig Alerts
The CD Baby DIY Musician Conference is happening this week in Austin Texas.
The FULL SCHEDULE for the CD Baby, DIY Musician Conference is up now.
Damon will be speaking at the DIY Musician Conference in Austin, TX from August 26-28 (Damon’s birthday is the 28th). Other friends of the show that will be there include: Chris Robley, Cheryl B. Englehardt, Suz Paulinski, and Ari Herstand.
If you would like a preview of that conference, head over to the DIY Musician Podcast, episode 307.
Your ticket purchase gets you in the conference in person OR you can watch it virtually.
Educational Spotlight
There have been new artists announced who will be participating in this years PASIC in Indianapolis in November.
Damon Grant will be giving a clinic at PASIC November 12th, 2022 at 10am in room 109.
Iconic Recording
This week’s recording has been chosen by Brendan. He picked “Legend of the One-Eyed Sailor” by Chuck Mangione from the album ‘Land of Make Believe’. That album’s version had Joe LaBarbera - drums and Ron Davis - percussion.
Steve Gadd made the Crazy Army intro famous.
The Blue Devils Drum Corps used the Chuck Mangione song in one of their field shows.
And here is John Wooton playing the original Crazy Army snare solo.
Music News
Boston’s 5,000-seat MGM Music Hall at Fenway officially opens its doors in the same neighborhood as the House of Blues. Boston’s newest music venue, the 5,000-seat MGM Music Hall at Fenway, officially opened its doors on Monday. Located at 2 Lansdowne Street behind Fenway Park, the venue is in the heart of Boston’s vibrant entertainment district. -Article
A security researcher suggests TikTok’s in-app browser behaves like a ‘keylogger’ for its ability to track keystrokes and more. Tapping on a link in the TikTok app doesn’t open that page on your phone’s browser. Instead, TikTok uses an in-app browser that is capable of monitoring users activity on any website accessed using the in-app browser. This level of tracking would make it possible for TikTok to capture credit card information, passwords, SSNs, or any other sensitive information a person may enter. -Article
How Much Data Does TikTok Collect About You? – And How to Stop It -Article
Drummer Duran Ritz posted on Tik Tok (later reposted on Instagram) about the fake profiles on Spotify.
Brendan Mason Interview
The song leading into the interview is called, “Paddy's Trip To Kabul” performed by the Madison Street Project Fife & Drum Ensemble.
Brendan’s whole family plays musical instruments. His mom was a rudimental snare drummer, his dad a rudimental bass drummer. His brothers also play drums and his sister plays fife. He started when he was 6.
Damon and Brendan explain the instrumentation of drum corps vs. fife and drum corps as well as some of the grips.
Damon mentions the “Old Guard” Drumline.
Here’s a list of several fife and drum groups around the country.
Brendan mentions the Mattatuck Drum Band as the oldest in the country.
Another group that Brendan teaches is the Stony Creek Fife and Drum Corps.
Brendan talks about different phrasing. He also talks about the (Earle) Sturtze method.
Shout-out to the American Drum Company.
Shout-out to Kentville drums and their Kangaroo heads.
Brendan is not only a great drummer, but he is also a great cook!
Brendan talks about his time in food service and how that helps him being well-rounded with regard to traveling.
He mentions that soft shell turtle (congee) was probably the most eccentric food he’s tried on the road. Kangaroo was also an honorable mention.
Brendan attended Northwestern State University of Louisiana and studied with Ken Green. Ken’s dad was a member of The Hellcats from West Point.
Brendan had an audition for Northwestern at the same time as the “Old Guard” and the C.I.A. (Culinary Institute of America).
Brendan won the Dan English Trophy as the youngest one to do so, and he has won it the most. He explains what goes into the preparation and adjudicating process.
He was also a member of the Col. John Chester Drum Corps.
After the Col. John Chester Drum Corps, he joined the Connecticut Patriots.
Brendan and Damon talk about some sidelining in various movies like The Patriot, Glory, Gettysburg and The Gangs of New York.
Damon mentions the Cadets performing at the 1996 Olympics Closing Ceremonies.
Brendan is heading to Portsmouth in the UK for the 3rd Annual International Rudimental Drummers’ Symposium.
Shout-out to Hazizi Jaafar for helping bring rudimental drumming to Singapore!
Brendan talks about rudimental drumming around the world, specifically Argentina and their Bombo Leguero drumming.
Damon and Brendan talk about early drum notation and the swing of rhythms within the time.
Brendan talks about how the rhythms are affected by the marching and the movement of your body within the pulse. Damon brings up the Yogi Horton clinic video.
Brendan talks about some of the first American rudiments and credits one "Juba Dark" Clark and the importance of African-American rudimental drumming history.
Brendan teaches privately if you are interested in studying with him. Reach out to him HERE.
Shout-out to Dave Loyal and the podcast that he, Brian Watkinson, and Brendan host, The Bottom of the Glass.
Brendan chooses the iconic recording for the week (see above). He also gives a little history on the Crazy Army solo written by Ed Lemley, transcribed by his son, Ken. Ed was involved with the NARD in 1933 and '34. 'Crazy Army' was written at Christmas time. It was 1933 or '34.
Brendan uses Loyal Drums, Cooperman Drums, Mapex Drums, Majestic Percussion, and Prologix Pads.
You can follow Brendan on his Website, Facebook and Instagram.
Shout-out to Paul Cormier. Paul began his fife and drum career with the Col. John Chester Corps in 1948 and has been drumming ever since. He has playing experience with several corps including the St. Paul Seniors (1959-1962), The Connecticut Yanks (1973-1976), The Connecticut Blues (1980-1981), the Connecticut Patriots (1991-2006), and many others.
Paul is highly regarded in the fife and drum community and has won numerous individual competition titles including CT Senior Snare Drum (1960, 1965, 1973, 1974, 1975).
Paul is also a highly sought after drum instructor, having taught every corps in 100 mile radius of Hartford, CT. He joined the Marquis in 2005 and has re-energized our drum line, rebuilding from a single snare and bass to its current line. In 2013, Paul retired from teaching the Marquis playing line members, but he still instructs the recruits so they can become developed and skilled drummers.
The song leading out of the interview is ‘When Broke, It Still Spoke”.
