#461 Dr. Elizabeth DeLamater- Percussionist, Educator, Diversity Alliance Chair, and More!
This week’s guest is Elizabeth DeLamater. She was on previously back on episode 406. Dr. Elizabeth DeLamater is a percussion and steelpan performer, educator, and scholar. Recent highlights include the National Women’s Music Festival, the Northwest Percussion Festival, and the Honduras International Percussion festival.
Dr. DeLamater has performed, researched, and taught in Honduras, Panama, Trinidad & Tobago, the Gambia, Ghana, Senegal, Japan, Taiwan, and throughout North America. She has taught at the University of the West Indies at St. Augustine, the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Youngstown State University, North Central College, and Roosevelt University. She teaches percussion, world music, and music technology at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and is the principal timpanist of the Weidner Philharmonic.
Committed to realizing the ideal that drums and percussion are for everybody, Dr. DeLamater is Chair of the Percussive Arts Society Diversity Alliance. Her work has been published by Instrumentalist, Percussive Notes, Rhythm! Scene, and Panpress.
Dr. DeLamater holds degrees from Arizona State University, Florida State University, and Northern Illinois University. Her principal teachers include Vicki P. Jenks, Dr. Clifford Alexis, G. Allan O’Connor, Robert Chappell, Rich Holly, Gary Werdesheim, J.B. Smith, and Mark Sunkett.
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to Eliel Lazo! Eliel began playing at an early age, egged on by his enthusiastic family. He studied at Oscar Valdes’ school of percussion (former singer and percussionist, of Irakere band). In 2003, at the age of 19, Eliel won the prestigious PERCUBA International Percussion Prize. Eliel Lazo first visited Denmark in 2004 on an invitation from the Danish Radio Big Band. Other invitations followed. Soon Denmark became a stable base on his travels around the world, and in 2007 he made Copenhagen his home. He has played with musicians such as Michel Camilo, Chucho Valdes, Changuito, Tata Guines, Herbie Hancock, Bob Mintzer, Oscar Valdes, Carlos del Puerto, Airto Moreira. He has also played with Cuban bands Diakara, Klimax and Habana Ensemble. He have worked with the Danish Radio Big Band, The Savage Rose, The Antonellie Orchestra, Blanco Y Negro, Mikkel Nordsoe Band, Aarhus Jazz Orchestra, Tip Toe Big Band. Also WDR Bigband from Germany and BBC Bigband from The UK. In 2004 Eliel Lazo recorded his first album ''Art Ensemble of Habana'' with Commodo Depots records from Japan. Then he released his first recording with Stunt records ''Blanco Y Negro'' which was recorded in Cuba. His 3rd album ''El Conguero'' also with Stunt records, was awarded with The Danish Music award best album of the year in the world music category. You can find Eliel's playing on Mikkel Nordsoe ''7 Steps to Heaven'' and ''Diving in space for 3 dacades'' - Hanne Boel ''The Shining of sings'' - the Danish Radio Big Band ''Cuban Flavor'' and ''Spirituasl'', where Eliel is featured as percussionist and vocalist. His playing is also featured on CUBADISCO award winning CD, ''Andante'' of Cesar Lopez Y Habana Ensemble and Kylie Minogue ''Kiss me once''. He performs in the American movie about Cuban music ''Music Under the Radar''. He has taught at conservatories in Cuba, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Switzerland, Germany and Sweden. Eliel's last CD is call ''Eliel lazo and the Cuban funk Machine'' featuring American tenor saxophonist Bob Mintzer and a line up of Cuban, Danish and Swedish musicians that make this album very unique. This CD is a tribute to the 70s funk and Cuban Songo. The inspiration is coming from bands such as Irakere, the Head hunters, The Meters and specially Los Van Van. The CD was nominated to the 2015 Cuban Grammys CUBADISCO and is nominated to 2 Danish Grammys (Danish Music Awards) World and Jazz. This CD is dedicated to master Jose Luis Quintana ''Changuito'' and Juan Formell (august 2, 1942 - may 1st, 2014).
Happy Birthday to Pete Korpela! Pete is a Los Angeles based studio and touring percussionist, recognized internationally for his versatility in orchestral, latin, jazz, world, rock, and pop music. He has collaborated with such renowned talent as, among others: Danny Elfman; Hans Zimmer; Alan Silvestri; Michael Giacchino: John Powell; Harry Gregson-Williams; Josh Groban; Robbie Williams; Jeff Russo; Henry Jackman; Marco Beltrami; Michael McDonald; Carter Burwell; Disturbed; Alan Parsons; Calle 13; Rickie Lee Jones; Al DiMeola; Kelly Clarkson; Madeleine Peyroux; Lizz Wright; Ed Shearmur; Kandace Springs; Ana Moura; Joe Trapanese; Rob Simonsen; Melody Gardot; Los Angeles Philharmonic; Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra; Hollywood Bowl Orchestra; Seth MacFarlane; and the 91 st Academy Awards Orchestra.
