It’s finally PASIC week!

This week’s guest is Andwele Simons. Andwele was born on the sunny island of Bermuda. From a young age, he always showed an interest in drums. His parents Jacqueline & Andrei nurtured his natural talent, and from the age of 2 his father Andrei would take him to band rehearsals early to let him play the drums. As a child Andwele was also a heritage member of the John Warner Bermuda Gombey troupe, as a dancer and a drummer. From high school concert band, and his own band made up of himself, his younger brother Jacqui, and childhood best friend Desta, he began performing regularly. At age 17 he started his own drumming school where he tutored many drummers and groomed them for musical careers. Some of his students attended Berklee College of Music. He has toured with many bands including The Unit and Working Title. He has occupied the drum throne for: The Spinners, reggae artist Etana the Strong One, Sia Spense, McCartney Darrel The Wallstreet Band and many more. He also served as musical director for Bermuda Idol and a drum tech to many artists.

Shout-out to past veterans on the podcast:

Master Sergeant Glenn Robertson and Master Sergeant Robert Marino, Master Sergeant Tom Rarick, and Sergeant Major Mark Reilly among others.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to Bryan Garbe! Bryan Garbe is an award-winning composer, producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who specializes in drums, guitar, and steel pan. Over the past two decades, he has toured worldwide, recorded with Grammy Award-winning artists, and performed in some of the most notable venues in New York City, including Madison Square Garden and The Beacon Theater.

Most recently, Bryan was a Score Producer for the feature film, On The End, recorded drums and percussion for HBO’s documentary Wild Wild Space, working as an additional composer under Gil Talmi. He was selected as a featured composer for the 2024 ASCAP Columbia University Film Scoring Workshop, winner of the 2023 BMI Pete Carpenter Fellowship, participant in the 2022 NYU Screen Scoring Summer Workshop and mentee in the 2020 Society of Composers and Lyricists Mentorship Program. He is an active composer for Film, TV and Advertising, working with music houses such as
Warner Chappell.

Bryan’s project, CASTOFF, composes for film and tv, crafting emotionally driven scores for narrative, documentary, and commercial work. Known for blending creative steel pan with modern production, his work has expanded into an ongoing search for distinctive textures and collaborative sonic worlds.

Bryan is endorsed by Remo Drum Heads, Vater Sticks, Dream Cymbals and Luna Guitars and Ukuleles.
As an educator, Bryan has been teaching privately and as a clinician for over 20 years. He has given clinics and master classes on drum set, percussion, and steel pan at several universities and private schools in London, Italy, Trinidad, Ireland, China, and the US. For the past decade, he has also been teaching acoustic and electric guitar, ukulele, bass, and piano.

From 2011 to 2017, Bryan was the Vice President of the Connecticut Percussive Arts Society, an international group of drummers and percussionists focused on enhancing music education and connecting drummers and percussionists from around the world. He is the creator of the CT PAS Artist Spotlight Series, a monthly feature that aims to promote and connect Connecticut drummers, percussionists, and ensembles.

At eight years old, Bryan began taking drum lessons at the Jim Royle Drum Studio in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where he was introduced to the world of percussion. At the studio, he learned at a young age to read music and play a wide variety of percussion instruments. Bryan dedicated ten years to studying under Jim Royle before returning to the studio as an instructor for the following five years.

In 2011, he toured across Trinidad and Tobago as the Assistant Director of the Jim Royle Drum Studio Steel Band, accompanied by steel pan virtuoso and close friend, Tracy Thornton. His time in the country where the steel pan was born brought his passion and admiration for the instrument to a whole new level.

Bryan is currently playing drums for NYC based indie rock band, London Plane, while maintaining a busy schedule as a session drummer and
film composer.

