Camilo Ernesto Molina-Gaetán is a thirty-two year old accomplished percussionist from New York City. At the age of two, Camilo began studying with Los Pleneros de la 21 – a community based group dedicated to playing folkloric Puerto Rican music – in their children’s workshop. It was as a student in the workshops where Camilo met his first teachers: Alberto “Tito” Cepeda and Juan Gutierrez. Advancing in skill through the years, Camilo has progressed from a student to a teacher for the community workshops offered by Los Pleneros de la 21. At the age of Four, also Camilo began to study at Boys Harbor Conservatory of Latin Music with renowned percussionists Johnny Almendra and Louie Bauzó. Camilo is also a graduate of The Julliard School of Music (2003) under the MAP/PATH programs.

In the fall of 2000, Camilo had the honor of being selected as one of ten semifinalists to compete in the Thelonious Monk International Afro-Latin Hand Drum Competition. He went on to become a finalist and was selected as the third place winner, who, at age ten was the youngest finalist in the 14-year history of the competition. That year, Camilo received a proclamation from the City Council of New York honoring him for his musical talents and achievements. He was also the recipient of the Celia Cruz Scholarship (2004) and The Harbor Achievement Award (2001). Camilo has recorded on 3 Grammy Award Nominated albums (Eddie Palmieri’s “Rumbero de Piano”, Los Pleneros de la 21’s “Para Todos Ustedes” and Papo Vazquez’s “Marooned/Aislado”) and contributed his talents to an Emmy Award winning documentary, Banco Populars “Sono, Sono: Tribute to Tite Curet”.

Camilo continues to make a name for himself early in his career, performing with acts varying in musical genres and styles. He is currently on tour as a member of Eddie Palmieri’s Orchestra. In addition, he has toured, recorded and performed with artists such as Santana, Eddie Palmieri, Dave Grusin, Los Pleneros de la 21, Miguel Zenón, Elio Villafranca, Teatro Pregones, Viento de Agua, John Santos, The Pimps of Joytime, Adonis Puentes, Iffy the Badman, Angel "Papo" Vasquez, Tato Torres y Yerbabuena, The Curtis Brothers, Sonido Solar, Jeremy Bosch, and many more.

Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday to Adam Hill who was part of the Sports Drumline Roundtable episode. Adam is a music educator and percussionist in the Chicagoland area. He received a B.A. in Music Education from VanderCook College of Music with an emphasis in percussion under the instruction of Kevin Lepper and Dr. Charlie Menghini. At Romeoville High School in Romeoville, Illinois, Hill is the director of percussion, assistant marching band director, and teaches music technology, music theory, and guitar. Adam also is a member of the music faculty at University of St. Francis in the Music Technology program. He founded Pioneer Indoor, an independent marching percussion ensemble and has lead the ensemble to multiple WGI medals as their Executive Director. Adam Hill spent ten seasons as a member of the Chicago Bears drumline and is currently the director of the Chicago Bulls “Stampede“ Drumline. He was a member of Pioneer Drum and Bugle Corps and spent several seasons as their percussion coordinator, caption head, and arranger. Hill placed within the top ten for snare drum solo contest in Drum Corp

International, Drum Corps Midwest, and PASIC. In 2002, he placed second in the DCI snare drum solo compe-tition. Hill received the “Dr. Rosanne Rosenthal Excellence in Teaching Award” from Vandercook College of Music, the “Natalie Stukas Hearing Conservation Award”, and named a Pillar of the Community in Valley View School District. Adam Hill is an active music arranger, judge, clinician and performer. He proudly endorses Innovative Percussion, Evans, Dynasty, Zildjian, and Etymot-ic ear protection.

Happy Birthday to Makaya McCraven! Makaya is a beat scientist. The cutting edge drummer, producer, and sonic collagist is a multi-talented force whose inventive process & intuitive style of performance defy categorization. French-born, but raised in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts by expatriate musician parents, McCraven went on to develop his chops in Chicago and now represents a rising generation of globally-minded, genre-bending music makers as an artist as well as band leader. Through his unique, rarified performances and collaborations he unapologetically affirms our right to re-think and re-write the rules, any rules, and affirms other artists in their own exploratory evolutions. The song playing behind his intro is ‘Suite Haus’, from his newest album, “Universal Beings”.