Some of the movie and TV soundtracks Pete has performed on: The Lion King (2019); Spider-Man Far From Home; Mulan (2020); Jumanji 3; Spies In Disguise; The Addams Family (2019); It 2; Doctor Sleep; Ready Player One; Men In Black International; Christopher Robin; The Predator; Ferdinand; LEGO Movie 2; Onward (2020); Call of the Wild (2020); Mandalorian; Star Trek Discovery; Lady and the Tramp; ToGo and Ralph Breaks the Internet.
Pete has appeared at Madison Square Garden, Lincoln Center, Hollywood Bowl, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Sydney Opera House and O2 Arena (London), and has toured across US, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Scandinavia, South Africa and the Philippines. In 2011, he joined Josh Groban’s “Straight to You” world tour and is currently Mr. Groban’s percussionist. In 2012, he toured extensively, with jazz vocalist Melody Gardot, and with tenor Nathan Pacheco. Between 2003 and 2007, he toured throughout the United States with the first National Tour of Tony-Award-winning Walt Disney’s The Lion King, as a marimbist and featured on-stage percussionist. He has also performed with major Broadway shows Hamilton, Motown and Beautiful.
An active Los Angeles-based studio musician, Pete has been working with composer Jeff Russo on the new Star Trek: Discovery series, which features a wide array of exotic percussion instruments from Pete's ever-growing collection. His work can also be heard on the award-winning Assassin’s Creed 2, Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood and Assassin’s Creed: Revelations soundtracks—with over 10 million copies worldwide—and in movies Straight Outta Compton (composer Joe Trapanese) and Going in Style (composer Rob Simonsen). He has featured in popular TV shows, including: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno; Conan O’Brien; Jimmy Kimmel; Ellen, Good Morning America; Live with Kelly; Later… with Jools Holland; Dancing with the Stars; America’s Got Talent; and PBS Presents: Jackie Evancho. And in 2010, Pete performed with Cirque du Soleil as musical director and lead drummer in a nationally televised project.
Happy Birthday to Tony Lymon. Tony, is the former Assistant Director of Bands at Petal High School in Petal, Mississippi and current co-music arranger/show designer for the Petal High School marching band. Tony is the director and show designer for the Petal Indoor Percussion Theatre, a national WGI Percussion Scholastic World Finalist. He has twice been awarded the Outstanding Junior High Director of the Southeast Mississippi Band Directors Association and the 2008 Mississippi Bandmasters Association AE McClain Outstanding Young Band Director Award. Tony was also the Founder and Director of Eminence Indoor Percussion Ensemble, a regional and national WGI Open Class finalist and championship ensemble.
Tony holds a Bachelors degree in Music Education from the University of Southern Mississippi and a Certification in 3D Architectural Rendering from The 3D Training Institute of New York. He was a member and principal percussionist in the world renowned Southern Miss Wind Ensemble and Southern Miss Symphony Orchestra. While at Southern Miss, Tony was the percussion arranger for the Pride of Mississippi Marching Band and USM indoor percussion ensemble. Tony was also a member of the World Champion Star of Indiana Drum and Bugle Corps (Bloomington, IN) from 1991-1993. In his three years of DCI experience, he won the DCI-Midwest Solo Timpani Champion and the 1994 Percussive Arts Society International Solo Timpani Award. Tony’s original marimba composition “Of Thoughts and Thinking” has become a standard in percussion literature. The piece was most recently recorded by German percussion artist Cornelia Monkse on the CD Marimba 2 and was featured in the French documentary film Le Ciel.
After college, Tony pursued a professional performance career for eight years with the pop/rock band King Konga. While with King Konga, Tony toured the world selling out venues in nationwide. The group did a post September 11th USO tour for the US Military in Hawaii and South East Asia. The four-piece band gained critical acclaim reaching #81 on the AC Hot 100 Pop Charts with “Something Good.” With a rare accomplishment by an independent band, King Konga captured the eyes and ears of many major record labels and the band went on to perform at Woodstock ’99. Tony has also performed with The Mississippi Symphony, Mobile Opera, Hattiesburg Civic Light Opera and The Meistersingers Orchestral/Choral Ensemble.
