#299 Kris Pooley- Composer, Music Director, Producer, Multi-Instrumentalist & More!
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Born and raised outside Detroit Michigan. Now living in California, Kristopher primarily composes and produces music for television and film. Also a highly experienced live music director Kristopher is currently the musical director for American Idol and has worked all over the world for more than two decades. Music directing tours and performances on nearly every major awards show and TV show in the world.
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to Ed Jarusinsky! Ed is a versatile drummer and percussionist with a lifelong passion for music. His sensitivity, diversity, and experience create a musical blend that is both modern and traditional. He received a Jazz Studies Degree from the University of North Texas where he had the privilege of studying with Ed Soph, Dr. Robert Schietroma, and Ron Fink. He is endorsed by Smith Drums and Vic Firth drumsticks and is the author of a drum set method book and CD entitled Rock Solid: The Art of the Groove. A Guide to Becoming a Musical Drummer. Ed has toured the U.S. as well as fifteen other countries and has performed and/or recorded with Kevin McKinney, Robyn Ludwick, Max Frost, Bob Schneider, Ephraim Owens, Charlie Robison, Bruce Robison, Kelly Willis, Nakia and his Southern Cousins, Suzanna Choffel, The Nightowls, Dave Sebree, Van Wilks, Tommy Shannon, The Stingers, Alex Coke, The Guy Lombardo Orchestra, Joel Guzman, and many more.
Ed teaches Drums and Percussion Instruments to students of ages 10 and up. His teaching style is relaxed and fun with a strong emphasis on musicianship and individuality. He has been on the faculty at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Upper School for over a decade teaching music theory and rock band classes. Ed Jarusinsky is honored to perform and teach for a living and is eager to share his knowledge at the Austin School of Music.
Happy Birthday to Pete ZImmer! Pete, moved to New York City in June of 2001, and has since established himself as one of the top-call drummers in New York City’s jazz scene. Originally from Waukesha, Wisconsin, Zimmer has made his mark nationally and internationally as a versatile and articulate drummer, bandleader, sideman, composer, educator, and record label entrepreneur.
Since 2004, Pete Zimmer released five (5) critically acclaimed albums as a leader on his own record label, Tippin’ Records. The albums showcase both his constant swing on the drums and his skillful and melodic compositions. His composition, “Time That Once Was,” a moving ballad recorded on his first album Common Man, was recently licensed to Sony Pictures Television where it was featured in the opening scene of the series they produce “Masters of Sex” (Episode 307, Monkey Business), aired on Showtime. He has received many accolades from major publications. "Pete Zimmer has learned his New York lessons well, as his dry tone, meaty swing beat and subtle accents make him an old hand” (Down Beat), and "Zimmer's drumming boasts a crisp, swinging command with judicious musicality." (Modern Drummer)
Zimmer’s band has performed at many of the prominent jazz venues in New York City including: The Blue Note, Jazz Standard, Smoke Jazz Club, Smalls Jazz Club, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Birdland Jazz Club, The Kitano, Fat Cat, and Cornelia Street Café. He has toured throughout much of the USA and the United Kingdom. Throughout the years his group has featured many of the top musicians in New York City including: Mike Rodriguez, Joel Frahm, Jeremy Pelt, George Garzone, Peter Bernstein, Avi Rothbard, David Wong, Peter Slavov, Rick Germanson, Toru Dodo, John Sullivan, Mike DiRubbo, Ryan Kisor, Vitaly Golovnev, George DeLancey, Jerry Weldon, Joseph Lepore, Jaleel Shaw, Robert Rodriguez, Jeb Patton, and others.
Pete Zimmer is a highly regarded educator and clinician. He has presented clinics and masterclasses at many top collegiate jazz programs throughout the United States and United Kingdom. He is a faculty member with the New York Jazz Academy since 2009.
As an active sideman, Zimmer can be heard on the latest recording by legendary bassist Ron McClure Trio, Hope and Knowledge. (McJolt Records, 2017) He has also performed and/or recorded with the likes of: George Garzone, Rodney Jones, Ron McClure, Dennis Irwin, David Schnitter, Akiko Tsuruga, Rick Germanson, Julius Tolentino, Gene Perla, Wayne Escoffery, Dan Nimmer, and many others.