Happy Birthday to Josh Dion! This week’s guest is Josh Dion. Josh is 50% of the band Paris Monster, where he plays drums, keyboards and also sings. Josh Dion was born at the tail end of the disco funk era, when popular radio bore the sounds of Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, and 'four on the floor' drum beats! Raised in Storrs, CT, Josh started playing his father's drums before he even started kindergarten. He grew up playing drums to the simple and beat driven sounds of Nick Mason and Ringo Starr. He also lived across the hall from his older brother, who not only followed the Grateful Dead, but introduced him to Cream at the tender age of seven. Rightfully so, Cream, Zeppelin and the Stones led Dion to Willie Dixon, Robert Johnson and beyond.

A prodigious talent, Josh started playing professionally at age eight and was invited to shed with the UConn Jazz Studies program by the time he was twelve. While he was impressing people with his percussion skills, he was playing piano and singing in his local church, developing talents which would eventually help him stand out even among the world class drummers in whose company he has now found himself.

After a stint in the music program at New Jersey's William Paterson University, he has made New York City his home. Josh's college days were greeted by an immersion in the Jam band scene with NYC funk band Ulu, who toured the Eastern half of the US. Josh was soon noticed by jazz guitarist Chuck Loeb, who offered Josh an opportunity to be seen and heard by a whole new level of the music audience. From that platform, he has gone on to work with some of the major brand names of the music world: Candy Dulfer, Spyro Gyra, Will Lee, Pat Martino, Jeff Kashiwa, Jason Miles, Anthony Jackson, Edgar Winter, Randy Brecker, Bob James, Eric Marienthal, Til Bronner, Jim Beard, Ivan Lins and on and on.

Happy Birthday to Jim Mola! Jim has performed and/or recorded with jazz artists such as Phil Woods, Hank Jones, Dr. Billy Taylor, Bill Watrous, Mel Martin, Pepper Adams and Stanley Turrentine, as well as a diverse group of pop icons, Broadway and show business personalities including Tony Bennett, Weird Al Yankovic, Angelique Kidjo, Jane Olivor, Henny Youngman, Al Hirt, Pat Cooper, Billy Porter, Mario Cantone, Sally Kellerman and many others.
He has worked extensively in New York City’s recording studios, doing television, film, and jingle dates including A&E’s “Rat Pack” biography, Turner Classic Movie’s Lana Turner biography, Burger King, Nikon, Band-Aid, and more.

Jazz credits include:

The JVC Jazz Festival • Tony Bennett • Phil Woods • Stanley Turrentine • Charlie Rouse • Hank Jones • Frank Morgan • Annie Ross • Grady Tate • Dr. Billy Taylor • Larry Willis • Marc Johnson • Leon Pendarvis • Carmen Lundy • Bill Elliot • Bud Shank • Vic Juris • Bill Mays • Calvin Hill • Frank Strozier • Marion Cowings • Jay Leonhart • Harvey Swartz • Don Elliot • Victor Bailey • Lew Soloff • Bill Hardman • The Jackie Robinson Jazz Festival (House Drummer, 7 years) • The Charlie Parker Memorial Concert • Nelson Rangell • Carmen Leggio • Sal Salvador • Jimmy Rowles

Television, Film and Radio credits include:

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver • Sony Pictures "Hitch" • A&E bio pic "The Rat Pack" (Emmy Winner) • Turner Classic Movies "Lana Turner...A Daughter's Memoir" • Good Morning America • New York At Night (ABC).

Happy Birthday to Mark Walker! Drummer, composer and educator Mark Walker has been one of the most respected names on the jazz scene for four decades. He has performed on five continents with some of the best musicians in the world and appears on over 75 recordings, including two Grammy Award-winning albums, four Latin Grammy-winning albums, seven Grammy-nominated albums and one Latin Grammy-nominated album.

