#509 Kenny Cash- Drummer, Educator, Multi-Instrumentalist, and More!
This week’s guest is Kenny Cash. Kenny is an acclaimed American multi-instrumentalist, producer, and engineer who regularly collaborates as a live and studio drummer and percussionist for reggae legend Ziggy Marley. Cash contributed drums, percussion, and guitar tracking to several of Ziggy Marley's projects, including the Grammy-nominated family reggae album More Family Time (featuring the single "Jambo" and "Play With Sky" featuring Ben Harper) and the Brightside album. He has hit the road for major live circuits, including the Do the Reggae Tour and the Brightside Tour, as well as performing live on drums behind Marley on The Late Late Show with James Corden, The Today Show, Live With Kelly and Mark, and The Jimmy Kimmel Show among other venues.
Happy Birthday!
Happy birthday to Javier Diaz. Javier is a percussionist with the American Symphony Orchestra and with several chamber music groups and Latin music groups in the New York Area. He has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, New Jersey Symphony, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, New York Perspectives Ensemble, Zankel Hall New Music Band, and Hilliard Ensemble. He has performed for Broadway's productions of Man of La Mancha, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Brooklyn, Phil Collins’s Tarzan, Guys and Dolls, The Wiz, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Rocky, In The Heights, The Lion King, and Gloria Estefan’s On Your Feet. His studio/film soundtrack credits include collaborations with jazz greats David Sanborn and Marcus Miller, ECM's Tituli by Stephen Hartke with the Hilliard Ensemble, Barbershop 3, several HBO films, and many TV and radio commercials.
As an Afro-Cuban percussion specialist, Diaz has appeared with Miami Sound Machine, David Sanborn, Marcus Miller, Sean Kingston, Diana Ross, Gladys Knight, Chaka Khan, Patty LaBelle, Lazaro Galarraga's Afro-Cuban All Stars, percussionists Angel Luis Figueroa, Candido Camero, Román Diaz and Pedro Martinez, The Panamerican Jazz Band, The Ethnix, AnetteAguilar’s Latin Jazz Group, Marta Topferova, Edmar Castañeda, Tribal Sage, and the New York World Music Institute. In addition, Diaz has released an album with world music band Kalunga.
An active educator, Diaz has taught classical percussion at El Sistema de Orquestas Juveniles e Infantiles de Venezuela, University of Connecticut, and his private studio in New York City. He has also taught Afro-Cuban percussion seminars, classes, and clinics at the Peabody Institute, University of Southern California, Percussion Artists Workshops Los Angeles/New York, Los Angeles School District, The Juilliard School, the Boston Conservatory, and Mannes School of Music in New York City. Diaz is currently on the percussion faculties at Rutgers University and the Juilliard School. He has a book on Afro-Cuban percussion called The Afro-Cuban Handbook.
Diaz has composed music for the Aspen Music Festival, New York University, and University of Southern California. His concert music is available through Bachovich Music.
An alumnus of El Sistema de Orquestas Juveniles e Infantiles de Venezuela and the Aspen Music Festival, Diaz holds a BM from the University of Southern California and an MM from The Juilliard School.
Happy Birthday to Jon Epcar. Born and raised in Los Angeles, drummer Jon Epcar currently resides in NYC. He has worked with many artists, including Bono, Justin Timberlake, John Legend, Rihanna, Natasha Bedingfield, Carly Rae Jepsen, Klangkarussell, Cristian Castro, Matt Morris, Madison Beer, Katie Melua, Evan Rachel Wood, Jackson Harris, Jesse James, The Ghostwriters, Taryn Manning, Matt & Kim, John Issac Watters, Danielia Cotton. He is a founding member of the band Carney, with whom he toured and recorded with for many years. On Broadway, he originated the drum chairs for Spider-Man and Amelie, and Tina Fey’s Mean Girls, where he is currently drumming.
Happy Birthday to Nate Wood! Grammy nominated Nate Wood is a drummer/multi-instrumentalist and mastering engineer based in New York City. Nate is a founding member of the Grammy nominated quintet Kneebody. Kneebody released their self titled debut album in 2005 on trumpeter Dave Douglas’s label Greenleaf Music. In 2007, Kneebody released “Low Electrical Worker” on Colortone Media. They completed an album of arrangements of Charles Ives compositions with singer Theo Bleckmann and released the recording “12 Songs of Charles Ives” which was nominated “Best Classical Crossover Album” Grammy Award (2009, Winter and Winter). Kneebody’s latest record “The Line” was released on Concord Records in 2013.