Pete Zimmer’s record label, Tippin’ Records, was originally established to feature his own projects, but after having much success with his first few releases, it did not take long for other artists to solicit their projects to Tippin’. In 2009 Zimmer decided to expand the catalogue and encompass additional artists. The first additional artist was trumpeter Vitaly Golovnev with the release of To Whom It May Concern and was followed by guitarist Kyle Asche Organ Trio (featuring legendary organist Melvin Rhyne), Blues for Mel. The label now has a total of one dozen releases and six artists.
Before moving to New York, Zimmer studied at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois and at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, earning his bachelors degree. At the Conservatory he was fortunate to have apprenticeships with master musicians and teachers Danilo Perez, Cecil McBee, George Garzone, Bob Moses, Jerry Bergonzi, and Bob Brookmeyer.
Happy Birthday to Michael Compitello! is a dynamic, “fast rising” (WQXR) percussionist active as a chamber musician, soloist, and teaching artist.
Michael is dedicated to both honoring his instrument’s most important repertoire and creating dynamic new art through collaborations with composers, performers, actors, and artists in all mediums. He has performed with Ensemble Modern, Ensemble Signal, Ensemble ACJW, and with members of the Bang on a Can All-Stars, Eighth Blackbird, and So Percussion, while appearing in diverse locations such as the Darmstadt Summer Course, the LA Phil’s Green Umbrella Series, June in Buffalo, Mostly Mozart, the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, and the International Festival of Arts and Ideas.
Michael has worked with composers Helmut Lachenmann, Nicolaus A. Huber, David Lang, John Luther Adams, Alejandro Viñao, Marc Applebaum, and Martin Bresnick on premieres and performances of new chamber works. He also champions new and recent works for solo percussion in the US and abroad, organizing and participating in consortium commissions for works for solo percussion from composers such as Christopher Cerrone, Tonia Ko, Amy Beth Kirsten, James Wood, and David Crowell.
With cellist Hannah Collins as New Morse Code, Michael works to catalyze and champion the compelling works of young composers. Through long-term collaboration with colleagues such as Christopher Stark, Robert Honstein, Andy Akiho, Matthew Barnson Tonia Ko, Paul Kerekes, and Caroline Shaw, New Morse Code has created a singular and personal repertoire that reflects both their friends’ creative voices and their own perspectives.
New Morse Code's debut album Simplicity Itself was released in 2017 on New Focus Recordings. Praised as “an ebullient passage through pieces that each showcase the duo’s clarity of artistic vision and their near-perfect synchronicity," (I Care if You Listen) and "a flag of genuineness raised" (WQXR), Simplicity Itself was featured on Spotify's Top Classical of 2017 Playlist and WQXR's New Sounds. New Morse Code was a finalist in the 2014 Concert Artists Guild Competition and recipients of a 2015 Classical Commissioning Grant from Chamber Music America with composer Christopher Stark.
In addition to performing, New Morse Code has worked with composers and performers at universities across the country, the University of Kansas, Austin Peay State University, The Catholic University of America, and Cornell University, in addition to leading interactive performances at Community MusicWorks in Providence, the Geneva Music Festival, and Greenwood Music Camp. New Morse Code are Assistant Directors of the Avaloch Farm Music Institute, a residency program in Boscawen, New Hampshire designed to provide resources for performers and composers collaborating on new works.
As an orchestral musician, Michael has performed with the Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, and the Aspen Festival Orchestra, and with conductors Pierre Boulez, Marin Alsop, Reinbert de Leeuw, David Zinman, James Conlon, Brad Lubman, and Gustav Meier.