Happy BIrthday to Gabe Globus! Gabriel blends a multitude of musical influences together in his work as a performer and educator. A Montreal native, Gabriel is now based in New York City where his career continues to reflect a deep love for the worlds of jazz, classical music, and world music. Gabriel has performed on drumset and percussion with a wide variety of artists including Morgan James, Jim James, Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, Omara Portuondo, Telmary Diaz, Roberto Fonseca, Tirso Duarte, Steve Hackman, Tessa Lark, the Philly Pops, Pittsburgh Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Louisville Orchestra, among others. He collaborates frequently with Teddy Abrams and the Sixth Floor Trio, serving as principal percussionist and education director at the trio’s chamber music festival, GardenMusic, in South Miami. An active composer and arranger, Gabriel has written orchestral arrangements for Grammy-award winners Sam Bush, Cory Henry, and Sara Jarosz, as well as Achilles Liarmakopolous of the Canadian Brass, Grammy nominated Tiempo Libre, and the Louisville Orchestra. In 2018, Gabriel performed Julia Wolfe's percussion concerto riSE and fLY with Teddy Abrams and the Louisville Orchestra with the composer present. In 2019, Gabriel performed chamber music with Daniil Trifonov and Sergei Babayan to a sold out crowd at Stern Auditorium in Carnegie Hall.

In 2017 Gabriel founded People of Earth, a 15 person Latin fusion group filled with some of NYC's best musicians representing a myriad of countries. People of Earth has performed at Brooklyn Bowl, Rockwood Music Hall and other top NYC venues. For more information visit www.peopleofearthmusic.com

In addition to his work in the orchestral and jazz music worlds, Gabriel has completed extensive world percussion studies having studied Afro-Brazilian percussion in Salvador, Bahia with Gabi Guedes and Mario Pam, as well as Cuban percussion with Girardo Piloto, Rociel Riveron, and Adonis Panter.

Gabriel continues to work as a teaching artist for the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance, Philadelphia Orchestra, 92nd Street Y, and Marquis Studios. He was formerly a teaching artist with Play On Philly! as well as musician-in-residence at The Please Touch Museum. He is a co-founder of PlasticBand, a community drumming group based in Harlem, New York and received a Carnegie Hall NeON Arts Grant to build this program. He is a 2008 graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music where he studied with Don Liuzzi and Robert van Sice.

Happy Birthday to Bendji Allonce! Bendji Allonce began his percussion career at the tender age of four, deeply rooted in his Caribbean culture, but has since then toured across the globe and collaborated with the best of many musical genres. Highlights of his career include providing percussion for Kesha performance at 2018 Grammys, Vogue Fashion show with designer Pyer Moss, Dave Chappelle, Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean, Kassav', Tanya St. Val, Chrisette Michele, R & B divas Jade, RES, Ben Williams, Terry Slingbaum, Trombone Shorty, Craig Robinson and The Nasty Delicious Band, Elle Varner and The Voice's Jermaine Paul. In addition, he stays busy doing studio work with artists ranging from B Slade (formerly Tonex) and singer/producer Chris Rob, to living legends like songstress Roberta Flack.

Bendji has also appeared on episodes of VH1's Love and Hip-Hop, BET's Music Matters and HBO show Vinyl, Netflix Special Hilarity For Charity with The Nasty Delicious in collaboration with The Muppets. Influenced by his father Herman Nau, bandleader of Haitians' leading Kompa band "Tabou Combo", it was only fitting for Bendji to also become an internationally recognized musician. His craft continues to evolve everyday while his effortless performance, and ability to cross over to new genres of music are leading factors to his distinction and authenticity as a musician.

Happy Birthday to Erin Elstner! Erin is an experienced percussionist and conductor who has been the head of the Webster University percussion department and the conductor of both the Webster University Percussion Ensemble and the Webster University Community Music School (CMS) Percussion Ensemble where she also taught private drum and percussion lessons. Erin has also been the co-director of the Strike Institute, a summer percussion symposium in St. Louis where she conducted the percussion ensemble. She is currently the Assistant Director and Director of Ladue Percussion at Ladue Schools as well as a professor at Webster University.