Nate has also performed or recorded with many notable artists including Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders, Dave Grohl, Brian May and Roger Taylor (Queen), Chris Squire (Yes), Elliot Easton (The Cars), Chaka Khan, Wayne Krantz, Billy Childs, Tigran Hamasyan, Donny McCaslin, Sting and many others.
Nate was featured in Modern Drummer in March of 2014, and placed in the 2015 Modern Drummer reader’s poll among the top 5 drummers in his category.
Along with his work as a sideman, Nate has released 3 albums of his own material, where he performed, recorded and mixed everything himself. His newest album “Another Time” was released in July 2014.
Nate also masters records for artists from around the world.
Happy Birthday to Nelson Matthew “Mateo” Gonzalez! Bronx native Nelson “Mateo” Gonzalez was raised in a musical family. His grandfather, Benny Ayala, is a seasoned Plenero composer and folklorist. As a young child, Mateo was surrounded by Afro-Caribbean rhythms of Puerto Rican folkloric music. He began formally studying music at the Harbor Conservatory in East Harlem, New York at age eleven.
Since then, Mateo has become an accomplished percussionist, studying under Johnny Almendra, George Delgado, Louis Bauzo, Anthony Carrilo, just to mention a few. Mateo is equally gifted as a dancer and has been a member of Danza Fiesta for over 24 years. He is currently playing percussion with six-time Grammy-nominated musician Bobby Sanabria and his Big Band. He also has two plena groups: Kinto Zonó, an 11-piece plena orchestra, and Mateo y su Cumbalaya, a 5-6 member group playing traditional bomba y plena music.
Happy Birthday to Jose Madera! Madera is steeped in the history of Latin jazz. He is the son of Jose “Pin” Madera, the first arranger for the Machito Orchestra. Jose started playing timbales with machito as a teenager and went on to become Tito Puente’s Conguero for 30 years. He spent 31 years with the Tito Puente Orchestra, going on to become a musical arranger and director of the Orchestra. He was also a staff arranger at the legendary Fania Records since the 1970’s. His long career has connected with such legends as Willie Colon, Fania All-Stars, Joe Farrell, Eddie Palmieri, Celia Cruz, and Dizzy Gillespie, as well as R&B and pop legends such as Diana Ross and James Brown.
Happy Birthday to Andy Sanesi! Andy is a Los Angeles based drummer, He is currently the drummer for living legend Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and also plays with Missing Persons whom he has played with for the last 5 years. His own band Blanco Diablo has a residency at The Mint in LA and plays regularly at other venues. Additionally Andy has played with and continues to play with a seemingly endless array of artists from virtually every genre of music. Some other artists Andy has worked with are Sebastian Bach, Johnny Rivers, LP, Elle King, Post Modern Jukebox, Dave Binney, Oz Noy, Eminem, Rihanna, Arturo Sandoval, Aloe Blacc, John Zorn, Nir Felder, Brian Charette, The Nick Hexum (of 311) Quintet, Nomad Trio with Scott Henderson and Rufus Philpot, The Julian Coryell Trio with Joe Bagg, John Beasley, Tim LeFebvre Doug Webb, Mitch Forman, Bob Shephard, Ben Shepard, Jerry Vivino, Hadrian Ferraud, Steve Weisberg, Hal Wilner, Carl Verheyen, Gryphon Labs, Sonny Liston (featuring members of Suicidal Tendencies) and Brian Baker’s various projects.
Happy Birthday to Danny Cummings! The first Latin percussion instrument that Danny Cummings ever acquired was a second-hand conga he persuaded his parents to buy him for his 21st birthday. "I remember thinking that black fiberglass drum marked the beginning of a new era for me," says Cummings. And perhaps it did: In the 20 years since, the London-based percussionist has recorded with such rock notables as the late John Martyn, Dire Straits, Tina Turner, George Michael, Les McKeown, Penguin Café Orchestra, Elton John, The Pet Shop Boys, Simply Red, Daniel Beddingfield, Talk Talk, David Sylvian, Mark Knopfler and Bryan Adams. His playing is particularly well showcased on "Ocean Drive" by The Lighthouse Family, and on the cabaret-tinged "Shag Tobacco" by vocalist Gavin Friday (on which Cummings recorded more than 60 overdubs). He also appears on Knopfler's CD Kill To Get Crimson and on Bryan Adams' most recent album, On a Day Like Today.