Growing up in a family of artists in the urban jungle of Chicago’s Old Town in the 1960’s, Walker was exposed to a wide variety of music and art from an early age. He gravitated toward jazz in his teens, and was fortunate enough to hear many legends like Buddy Rich, Max Roach, Elvin Jones and Art Blakey live. At age 16, he took his first lessons with the “Dean of Percussion,” Roy C. Knapp, whose students included Gene Krupa, Louie Bellson and Hal Blaine. Knapp’s lessons in music theory, harmony and percussion hit Walker like a lightning bolt, and inspired him to become a professional musician right out of high school.

With a stubborn single-mindedness, he sidestepped the college route and moved away from home at age 17. Immediately, he began cutting his teeth as a working musician. He paid his dues around Chicago, and within a few years, became one of the most sought-after drummers in town, working with all kinds of ensembles from trio to big band. He performed with musicians like Howard Levy, Tommy Ponce, Johnny Frigo, Jazz Members Big Band, Buddy Childers Big Band, Patricia Barber, Akio Sasajima, and Made In Brasil. This gave him the foundation and inspiration he needed to advance his career.

He found himself working with men and women of all stripes, playing a wide variety of styles as his career began taking on a multicultural and multidirectional path. He fell in love with the rhythm and sounds of swing, funk, rock, ECM, the Caribbean and South America, while learning the repertoire of jazz, blues and Brazilian MPB. One of Walker’s first jazz record dates was with the legendary saxophonist Joe Henderson on an album by guitarist Akio Sasajima entitled “Akio and Joe Henderson.” He also recorded several albums with pianist Patricia Barber in the 1980’s, as well as with pianist Fred Simon. He also formed a duo with guitarist David Onderdonk, incorporating percussion and electronics, which he would later use with Oregon.

Eventually, he became an in-demand studio player, performing on albums and jingles by day, and jazz gigs by night. In 1989, his life changed when Paquito D’Rivera and Claudio Roditi came to Chicago for a week’s engagement, and needed a band that could handle both jazz and Latin styles. Pianist Howard Levy recruited Walker, and he and D’Rivera found a natural chemistry. At the end of the engagement, D’Rivera offered Walker the gig. The next 30 years would be a musical and cultural adventure for Walker, touring the world, recording with and eventually writing for D’Rivera. They recorded over 15 albums together, many of which won Grammy and Latin Grammy awards, such as “Funk Tango,” the first record to feature one of Walker’s compositions, entitled “What About That.” He was featured with D’Rivera in the film “Calle 54”(Miramax).

He performed as a guest artist with D’Rivera’s quintet with many orchestras and bands around the world such as the WDR and NDR big bands, the National Symphony Orchestra and many more abroad. Musicians from around the world came through Paquito’s ensemble during Walker’s tenure, such as guests Dizzy Gillespie, Yo Yo Ma, Rosa Passos, Arturo Sandoval, Bebo Valdez, Claudio Roditi and many more.

In the early 1990’s Walker toured the US, South America and Europe and recorded with legendary pianist/composer Lyle Mays (Pat Metheny Group) in a quartet featuring bassist Marc Johnson and saxophonist Bob Sheppard. This experience refined Walker’s musicianship, challenging and influencing him on a deep level in his performance and compositionally – which would later show itself in his future writing. At the suggestion of pianist Michel Camilo, Walker relocated to New York in 1995 and immediately got the gig with The Caribbean Jazz Project, featuring Paquito D’Rivera, Dave Samuels and Andy Narell. The band was similar to an international trade school, performing and arranging music using authentic rhythms of the Caribbean and South America in a jazz context. Members of the band were steeped in virtually all Latin American and Caribbean styles.

Shortly after that, Walker replaced Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez in the Michel Camilo trio, which included bassists Anthony Jackson and James Genus. He worked with Camilo extensively for two years, touring and recording special projects including his trio and big band. Camilo’s music and concept pushed Walker to grow technically as well as musically, and Walker still works with Camilo as a sub on occasion.