Tony recently wrapped up a season as the sound designer for The Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps and currently serves as Creative Designer for Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps. He is the owner of Eidetic Creative, a multimedia creative designs solution business. He currently resides in Petal, Mississippi with his wife Emily and 12 year-old daughter Colette.
Happy Birthday to Kwame Henry Jones. Henry is the founder and Lead Instructor for Infinite Roots is a gifted artist, writer and musician. Mr. Jones has over 25 year’s experience in the field of music, with a strong focus on cultural arts. Currently, Infinite Roots provides instruction to over 300 students within the Fairfield and Westchester County areas. Workshop programs have taken place in Albany, New York, Baltimore, Maryland, Up-state Connecticut and Atlanta Georgia. Infinite Roots is also very active within local youth based organizations and public and private schools throughout Stamford and Norwalk Connecticut.
Happy Birthday to Joby Burgess. One of Britain’s most diverse percussionists, Joby is equally at home performing with Peter Gabriel at Red Rocks Amphitheatre and The Who at Wembley Stadium as reimagining Blade Runner at Sydney Opera House and Ibiza Classics at the Royal Albert Hall.
Known for his virtuosic performances, Joby’s solo projects Powerplant and Pioneers of Percussion have taken him from Berghain, Berlin to SESC Pompéia, São Paulo. Recent releases for Signum include Gabriel Prokofiev’s ‘Concerto for Bass Drum’ and Eric Whitacre’s ‘Marimba Quartets’.
Often found at Abbey Road and Air Studios, Joby’s playing can be heard on major film and TV scores, notably leading the percussion sections on Black Panther, Rocketman, Ad Astra, Mission: Impossible, The Darkest Hour, Dr Who and The Green Planet.
In demand as an educationalist, Joby created the Virtual Marimba Choir, which brought together 227 percussionists from around the world during Spring 2020.
Happy Birthday to Magatte Fall! Three-time Grammy Award winner and credited drummer/composer for “Black Panther”, Magatte Sow, aka Magatte Fall represents the best of both worlds.
Coming from a long line of musicians. At a very early age, Magatte Sow has been around West African music and dance and was exposed to innumerable artists from around the world that influenced him greatly. So it is no surprise that Magatte’s first performance experience began at the youthful age of 2 years old for his parent’s West African Drum and Dance Company.
During this time Magatte knew that he wanted to be a percussionist, and studied intently on djembe, sabar, and tama. His djembe teachers includes his father Malik Sow, Maissa Thioubou and Kissima Diabate. For sabar, he’s studied with Omar Mboup, Chiekh Tirou Mbaye; and Tama he’s studied with the late great Ndongo Mbaye. As he learned, he continued to perform with different artists in Los Angeles; and served his own community by drumming for many dance classes that he continues to do until this day.
As he got older, the demand for his budding talents got greater. He was casted in the movie “Amistad” and has recorded on albums for Ashley Maher, Angelique Kidjo, Rob Thomas, and many other artists. He has performed on many televised award shows as a percussionist, including the Nobel Peace Prize Awards; and has performed with artists from many different styles of music like Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind and Fire, The Very Best, Ashley Maher, Andre Manga, Munyungo Jackson, Leon Mobley, Youssou N’Dour, Baba Maal, and Salif Keita, John Legend, Jill Scott, Janelle Monae, Dianne Reeves, Pedrito Martinez and etc.
Happy Birthday to Kris Pooley! 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.
UPDATE: Also with a birthday this week….. Happy Birthday to Attis Clopton. If you ask Attis what his day job is, he’d quickly respond “musician.” However, the drummer, who’s travelled the world recording and performing, would be remiss not to mention his impressive photography skills. Though not formally trained, Attis has developed an eye and the ability to capture subjects in a way that many professional photographers struggle with throughout their career. But what may set Attis apart from his contemporaries is his openness, his curiosity and his unpretentious disposition, all of which help him lock into the moment and keep his photos from looking overthought or overdone. Ahead he shares some of his recent favorites with 6sqft. - Article
Gig Alerts
Damon is in the middle of week two of university clinics, heading to PASIC 50 after that, hosted by the Percussive Arts Society.
You can only register/get your tickets for PASIC at the door in Indianapolis now, but you can still reserve a hotel room in advance.
