#362 Dr. Andrea Venet- Percussionist, Educator, Composer, Half of Escape Ten & More!
Dr. Andrea Venet is a percussion artist, soloist, educator, and composer specializing in contemporary and classical genres. She is currently Assistant Professor of Percussion and head of the department at the University of North Florida, where she directs the UNF percussion ensemble, teaches applied lessons, pedagogy, methods and percussion literature. Her creative activity includes performance, composition, and commissioning new works.
As an international soloist, chamber musician, and clinician, Andrea maintains an active performance schedule, having held appointments in Europe, Japan, Canada, and Trinidad. Andrea has been a featured soloist at the Celebrate Marimba Festival, The Steve Weiss Mallet Festival (Barnes Foundation, PA), Prairie Music Residency (SK, Canada), with the Kutztown University Symphony, in addition to being a featured performer with SNL percussionist Valerie Naranjo, Ivan Trevino, the Lawson Ensemble, Project Trio, and the Eastman Percussion Ensemble. Early in her career, Andrea was a member of the award winning Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps from 2002-2004 and performed with Grammy winning alternative band TOOL with the Gilbert Drumline in 2001.
Andrea has performed and presented at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention multiple times, the Florida and Virginia Music Educators Association conventions, The College Music Society National Conference, the International Trombone Festival, and has been invited to co-present at the World Symposium of Choral Music in Auckland, NZ in 2020 with Dr. Cara Tasher.
Dr. Venet’s percussion duo, Escape Ten, maintains a steady performance schedule touring as guest artists and clinicians nationally and internationally, consistently featured as chamber artists and clinicians at music festivals, concert series, conferences, and universities. Through collaboration with composer Eric Guinivan, they are the recipients of a marimba duo commission awarded from the prestigious Fromm Foundation entitled Illuminations (2018), which they premiered at the Cummer Museum in Jacksonville, FL. In 2016 they performed a Showcase Concert at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, giving 3 world premieres. Select appearances include performances in Spain at the Ágora Actual Percussion and WASBE 2019 festivals, the Academy of the Performing Arts (UTT) in Trinidad, at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia, The Eastman Summer Percussion Festival, and at the Leigh Howard Stevens Marimba Seminar. They have collaborated with composers Michael Burritt, Russell Hartenberger, Aurél Hollo, Emmanuel Séjourné, Ivan Trevino, Joe Locke, Steve Danyew, Steve Ridley, Drew Worden, and Kelly Rossum. As signature artists, Escape Ten has their own mallets (2020) and publication series of new percussion duos through Malletech/Keyboard Percussion Publications (KPP). You can hear them their albums, My Favorite Things (Parma Records, 2020) and Colours of a Groove (2014).
Andrea’s compositions and arrangements can be found self-published via her website, through Keyboard Percussion Publications (KPP), Tapspace, and Alfonse-Production, in addition to articles published with PercussiveNotes and Rhythm!Scene magazines. A passionate educator, Andrea’s research involves pedagogy, with focus on college percussion education at various levels, classical improvisation and historically informed Baroque performance practice techniques for Bach on marimba. She has presented her lecture recital entitled “Affekt and Execution: Historical Performance Practice and Contemporary Techniques for performing Bach on Marimba” multiple times across the country. Andrea holds a DMA in Performance and Literature with a minor in Pedagogy, and the prestigious Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music. She received her Masters and Bachelors degrees from Rutgers and Arizona State University, respectively. Andrea is endorsed by Malletech, Remo, DREAM Cymbals, Black Swamp Percussion, and currently serves as the Percussive Arts Society Florida Chapter President.
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to Marcelo Woloski! Marcelo Woloski is a multiple Grammy and Latin Grammy winning percussionist, producer and composer. His broad array of sounds, versatility, masterful skill, charismatic personality and creativity has made him the to-go person for recording artists, producers and arrangers throughout the globe. As described by Journalist Raul Da Gama "Woloski is a musician and percussion colourist who employs an enormous aural palette to express himself".
The Berklee College of Music graduated percussionist, based in New York City for 12 years, became a regular member, has recorded multiple albums, and has toured the world with groups like Snarky Puppy, Banda Magda, and the group of Sofía Ribeiro.
Voted “Percussionist of the year 2017” by Bateristica Magazine and “Most creative performer” by Sala Musik Festival 2020, Woloski’s performing and recording credits include Susana Baca, Ruben Blades, Marta Gomez, Laura Mvula, Paquito D’Rivera, Becca Stevens, Lalah Hathaway, Chris Potter, and The Kronos Quartet among others.
Marcelo’s work as a composer can be heard on the new music he is releasing with Quiet Colors along with Joanna Kucharczyk; on his debut album Mundo Por Conocer, which features 27 musicians from 12 different countries, as well as his songs Palermo, Bardis and Portal released by Snarky Puppy, and his Mini-documentary about racial justice Justice Now (shown at 1927 Art Gallery - Athens,Greece - 2021).
Woloski plays Latin Percussion, Evans, Vic Firth, Woodpack, Cincinatti washboards, Requena Cajons, SM Percussion, Cosmos Maracas, DEM’sticks, and J.King broomsticks.