While living in New York, Walker worked extensively inthe groups of Brazilian pianists Eliane Elias and Cesar Camargo Mariano, touring in the US, Europe and South America. In 1996, Pat Metheny Group bassist/producer Steven Rodby hired Walker to record with legendary world jazz group Oregon, featuring Ralph Towner, Paul McCandless and Glen Moore. At the end of the session, Towner offered Walker the gig, and a 23-year musical adventure began. He toured with the group in Europe, Asia, the U.S. and South America, recording eight albums, including three of his own compositions.

One of those compositions, “Deep Six,” earned Walker a Grammy Award nomination in the category of “best instrumental composition” at the 50th annual Grammy awards. Working with Towner was the ultimate lesson in composition, musicality and dynamics. Towner offered Walker a challenge to go deeper as a musician and composer. Walker expanded his setup to include hand percussion and electronics and developed his improvisational and writing skills further with the group.

In 2001, Walker joined the percussion faculty at Berklee and in 2005 moved to Boston. He authored the book “World Jazz Drumming” (Hal Leonard), and created curriculum at the school and online. He built a recording studio at his home and began producing his own music. In 2016, he felt he needed to refine his skills and re-define himself, so he enrolled in Berklee Online as a student and earned his Bachelor’s degree in Professional Studies. Studying composition, arranging, songwriting, music production and music business, he graduated in Spring 2019 (Summa Cum Laude), and used these new skills to find his voice and take charge of his own career.

After recording his music at Berklee’s studios with some of the top players on the NY/Boston scene, Walker released his first record as a leader, “You Get What You Give,” featuring special guest Paquito D’Rivera. The album, released on his own Fliposphere Music label in 2019, was critically acclaimed and reached #42 on Jazz Week, #14 on Roots Music Report and the top ten on the NACC radio charts. Innerviews’ Anil Prasad wrote, “I'm a huge admirer of Oregon jazz group and its extended family's output. The band's drummer, Mark Walker, has an excellent debut solo album that was just released titled 'You Get What You Give.' It's a kinetic and engaging effort that combines jazz and Afro-Latin approaches, featuring the great Paquito D'Rivera. Mark steps to the fore with a focus on creative original works, as well as imaginative arrangements of Wayne Shorter's "Speak No Evil," John Coltrane's "Moment's Notice" and Thelonious Monk's "Bye-Ya." Mark is one of the finest drummers working on the planet and one of the most important voices in the genre. Jazz fans worldwide will get a lot out of this hugely-enjoyable release.” Encouraged by the success of his first solo album, Walker embarked on a new musical journey studying as a Masters student at UMass Amherst. After majoring in jazz composition/arranging and studying with Professor Jeffery Holmes and Dr. Felipe Salles, he graduated in May 2022.

Three days after graduating, he got the call from trumpeter Arturo Sandoval to join his band. He traveled to Europe, South America, Canada, the Caribbean and across the USA with Sandoval and the band before his departure in March 2024.

He is in the process of writing and arranging a big band record with an ensemble he calls the “World Jazz Orchestra,” which will be recorded later in 2024. He is also producing recordings with smaller groups, including a quartet featuring legendary saxophonist George Garzone. Walker performs on a new album project with guitarist Akio Sasajima, trumpeter Randy Brecker and guest Will Lee, entitled “Silence Between the Notes.”

Mark Walker is a Yamaha, Paiste, Remo, Vic Firth, Meinl and Prologix Artist. He currently teaches at Berklee College of Music, Berklee Online and New England Conservatory.

Happy Birthday to Dr. John Wooton! John is a lover of music as he performs, teaches, and listens to a variety of genres, but prefers a blend of jazz and several Caribbean styles. Known as a rudimental specialist, John actually gets more work as a singer and steel pan player. So, when he isn’t flipping sticks and playing ratamacues around the globe, you can find him dressed in linen playing at a casino, on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, or dressed in style playing at a jazz club in New Orleans. Otherwise you can find him on a basketball or tennis court trying to stay young. An 81% free throw shooter and 4.0 tennis player, recently bumped down from a 4.5…, proof that age is winning.