At age 12, Cummings began playing snare drum in his school band, then got hooked on percussion with a pair of bongos that his grandparents brought him from Trinidad. His early musical influences included Curtis Mayfield, Isaac Hayes, and Bill Withers, and "as any percussionist who plays congas in contemporary music will tell you, Santana (Carlos) was a most powerful influence."
Today, in addition to congas, shakers, and tambourines, Cummings plays a collection of original African instruments and experiments with electronic sounds: "I like the idea of blending very traditional instruments with futuristic, cosmic things."
Danny has embarked on several projects with Knopfler, both as part of Dire Straits and Knopfler's solo band. The last Dire Straits album, On Every Street, featured Cummings as a percussionist and he also contributed to Knopfler's solo album releases All the Roadrunning, Kill to Get Crimson and Get Lucky. He toured with Knopfler on the tours for each of these albums, and featured on the live CDs and DVDs On The Night and Real Live Roadrunning (featuring Emmylou Harris).
Cummings also appears on Guy Fletcher's albums Inamorata (2007) and Natural Selection (2010).
He now lives in the south of England with his wife and 2 boys.
Happy Birthday to Matthew Lau! Hailed by the Aspen Times for his “soulful and technically impressive solo” at his vibraphone concerto debut at the Aspen Music Festival, percussionist Dr. Matthew Lau performs a wide range of repertoire with an absolute commitment to communicating the meaning and essence of percussion music to its audience, from arrangement of Bach’s Violin Sonata on marimba to avant-garde contemporary pieces by Franco Donatoni and Iannis Xenakis. He is aiming to democratize classical contemporary music through high-caliber and approachable performances, interactive social media presence with his miniseries #LauLicks, with a whimsical twist.
Pursuing a strong interest in contemporary percussion music, his vision and aesthetic are aimed to expand the ever-growing percussion repertoire by pushing existing boundaries, incorporating electronics & technologies and discovering new sounds. His interest in exploration of new music has led Matthew to commission new pieces with many renowned composers. He is also the co-founder and artistic director of the contemporary percussion group The Up:Strike Project. He is also one half of the percussion duo Fisher/Lau Project with fellow percussionist Dr. Abby Fisher. As a queer Asian percussionist, Dr. Lau challenge the convention narratives and work to change the traditional prescribed career path.
Matthew enjoys an international performing and teaching career. From 2018, he’s given recitals and taught at Marimbafest, Transplanted Roots Percussion Research symposium, PercuFest, Oh My Ears New Music Festival 2020, DrumsFest Moscow Competition & Festival, Percussion Arts Society International Convention (PASIC), X Encuentro Internacional de Percussion Peru, Gnessin College of Music, Conservatorio de Musica Buenos Aires Astor Piazzolla, University of the Arts Buenos Aires, Ente Cultural de Tucumán, La Plata, Conservatorio de Musica Juilian Aguirre, Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, The National Autonomous University of Mexico, The Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Universidad Veracruzana, University of Western Australia, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Australian Percussion Gathering.
Matthew obtained his Doctor of Musical Arts in contemporary percussion performance from Stony Brook University under the guidance of Eduardo Leandro. He holds a Master of Music from New York University studying with Jonathan Haas, Simon Boyar, and James Saporito. Previous teachers include Dr. Heung-Wing Lung, and James Boznos. Matthew currently resides in Boston , and maintains a private teaching studio. Matthew is the winner of the 2018 Hong Kong Arts Development Award for Young Artist in music. He is currently on the Board of Advisor and Keyboard Committee for The Percussive Arts Society, and Board of Directors for The Vibraphone Project Inc.
Dr. Lau is Premier Artist of Marimba One, Artist Endorser of Black Swamp Percussion, and Signature Artist of Encore/Salyers Mallets. In his spare time he is an avid yoga practitioner and believe proper alignment can get rid of certain soreness in percussion playing. He is also a Level 1 Master Knitter from The Knitter’s Guild Association.