Happy Birthday to Jhair Sala! Jhair Sala is a world-class and in-demand percussionist who regularly performs with the Pedrito Martinez Group. Sala’s unique style represents a new-school approach to Afro-Peruvian and Afro-Cuban musical styles.
When the Peruvian-born Jhair Sala was barely three-years-old, he sat with his father beating on wooden boxes known as cajons. At that tender age, Sala’s inherent percussive talents were pushing through. His family moved to New Jersey when he was six, and his passion for percussion continued to grow.
Jhair Sala's first teacher was Lucho Gomez, who taught him proper finger, hand, and palm techniques for cajon and other percussion instruments. During his teens, he performed with his mother's band on The Mariela Valencia Show, which gave him an opportunity to travel all over the world and absorb a variety of cultures and musical traditions.
Once settled in the USA, Jhair Sala had the opportunity to study percussion with his idol, Pedrito Pablo Martinez. Under Martinez’s guidance, he absorbed Cuban music and gained fluency on congas, bongos, timbales, and Bata. Subsequent lessons with Roberto Chino Bolaños readied him for his first significant American appearance.
Performing with the group Kambalache Negro, Jhair Sala revealed a unique perspective on soloing and grooving. His career took off and he began performing with bands and artists that include: Desmond Child, Patience Dabany, Hector Tricoche, Andy Montañez, Pedrito Pablo Martinez, Justo Betancourt, Xiomara Laugart, Brenda K. Star, Osmany Paredes, Jimmy Bosch, Adalberto Santiago and Ismael Miranda, Nino Segarra, Raulin Rosendo, Paquito Guzman and many others.
Jhair Sala gained a reputation as a first-call accompanist. One of his first recording collaborations was with Mongo Santamaria's oldest daughter, Ileana, who produced the album I Know What I Want. Sala’s session credits also includes albums with Patience Dabany, Osmany Paredes, Edmar Castañeda, Mariela Valencia, Kambalache Negro,Ropa Vieja, Afrodita, Yerba Buena, and Ibboru, among others.
Jhair Sala is comfortable in all Latin genres, attributing his versatility to a close study of such masters as Pedrito Martinez, Giovanni Hidalgo, Little Johnny Rivero, Paoli Mejias, Karl Perazzo, Chino Bolanos, Mariela Valencia, Carlos Sala, Lucho Gomez, and Juanchi Vasquez.
Happy Birthday to Miguel Merino! Miguel wears the various musical hats of drummer, producer, composer, and lyre player. Appearing as Otaak Band, he takes this ancient instrument far outside the folkloric tradition to produce unique, contemporary sounds. In addition to the typical 5-string lyre, Miguel also plays a variety of lyres and harps with up to 25 strings, which offer a huge range of musical possibilities. In addition to his own composition, Miguel is a dedicated student, researcher and collector of lyre instruments.
Happy Birthday to Brad Dutz! Brad has recorded for artists like KISS, WILLIE NELSON, MICHAEL WOLFF, TRIBAL TECH, DAVID BENOIT, RICK BRAUN, VINNY GOLIA, ALANIS MORRISETTE ,LEANN RIMES, MITCH FORMAN, KIM RICHMOND, RICKIE LEE JONES, HANDS’ONSEMBLE and actors JEFF BRIDGES and RONNY COX, Brad Dutz tries to bring the strangest percussion instruments he has to the session to create a unique sound. He can be heard on TV shows KING OF THE HILL, FAMILY GUY, AMERICAN DAD, ENTERPRISE and FIREFLY. Some of the movies that Brad has played on include LAST VEGAS, BATTLESHIP, BOURNE LEGACY ,COWBOYS and ALIENS, PRINCE OF EGYPT, SYRIANA, HILDAGO, RUGRATS GO WILD,STAR TREK 5, OCEAN’S ELEVEN , ANCHORMAN, HOLLYWOOD HOMICIDE ,TRANSFORMERS 1 and 2 , RUSH HOUR 3, RUN DOWN and I SPY, and also IMAX films MYSTERIES OF EGYPT, MT. KILAMANJARO , AMAZON and ISLAND of SHARKS.
Happy Birthday to Andy Smith! Musician, Educator, and Composer, Andy Smith is recognized internationally, having enjoyed a diverse career for over two decades. His recent projects include CD recordings, Finally Here with Angel Roman and Mambo Blue, and Transparency featuring Latin Jazz group Batuquê Trio (batuquetrio.com). Andy’s recent compositions include: Vento no Ritmo (Wind in Rhythm) for flute trio with leg rattles commissioned by Deanna Hahn-Little; Fora da Caixa, an experimental graphic score for percussion trio; Two Maracatu for Drum-set Duo (a popular youtube video features Andy with drummer Marcus Finnie); and Brazilian Suite for Tambourines, premiered at Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center. 2017 will include new works for 10-Can Percussion and Caixa Trio.
Gig Alerts
Brandi Carlile is hosting the Mothership Weekend in Miramar Beach, Florida, May 10-12 2024. Friend of the show, Stephen Bidwell, will be on drums with the Black Pumas.