The past few years Dr. Throwdown has played paradiddles with stick tosses and hertas with “Hi Moms” as well as flam 5s and diminished scales on his steel pans, in places like Tenerife, The Forbidden City, Novi Sad, Ludz, Madrid, Bucaramanga, Biella, San Juan, Missoula, Rome, Pescara, General Roca, Xinxiang, Buenos Aires, Lima, Houston, Gdansk, Vienna, Cali, Ferrara, Tegucigalpa, Port of Spain, Dallas, London, Mayagüez, Dusseldorf, McAllen, and many others. No, the countries are not listed… do your homework. He is an international artist and clinician for several percussion companies, whole heartedly endorsing each one of them, not only for their wonderful products but for the support they all give to percussion education around the world. Those companies are Pearl Drums, Zildjian Cymbals, Remo, and Vic Firth. John also endorses Row Loff Productions, publisher for his books, solos and ensembles. Check out all their web sites, not only for wonderful products but also for their educational material.

John is in his 30th year of teaching at Southern Miss, close to where he grew up in Lafayette, Louisiana, so he gets to enjoy dat great Cajun cuisine and Miss’ippi bar-b-que. Doc, as his students call him, loves his job… making music with his students on various percussion instruments. Search Youtube for “Southern Miss Percussion” to enjoy some of the ensembles he teaches. He was educated in Lafayette, Lou., Denton, Texas and Iowa City, Iowa, receiving documents from all three places, but he was also educated by teachers such as Marty Hurley through the experience of drum and bugle corps, specifically one from Rockford, Illinois. He has won some prestigious trophies, including several national titles as a soloist, ensemble member, composer and teacher, along the way with these organizations but prefers to play music for the joy of the experience.

Happy Birthday to Mona Tavakoli! Mona is a Los Angeles-based drummer, singer and performer who
believes in making music that unites, elevates and connects.

While Mona is equally comfortable performing as a drummer and a percussionist, she is especially known for adapting the cajón to unexpected genres such as rock and pop. She began playing the Peruvian percussion instrument as a college student taking a flamenco dance class. She’s since designed a signature instrument called The MT Box.

Mona started playing drums at age 11 and blossomed into a tenor drum star in her High School marching band. She began her professional musical career in 1999 at UCLA as a founding member of Raining Jane, an all-female rock band.

More recently, Raining Jane co-wrote and recorded YES! (Atlantic Records) with
Jason Mraz. In support of the album they toured internationally for two years.
Mona and Mraz have been collaborating for nearly a decade. She toured worldwide on Mraz’s 2012 album, Love is a Four Letter Word, and they performed together as a duo on programs such as The Today Show, The David Letterman Show, Ellen, Dancing with the Stars, and Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. As the Duo Decibel System, Mona (percussion) and Mraz (guitar/vocals) have performed in Antarctica in support of climate change awareness and they were proud to help honor Ellen Degeneres as she received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at The Kennedy Center.

As a solo percussionist, Mona has appeared on A&E’s Private Sessions, where she performed as a trio with Pat Benatar and her husband, Spyder Giraldo. She has been the featured percussionist with the Pasadena muse/ique orchestra (led by maestra Rachel Worby), and played with musicians such as Andy Grammer, Colbie Caillat, Keaton Simons, Lindsay Mac, Lucy Schwartz, Natalia Zukerman, Sara Bareilles, Tristan Prettyman and Willy Porter.

Mona believes that music can inspire and connect people to a larger purpose. She is a co-founder and co-director of the Rock n’ Roll Camp For Girls Los Angeles, a nonprofit that encourages girls to find their voices through music during an intensive, weeklong summer day camp. Mona also promotes music education by hosting rhythm workshops at elementary schools and colleges around the country.

Most recently Mona travelled to Africa on behalf of the U.S. State Department as a cultural diplomat alongside Chaska Potter and Natalia Zukerman. As the Northern Lights trio they visited Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique and Malawi for concerts and workshop facilitation focusing on women’s entrepreneurship and empowerment.

Mona has been featured in DRUM!, Tom Tom Magazine, judged and hosted the Hit Like A Girl drum contest and awards show and is the recipient of the 2016 She Rocks awards “Inspire Award” for her work with the Rock n’ Roll Camp for Girls.