Happy Birthday to Brian Dunne! Brian says, I’m the current drummer for Hall and Oates and have been touring the world with them for the past 7 years. As the drummer for Live From Daryl's House I've been fortunate enough to record shows with Joe Walsh, Billy Gibbons, Sammy Hagar, Aloe Blac, Gavin Degraw, Cheap Trick, Wyclef Jean, Daughtry, Todd Rundgren, Patrick Stump, Booker T. Jones, Grace Potter, Parachute, Guster, Daryl Hall, Chiddy Bang, Rumer, Nick Waterhouse, Minus the Bear, Johnny Swim, Amos Lee, Brett Dennen, Darius Rucker, Ben Folds, Kandace Springs, Kitty Daisy and Lewis, Elle King, Anderson East, Grace, Mayer Hawthorne, Allen Stone, Butch Walker, Jason Mraz, Shelby Lynne, Kenny Loggins, The O'Jays, Rob Thomas, Neon Trees, Cee Lo Green...
I've also had the good fortune to be a band member/perform/tour/record with many other artists before my tenure with Hall and Oates: AWB, Patti Austin, Chuck Loeb, Alana Davis, Bobby Caldwell, Jason Robert Brown, Ariana Grande, Nelson Rangel, Special EFX, Jeff Lorber, Everett Harp, Keiko Matsui, Michael Franks, Jeff Kashiwa, Willie Colon, Gerald Veasley, Bob James, Jay Beckenstein, Dave Samuels, Cory Glover, Chieli Manucci, Kim Waters, The Sax Pack, Steve Cole and Paul Jackson Jr.,
Concerts and TV shows backing: Patti Labelle, Chaka Khan, Florida, Ashanti, Jarule, Bell Biv Devoe, Envogue, JoJo, Stephanie Mills, Sharon Jones, Donnie Mcclurkin, Floetry, The Impressions, Anthony Hamilton, Sting, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Bob James, Peter White, Jessica Simpson, Carly Rae Jepsen, Hezekiah Walker, The Main Ingredient, Leni Stern, Jeff Golub, Phil Perry, Be Be Winans, India Arie, Eddie Levert...
In addition to my touring/performance schedule, I've played on a number of major motion film tracks as well as independent films and jingles.
I also have a production facility (Back of the Bus Productions) where I record drum tracks (remote sessions) for those in need of Live Drums for their projects.
Happy Birthday to Eric Velez! Eric is one of the most respected Latino percussionists of his generation. He is of Puerto Rican descent, and was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. Eric learned to play congas, bongos, and timbales at the young age of three with the assistance of his brother. His first musical performance was with Grupo Fascinacion at the age of fifteen. At the age of seventeen, Eric played with Eddie Palmieri and in 1993 made his first recording with Marc Anthony for the movie soundtrack "Carlito'ís Way." In 1996, Eric continued to record under RMM Records with producer Isidro Infante. Eric also traveled with the RMM Band, featuring Tito Puente. In 1997, Eric joined Marc Anthony'ís band and later that year performed for President Clinton'ís 1997 Inaugural Ceremony. A year later, Eric recorded with Celia Cruz. In 1999, Eric joined D.L.G. and also recorded with various artists under record producer Sergio George.
Between 2000 and 2004, Eric performed with Marc Anthony on two tours, several TV shows, including Jay Leno, as well as the HBO Special: Marc Anthony the Concert. In 2005, Eric joined the "Juntos en Concierto Tour" featuring Marc Anthony. Later that year, Eric and his brother, Joe Juicy Jusino recorded a Salsa CD titled, "Juicy and Eric 'ñ Huracan." In 2006, Eric went on another "Juntos en Concierto Tour 2" featuring Marc Anthony. In October, Eric recorded with Marc Anthony for "Marc Anthony in Tenerife." In 2007, Eric continued to play with Marc Anthony and also began playing percussion with Jennifer Lopez and appeared on American Idol and David Letterman. The following year, Drum! Magazine named Eric "Runner-up for Percussion Rising Star."
In 2009, Toca Percussion launched the Eric Velez Signature Series Congas and Bongos. In October, Eric returned to the White House and performed with Marc Anthony for the "Fiesta Latina" performance. Eric has received many renowned distinctions, including another award by Drum! Magazine in 2009. He was named "Live Percussionist of the Year," "Runner-up Percussionist of the Year," "Runner-up Latin Percussionist of the Year," and "Runner-up Percussion Product of the Year." In 2010, Eric'ís influence was significantly recognized once again when he was awarded Drum! Magazine'ís "Runner-up Live Performer of the Year" and "Runner-up Latin Percussionist of the Year." In May 2011, Eric performed with Marc Anthony during the season finale of American Idol. Once again, his accomplishments were recognized when Eric received the award for "Runner-up Latin Percussionist of the Year" by Drum! Magazine.