Gig Alerts
Friend of the show, Scott Kettner has a show coming up with his band Nation Beat at Dizzy’s Club in NYC. The evening will feature special guest vocalists, some of my live percussion looping and a whole lot of uplifting music from Brazil+USA, blending Brazilian traditions such as forró with New Orleans second line, funk, and brass. They play 2 shows on Wednesday, November 2th at 7:30pm & 9:30pm. CLICK HERE FOR TICKET INFO.
Marcos Torres will be playing at Gonzalez y Gonzalez on Thursday September 22nd with Arturo Ortiz y 7 Con Calle. The show is at 10pm and there is a $10 cover charge. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO.
Camilo Molina will be playing at Bar Lunatico with Alvaro Benavides on Saturday September 24th at 9 and 10.15pm. Then he will also be playing at Gonzalez y Gonzalez with Jimmy Bosch on Saturday at 11.45pm and 1.30am. There is a $20 cover charge. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO.
Marcos Lopez will be going back out on the road with Marc Anthony on the 22nd of September.
Paulo Stagnaro will be going back out with Ricky Martin as well.
Damon Grant will be playing in Nantucket, Brooklyn and Manhattan soon as well. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO.
Educational Spotlight
Paulo Stagnaro and the fine folks at Conga Chops, have released the first (of four) volumes of interactive practice loops.
Conga Chops will also release some forthcoming masterclass videos by friend of the show, Marc Quinones.
The Percussive Arts Society has announced the schedule for the upcoming PASIC convention.
The Malletech corporation has released new works by the legend, Bob Becker.
Iconic Recording
The iconic recording for this week has been chosen by the guest, Kris Pooley. The recording is the concert by Peter Gabriel, “Secret World Live” performed and recorded in 1994. The song Damon chose from that album is, “Come Talk To Me”.
You can read about the personnel by CLICKING HERE.
Music News
The music news for this week is how to HELP PUERTO RICO!
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Kris Pooley Interview
The song leading into the interview is from the Katy Perry SuperBowl Halftime Show.
Damon and Kris start by talking about sunrises, sunsets and the movie “Wild”.
Kris is from and grew up in Detroit, MI. His dad played sax and woodwinds and his mom and stepdad have a function band that Kris played in for a while.
Kris played flute, then keys before being introduced to percussion in school band by Brad Halls.
Kris played in the snare line before expanding to the instruments of the front ensemble.
Kris was attending Liberty University when he auditioned for and made the Crossmen in 1996.
After Liberty, Kris attended Wayne State University.
Kris talks about how drum corps has helped him in a pop music situation. On and off of the stage.
Kris describes the difference in preparation for a one-off versus a multi-date tour.
Kris talks about using some drumline loops and samples in the work he does now. He gets those from the That Sound library.
Kris was writing and teaching at various high school and independent programs in Michigan.
Kris mentions the Dunning-Kruger effect. The Dunning–Kruger effect is a cognitive bias whereby people with low ability, expertise, or experience regarding a certain type of a task or area of knowledge tend to overestimate their ability or knowledge.
Kris moved from Michigan to Los Angeles in 2001. He was a side person for a few years before getting his first musical director gig with Gwen Stefani.
Shout-out to Kevin Antunes.
Kris talks about how to get on a musical director’s radar and what he looks for in a potential musician.
Kris talks about the importance of social media in today’s climate as well as recommendations.
Damon mentions the Korg roundtable is how he found out about Kris.
Damon talks about some of the different demands of pop tours.
Kris talks about his duties as a musical director and what he gets called for.
Kris talks about Katy Perry’s current drummer, Tony Royster Jr.
Kris talks about clearing music for TV.
The first song that came to mind for the iconic recording was, Krzysztof Penderecki’s “Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima”. Kris later decided on Peter Gabriel (from above) with Journey with Steve Smith as a runner up.
Kris mentions being influenced by GRP’s Lee Ritenour video.
Damon talks about the Cosby Show episode featuring Stevie Wonder, “A Touch of Wonder”.
Kris uses Korg keyboards and in the studio Dave Smith instruments.
Shout-out to Rickey Minor, David Cook (for connecting us), and the other musical directors.
Shout-out to Mark Thurston, Brad Halls, and the late Gerry Spry.