Erin is a percussion and drum set professor teaching applied percussion lessons and percussion methods courses at Webster University and percussion classes at Ladue Schools. Previously Erin was a member of the adjunct faculty at Maryville University. She has taught percussion through the St. Louis Symphony Community Music School, the Third Street Music Settlement and Carnegie Hall in New York where she was a Teaching Artist, the Taichung School of Arts and Music in Taiwan, The Strike Institute and The Erin Elstner Percussion Studio. Erin is also an active adjudicator and clinician in both Missouri and Illinois and has toured Europe with the Missouri Ambassadors of Music. At Webster University, Erin has hosted many internationally renowned artists in masterclasses including Stanton Moore (Galactic), Chuck Silverman (Latin artist-L.A.), Jason Bittner (Shadow’s Fall), Keith Aleo (Boston Conservatory), Michael Israelievitch (Stuttgart Philharmoniker), Matt Nolan (U.K. based instrument maker), Robert Glasper and the Experiment (gospel/R&B), Danny Seraphine (Drummer for Chicago), Thor Anderson (Cuban artist), John Blackwell (Drummer for Prince) and Dave King (The Bad Plus).

As a freelance performer, Ms. Elstner’s numerous performance achievements include playing percussion with the International Women’s Brass Conference, an American tour led by Susan Slaughter and principal orchestral players with a residency at Interlochen, percussionist for the new music ensemble Synchronia, member of the Brazilian groups The Sambistas and the Sambanditos,“The True Heart” performance with Glen Velez, the VH-1 Fashion Awards in New York with the group De La Guarda, playing percussion with Peter Cetera of Chicago, percussionist with the Joffrey Ballet, the Grateful Dead reunion tour, Motown and Weird Al Yankovic at the Fox Theater, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, 100-year centennial celebration performance of Jerome Robbins’ Broadway and the Wiz at the St. Louis Muny, Cirque Musica, The Who and drum set for the “Bright Lights, Broadway” Asian tour, Cabaret at the Repertory Theater of St. Louis and Sondheim’s Company at the Edison Theater at Washington University.

She has also been the percussionist/drummer for blues, rock and pop bands, including vibraphonist/vocalist for New York group Champale, featured in the New Yorker magazine, guest performer with Bambi Kino in Hamburg, Germany for the 50th anniversary of the Beatles at the Kaiserkeller, drummer for gypsy blues group Hazmat Modine performing regularly at Terra Blues in Manhattan, and RED, a rock trio in New York City. Erin has played with artists such as David Garza, Japanese pop group Pizzicato Five and recorded/played on many records including those of Clem Snide and Kill Henry Sugar. Erin is a member of the St. Louis Bach Society performing regularly at Powell Hall and the Swing of Hearts Orchestra, performing regularly at McKendree University. Ms. Elstner has been published in Percussive Notes and her electronic compositions have been included on Billy Martin’s album, Meshes, on Amulet Records and in several U.K.-based documentary videos.

Erin Elstner is an endorsed artist by Canopus Drums and the Zildjian Cymbal Company. Erin received her B.M. in Percussion Performance at Mannes College of Music in New York (The New School University), her Music Education certification from the University of Missouri-St. Louis and her M.A. in Orchestral Conducting at Webster University, both of which she graduated summa cum laude with departmental honors.

Happy Birthday to Crystal Vargas! Percussionist Crystal Vargas is no stranger to the stage. Whether she’s performing in the hottest clubs or playing for world-renowned artists, Crystal's showmanship has made her one of the most sought after percussionists in the industry.

As a four-year old, she was captivated by her father's (Glen Vargas) Salsa band. His keyboardist, Juan "Pops" Santos, gave her a partly broke güiro and it was then her musical journey began. By the age of 5, Crystal suddenly had the Salsa rhythm down on congas and by age 6 she became a featured performer on both Sabado Gigante and El Show de Medio Dia. Over the next 10 years, Crystal continued performing with her father and her own band, No Limit. After graduating from Marist High School (Bayonne, NJ) where she was a 3-sport athlete, Crystal enrolled at Rutgers University on scholarship to play softball.

During her senior year in 2005, a chance meeting with Robert Aaron (keyboardist/saxophonist) led to an impromptu performance with Grammy Award artist, Wyclef Jean at a Rutgers concert! A mentorship was quickly born as Aaron chose Crystal to join his band backing artist, Kat Deluna.