Mark Guiliana will be doing a solo show at Zebulon in Los Angeles on drums, keyboards, percussion, electronics and more on Monday December 18th.
The Roots are hosting a Picnic adjacent concert at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angleles on June 29th. Presale: Tuesday, December 12 @ 10AM PT
Bandsintown Presale: Tuesday, December 12 @ 10AM PT, Code: LOVE
Presales End: Wednesday, December 13 @ 10PM PT
Public On Sale: Thursday, December 14 @ 10AM PT
To watch the Grammy Salute to 50 Years of Hip Hop, you can stream it from THIS LINK HERE.
Mariah Carey is wrapping up her Christmas Concert Tour on the east coast. You can get tickets for the remaining shows, HERE.
Educational Spotlight
Here are some tutorial basics on a few of the sample type machines for percussionists and drummers, especially in pop music.
Roland SPD-SX & SPD-SX PRO Sampling Pad Comparison
Yamaha DTX-MULTI 12 (Part 1)
Yamaha DTX-MULTI 12 (Part 2)
Iconic Recording
The iconic recording was picked out by Andrea. It is a piece (two movements) that she wrote and performed on.
This Prismasonic Rock I stand (Movement 1)
This Prismasonic Rock I stand (Movement 2)
Honorable mention to “Pyramid Song” by Radio Head.
Music News
Six US Senators have introduced the ‘Fans First Act’ as another means to address live event ticketing reforms. The act hopes to increase transparency in ticketing sales. -Article
Two pieces of legislation aimed at reigning in high ticket prices have advanced through Congress. The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee unanimously passed the STOP Act, moving it forward for House vote. Here’s the latest. -Article
Friend of the show, Ari Herstand, talks to Sara Barnett of the Brooklyn Bowl Nashville location about merch fees and more on his latest episode of the “The New Music Business Podcast”.
The Artist Rights Alliance weighs in on the predatory practices that prevent fans from being able to afford and access tickets to see their favorite performers.
Universal Music Group plans to build a $250 million entertainment and education campus in the Berry Hill suburb of Nashville.
The proposed rendering features four zones that include music studios, education/office space, retail space, restaurants, a community building, and more than 400 parking spaces to accommodate. Zone one is a 34,000 square-foot music studio, zone two has a 59,500 square-foot music studio and a 3,500 square-foot restaurant alongside a residential building. Meanwhile, zone three features a community building with 224 parking spaces, while zone four features a 115,000 square-foot education office building, a 17,000 square-foot restaurant, and 218 parking spaces. -Article
Spotify is making changes to how it pays royalties—but that raises lots of questions for independent artists and musicians. The IMPALA executive board is asking them.
The Independent Music Companies Association (IMPALA) board is seeking answers to these questions after gathering views from members in 32 countries across the European music market. IMPALA thanks Spotify for its continuous engagement with the independent sector on streaming reforms since IMPALA launched its own streaming proposals. -Article
You can read what people have to say about Spotify CEO Daniel Ek’s quote, "You can’t record music once every three to four years and think that’s going to be enough" -Read More
Andrea Venet Interview
The song leading into the interview is “Green & Gold” for vibraphone & almglocken by Andrea Venet.
Shout-out to friend of the show, Leigh Howard Stevens, for connecting Damon and Andrea.
Andrea talks about her PASIC seminar.
Andrea teaches at the University of North Florida.
Andrea also has a performance duo of a group called Escape Ten with Annie Stevens.
You can also check out her compositions HERE.
Andrea talks about her workload and percentages of when she does what.
Andrea talks about some of her composition process.
Shout-out to Brickhouse Pizza.
Andrea mentions a residency in Key West, like THIS ONE, for writing and getting away near the beach.
Andrea talks about grants, gear and festivals/conferences.
Andrea is the Past President for the Florida chapter of PAS.
Andrea is from Arizona originally and got her bachelors degree from Arizona State University.
You can go to school for free in Arizona if you meet THESE GUIDELINES.
Andrea got her masters at Rutgers in NJ and her doctorate at Eastman in Rochester NY.
She also spent time in the Newport News area of Virginia.
Andrea marched with the Santa Clara Vanguard and was taught by friend of the show Jim Ancona.
Andrea mentions the Method of Movement by Leigh Howard Stevens.
Shout-out to Andrea’s husband Brant Wills.
Damon and Andrea talk about social media and the internet.
Andrea talks about loading trucks.
Andrea’s first instruments were piano, and violin before percussion.
Andrea studied with Freida Denson and also J.B. Smith at ASU.
Andrea studied with She-e Wu and Bob Becker at Rutgers (She-e is now teaching at Northwestern).
Andrea studied at Eastman with Michael Burritt.
One of Andrea’s love is the instrument, the amglocken.
Andrea talks about staying encouraged on whatever instrument you choose.
Andrea picks the iconic recording for the week.
Andrea uses Malletech Instruments, Black Swamp Percussion, Dream Cymbals, and Remo Drumheads.