The Yamaha Young Performing Artists Program (YYPA) recognizes outstanding young musicians from the world of classical, jazz and contemporary music. Winners of this competition will be invited to attend an all-expense paid weekend at the Bands of America Summer Camp, receive a once in a lifetime performance opportunity in front of thousands, national press coverage, receive a recording and photos of the live performance, and participate in workshops designed to launch a professional music career. Winners also will enjoy many of the privileges of a Yamaha® Artist, including services and communication with Yamaha's Artist Relations department. -More Info
Educational Spotlight
Shout-out to the Pearl Educational Advisory Board. They are dedicated to shaping the future of music education by guiding curriculum development, supporting programs in need, and offering free tutorials and entertainment content.
In addition, the Educational Advisory Board will aid in design and advancement of our Band & Orchestra instruments to meet the needs of future generations of musicians. Our mission is to support musicians of every age and stage—fostering growth, creativity, and a lifelong passion for music.
Friends of the show involved in this organization include, Thom Hannum, Julie Davila, Lalo Davila, Colin McNutt, Ivan Trevino, and John Wooton.
Iconic Recording
Elizabeth chose the recording, “Fanfarra Cabua Le Le” by Sergio Mendes, from the album, ‘Brasileiro’ released in 1992.
Music News
Damon mentions the post by singer/songwriter Naomi Westwater about the government shutdown and how it’s affecting her and probably other musicians.
Damon mentions the Diversity Alliance meetups at PASIC (talked about later in the episode).
Damon also mentions that next week for episode 462, he will be doing an update to the previous App episode, 280A.
Elizabeth DeLamater Interview
The song leading into the interview is, “Confusion Reggae” composed by Cliff Alexis, performed by The Legacy Band featuring (friend of the show) Liam Teague.
Damon starts by asking Elizabeth how she has been coping with ‘long covid’.
Elizabeth plays timpani with the Weidner Philharmonic.
She is commissioning some works for seated mallet instruments.
Elizabeth reserves a scooter to get around the convention center.
Elizabeth talks about some of the disability services at the convention center.
Damon and Elizabeth talk about the Expo Hall layout.
Elizabeth is the chair of the Diversity Alliance committee. She talks about what that committee does and is responsible for.
The Diversity Alliance committee has scheduled several themed events for different groups at this coming PASIC. All of which are listed in the Guidebook app.
The Black Percussionists B.Y.O.L. (Bring Your Own Lunch) is happening Thursday, November 13th at 12pm.
The LGBTQIA+ meet up is happening Thursday, November 13th at 5.30pm.
The Women and Non-Binary Coffee is happening Friday, November 14th at 8am
The Diversity Alliance Reception is happening Friday, November 14th at 5.30pm in Conference Room East. They will have SNACKS!
Paging the AAPI community to request your session as well!
Saturday morning at 10am in Conference Room East, there will be a session led by friend of the show, Amy Smith talking about diversity in schools and what to do in this current climate.
Shout-out to friend of the show, Taku Hirano.
Joshua Simonds went to Washington D.C. to do some advocacy.
Elizabeth talks about some changes she has noticed at the school she teaches at, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. They also are aware of teaching for the future and helping to make sure students a can get jobs.
Damon mentions that Broadway musicians’ union AFM Local 802 has reached a tentative agreement with the Broadway League, averting a potential strike.
He also mentions some of the behind the scenes dealings that went on.
Elizabeth won a service award for the Percussive Arts Society. She talks about what the award was for.
Elizabeth mentions the Awards Banquet at this year’s PASIC 50. Other percussionists receiving awards include: (friend of the show) Raynor Carroll, Sheila E, (friend of the show) Jamey Haddad, William Moersch, and the late Dom Famularo and the late Tom Float.
Shout-out to (friend of the show) Valerie Naranjo and Neil Peart.
Damon mentions the Dom Famularo and Sabian Education Network Mentorship Award.
Elizabeth talks about what she is most looking forward to in the schedule at PASIC 50.
Elizabeth picks the iconic recording for the week. She mentions seeing live performances from that album.
Elizabeth talks about the opening of the iconic recording and the Samba Batucada.
Elizabeth talks about last minute preparations before leaving for PASIC. Damon mentions the Keita Ogawa packing trick.
Elizabeth uses Black Swamp Percussion, Zildjian Cymbals, Remo Drumheads, and Innovative Percussion Implements.
Shout-out to (friend of the show) Michael Spiro. Damon mentions Michael’s trio, called Talking Drums.
You can follow Elizabeth on her Website, Facebook, and Instagram.
The song leading out of the interview is, “Translations for Solo Snare Drum” by Elizabeth DeLamater.