In 2012, Eric performed with Marc Anthony during the finale of Q'íViva: The Chosen. In June, Eric played for President Obama at the "Latinos for Obama Fundraiser" at the Jackie Gleason Theater. That same year, Eric received an award by Drum! Magazine as "Runner-up Latin Percussionist of the Year." Eric toured this summer with the "GIGANT3S Tour" featuring Marc Anthony. He will be ending the year in Latin America with the "GIGANT2S Tour" featuring Marc Anthony.
Gig Alerts
The Backstreet Boys are starting a 10-Date Düsseldorf Residency in Germany. -Article
The Clearwater Jazz Holiday Festival is happening in Clearwater, FL from Oct 15-18.
The NoLa Funk Fest is happening in New Orleans from Oct 16-18.
The show in Tuscaloosa, AL with Larkin Poe (with friend of the show, Ben Satterlee on drums), Ziggy Marley (with Kenny Cash and Damon Grant on drums and percussion), and Govt Mule (with Terence Higgins on drums) has been cancelled due to the incoming hurricane.
Educational Spotlight
Friend of the show, Jeffrey Barudin, has posted new Graduate Assistantship positions open for the forthcoming semesters/school year.
Friend of the show, Mike Dolbear, is helping to host the Young Drummer of the Year competition.
Iconic Recording
Kenny picked the song, “So Much Trouble in the World” by Bob Marley. He chose the Ziggy Marley version, live at the House of Blues in New Orleans.
Music News
There has been more news on artists having residencies, including Shakira hosting an entire “disposable city”.
Below are 18 Tax Write Offs for artists and musicians that you can complete before the end of 2026.
Kenny Cash Interview
The song leading into the interview is, “Beautiful Day” by Ziggy Marley. It was a bonus track on the album, ‘Family Time’.
The interview was conducted on a day off during the Ziggy Marley fall tour.
Shout-out to Santa Davis.
Kenny watched this Drumeo video to help him play the style correctly.
Kenny mentions the ‘Survival’ album by Bob Marley, and the track “Ambush in the Night”.
Damon mentions the track “Positive Vibration”
Kenny’s first instrument is the saxophone. Shout-out to Tom Kubis.
Kenny attended Golden West College.
Kenny also attended MI (Musician’s Institute).
Some of the terms Kenny breaks down are: Dubwise, Riddim, Shuffle/Bubble, Bang, Skank, The Pluck and One Drop (as opposed to Dancehall).
Kenny talks about recording on some of Ziggy’s newest album, Brightside.
Kenny talks about his dad getting him his first drumset.
Kenny eventually joined the drumline and studied with Blue Devils alum, Tim Tintari.
Shout-out to Craig VanDerSchaegen and his podcast Practicing Drummer.
Shout-out to John Schutza.
Kenny played guitar with Bambaata Marley.
Kenny talks about how he got into the Marley camp through an internship with Tuff Gong Worldwide.
He taught Ziggy’s kids drums for over 15 years. You can email Kenny at: kcash2199@gmail.com to study with him.
Kenny did some work at Norman’s Rare Guitars.
Kenny gives a fun fact about THIS SCENE in Back to the Future.
Kenny has curated a Grateful Dead Playlist if you want to work your way into becoming a fan of the band.
Damon mentions the Crossroads Guitar Festival and Buddy Guy’s 90th Birthday celebration that just took place.
Shout-out to Steve Jordan.
Kenny mentions seeing the Rolling Stones with John Mayer as a guest.
Kenny picks the iconic recording for the week.
Kenny talks about the drums and cymbals he’s using on tour with Ziggy.
Kenny uses Sabian Cymbals, Vic Firth Sticks and Mallets, Remo Drumheads, and Ultimate Ears in-ear monitors.
Shout-out to John Schutza, Tim Tintari, and Joel Taylor.
You can follow Kenny on Facebook, and Instagram.
The song leading out of the interview is, “Sweet Divine” by Ziggy Marley from the ‘Brightside’ album.