Mona is endorsed by: DW Drums and Hardware, Gibralter Hardware, Latin Percussion, Remo Percussion, Roland Electronic Percussion, Sabian Cymbals, Sennheiser Microphones and Vater Percussion.

When she’s not banging on drums or corralling day campers, she's listening to Pema Chodron audio books or making creative collages

Gig Alerts

The Melbourne Jazz Festival is happening Oct 16 - 25 in Melbourine, Australia.

If you are going to be in the NYC area this fall and winter, you can check the TappedIn.Live website for who’s performing where.

If you are going to be in NYC for Halloween, there is an annual Halloween parade that goes up sixth avenue you can attend or join.

Educational Spotlight

Friend of the show, Clayton Craddock is hosting a zoom clinic to help with getting gigs and advancing your professional career.

PASIC is coming up and it’s not too late to get your badge, reserve a hotel room, and now DOWNLOAD THE APP to sort out all things.

Damon will be giving a clinic tour in November.

Iconic Recording

Camilo picked three Eddie Palmieri Recordings for this week. “Revolt/La Libertad Lógico” from the ‘Justicia’ album with a long list of credits.

The second is “Noble Cruise” dedicated to Thelonious Monk from the album, “The Truth/La Verdad’

The last is “Justicia” from the album with the same name.

Music News

Friend of the show, Trevor Lawrence Jr. has helped create a new app for musicians.

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A post shared by Trevor Lawrence Jr. (@trevorlawrencejr)

Friend of the show Mike Dolbear, has helped complete yet another Young Drummer of the Year competition in the USA with Zildjian Cymbals.

Trump signs Marsha Blackburn’s American Music Tourism Act into law, which requires the Department of Commerce to promote music tourism in the US. -Article

Camilo Molina Interview

The song leading into the interview is, “Cuban Fantasy” (feat. Luques Curtis, Willie Martinez, Camilo Molina & Reinaldo De Jesus) from the Grammy Winning album, ‘Cubop Lives!’

Camilo welcomes Damon to Puerto Rico and mentions the Heineken Jazz Festival.

Damon and Camilo talk the 2025-2026 WORLD CHAMPION NEW YORK KNICKS!!!

Camilo talks about the vast and diverse music scene in Puerto Rico. Shout-out to PJ Sin Suela.

Camilo mentions Bomba. You can learn more from friend of the show, Norka Hernandez Nadal.

Camilo talks about the importance of the late Héctor "Tito" Matos.

Camilo mentions the documentary, Plenazo Callejero documentary (linked below).

Damon met up with Camilo at the Chinchorro called El Boriqua.

Shout-out to Bad Bunny and Los Pleneros de La Cresta.

Camilo talks about the impact of playing with Eddie Palmieri for over a decade. Damon mentions the movie “Highest 2 Lowest” by Spike Lee with Denzel Washington

Shout-out to Zaccai Curtis for being selected by Eddie to help carry on his legacy.

Camilo talks about some of his other gigs with Supermambo, La India, Zaccai Curtis/Cubop Lives, and more.

Camilo talks about friend of the show, Felipe Fornier.

Damon mentions the George Lucas Museum.

If you are interested in getting the Supermambo album and comic book, CLICK HERE.

Camilo goes into detail about more of the Supermambo project.

Camilo has recorded with David Sanchez with friend of the show, Tony Escapa.

Camillo talks about living in different cities around the country.

Camilo mentions working with friend of the show, David Rivera, and the differences from the other groups he works with.

Camilo picks the iconic recordings for the week.

Camilo uses Latin Percussion Instruments, as well as Zildjian Cymbals and Sitcks.

Shout-out to Eddie Palmieri, “Tito” Matos, Johnny Almendra, Louis Bauzó, José Martínez, (friends of the show) Michael Spiro, Karl Perazzo, Marc Quinones, Bobby Allende, and Zaccai Curtis.

You can follow Camilo on Facebook, and Instagram.

The song leading out of the interview is, “SUPERMAMBO” Ft. Jeremy Bosch & Felipe Fournier narrated by Ruben Blades from the album with the same name.