Crystal has showcased her talents on shows such as “Live! With Regis And Kelly”, BET's Black Girls Rock Awards Show, and Rihanna's music video "What's My Name?". She has performed alongside Paul Simon, Bernie Williams, Gladys Knight, Jill Scott, and Sheila E., to name a few. This recognition led to endorsement deals with Toca Percussion and Gibraltar Hardware.

As an independent percussionist, Crystal currently performs alongside radio DJs from Hot 97, Power 105, and La Mega 97.9. While playing percussion is her first passion, Crystal's versatility in the entertainment industry has led her to MC'ing, DJ'ing, and musical production.

Gig Alerts

The EFG London Jazz Festival is happening in London, England from November 13th-22nd.

Pearl Jam is still auditioning new drummers.

Venice Beach gets primed for a massive new music festival with the two-day 1905 Fest due for fall 2027, featuring five stages and a dozen-plus bars. -Article

Educational Spotlight

PASIC is this week.

There are PAS chapter events in 2026 in Germany, and newly announced 2027 events in Texas and Arizona.

Damon will be doing some clinics on the east coast the week following PASIC.

Iconic Recording

The iconic recording is called “Definition of a Band” by Mint Condition from the album with the same name.

Music News

Budget 2026 proposes exploring the creation of the Canada Creative Credit—a new non-refundable personal income tax credit that would provide tax relief on up to $45,000 in annual qualifying net business income derived from original creative artistic works (among other perks and benefits). -Article

The Australian Music Industry Network launches the Australian Music Touring Network, a free national map of live music venues to help artists plan tours. -Article

There is a new app for PASIC. THIS ARTICLE teaches you how to use it. Both Apple and Android users alike can have scheduling capabilities at their fingertips. Download it for FREE.

Andwele Simons Interview

The song leading into the interview is, “Blue Light (feat. Eric Darius)” by Ronald Boo Hinkson and Eric Darius from the album ‘Blue Light’

Andwele gives a PASIC preview for his clinic.

He talks about some drum influence.

Before a professional drummer, Andwele was a drum tech for others.

Andwele is from Bermuda originally.

He will be playing to some tracks from Shedtracks.

Shout-out to Remo Drumheads, turnstile drum keys, cotton balls and Snareweight. He also carries a multitool, screwdrivers, a knife, and in ear monitors.

Damon uses a deibel meter app as well as ear plugs.

Andwele sometimes uses the tune-bot.

Andwele talks about the folkloric rhythm from Bermuda called Gombey. He explains what the rhythm is about.

Andwele moved from Bermuda to Nova Scotia with his family. He explains why.

He mentions his instagram page.

Damon asks about Afro-Beat. Andwele mentions some Afro-Beat artists he enjoys like Tekno, Burna Boy, Wizkid and others.

Andwele also mentions Afro-House and Amapiano and Makossa.

Andwele played on Bermuda Idol.

Shout-out to Jimmy Furbert

Shout-out to the Bermuda Drum Institute.

Andwele picks the iconic recording.

Shout-out to friends of the show Brian Frasier-Moore, and Teddy Campbell.

Andwele’s Mount Rushmore for drumming is Vinnie Colaiuta, Teddy Campbell, Carter Beauford, and Steve Gadd.

Andwele mentions Gerald Heyward, (the late) Aaron Spears, Rex Hardy, Dana Hawkins, Lil' John Roberts, Calvin Rogers and others.

Shout-out to André Simons, Jackie Taylor, Rudy Ford, Allan Warner, Tootsie Garrell, Jimmy Furbert, Scarlett Thomas, Leroy Francis, Teddy Campbell, Steve Gadd, Vinnie Colaiuta, Dave Weckl, Dennis Chambers, Sonny Emory, and more.

Andwele uses Yamaha Drums, Remo Drumheads, Zildjian Cymbals, Vic Firth Sticks, Snareweight, Gibraltar Hardware, sE Electronics, Gorrila Sound, Alclair In Ear Monitors, and Shedtracks Drumless Tracks.

You can follow Andwele on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

The song leading out of the interview is “The Outro”.