#484 J.P. Bouvet- Drummer, Educator, and More!
Photo of J.P. by Steven Chew.
This week’s guest is J.P. Bouvet! JP is a drummer and teacher, and runs the educational website, JPBouvetMethod.com, where he specializes in creating courses that teach improvisation with step-by-step methods. He studied music at Berklee College of Music and psychology at Columbia University. In 2011, he won the two largest drum contests in the world in the same year, and went on to tour the world with artists like Steve Vai, Periphery, and others. He has since taught drums in 34 countries, and thousands of students continue to find creative freedom from his online courses.
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to Drew McKeon! Drew McKeon is an NYC-based session drummer/multi-instrumentalist who has toured and performed with Rock & Roll Hall of Famers, Hall & Oates and Daryl Hall (solo), Grammy Award winner, Michael Bolton, Oscar winning duo, Pasek & Paul, Jimmy Buffett, Peter Cetera, Richard Marx, Julian Lennon, Todd Rundgren, Living Colour, Ben E. King, Dave Mason, Ron Pope, Bill Champlin, Shelea Frazier, Sam Moore, Antonique Smith, Hundred Hounds, The Broadway Boys, Darian Cunning, Harbor Party, Natalie Weiss, Carrie Manolakos, Chad Hollister Band, Jeff Tuohy, SEAL, and many others.
He currently serves as musical director for The Voice Season 10 winner, Alisan Porter, as well as Amanda Brown (Alicia Keys, Adele) and tours the world playing drums while conducting the orchestra for Michael Bolton in support of his latest release- A Symphony of Hits.
Happy Birthday to Jake Chapman! Jake is a multi-instrumentalist based in Los Angeles. His specialties include vibraphone, marimba, xylophone, glockenspiel, and keyboards. He is a session musician, performer, and songwriter with a lot of experience in a wide variety of musical styles, including jazz, hip hop, R&B, funk, pop, rock, video game music, and classical. He studied at Juilliard, and until COVID was a gigging musician in the NYC and LA music scenes. He has toured in the US, Singapore, and China. Jake enjoys utilizing his craft to help musicians, songwriters, and producers achieve great tracks and live performances.
Happy Birthday to Robert Marino! Robert was named Principal Timpanist of the United States Army Field Band, Washington, D.C., in 2006. He has been a featured soloist with the band at The American Bandmasters Association Convention and The Pennsylvania Music Educators Conference. In 2010 Robert was a guest soloist at the Interlochen Summer Music Festival.
He is a 2005 graduate of the Eastman School of Music with a double major in percussion performance and music education. While at Eastman, Robert earned the coveted Performer's Certificate, was named principal percussionist for the Eastman Wind Ensemble's highly acclaimed 2004 Asian tour, and was the timpanist for the Wind Ensemble's celebrated appearance at Carnegie Hall in 2005. Marino began his graduate studies at Boston University where he was the timpanist for the Boston University Symphony Orchestra's Carnegie Hall appearance. After leaving Boston University to join the Army Field Band, Robert completed his Master's Degree in Percussion Performance at the University of Maryland in 2010.
Robert Marino has also been active in the marching arts activities as a performer, instructor, arranger, and adjudicator. Since 2007 he has been an instructor for the nine-time DCI world champion Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps. He has also taught the Madison Scouts and Capital Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps. Robert has been the caption head and arranger for the Boston University Marching Band and its award-winning winter percussion ensemble, as well as for many award-winning high school marching bands. As a marching member of the Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps from 2000-2003, he won a DCI World Championship in 2000 and the three-peat high percussion trophies from 2001-2003.
Robert Marino is a Vic Firth Educator and Endorser and can be heard on Summit Records 2006 recording of Danzante where he was the principal percussionist, as well as on the Footprints album by Michael Udow. His instructors include John Beck, Tim Genis, Joe Periera, John Tafoya, Tony Ames, Gordon Stout, Ben Ramirez, Tom Aungst, Steve Kieffer, and John Wagner. Robert currently resides in Baltimore, MD, with his wife Elizabeth.
Happy Birthday to Mark Powers! A drummer, educator, author, speaker, actor and more, Mark Powers has studied, performed, and taught throughout North America, as well as in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the South Pacific. As a teaching artist, he facilitates a variety of percussion programs—educating students of all ages in schools, presenting at youth/adult correctional facilities and leading businesses and organizations in rhythm-based leadership and team building workshops. Mark is a two-time TEDx speaker, co-author of Alfred's Drumset Method: Book 2 and The 2-in-1 Drummer, and author of Solo in Style (all three published by Alfred Music), as well as author of two children's board books, I Want To Be A Drummer and I Want To Be A Reader (both published by Blue Manatee Press). He has written for Modern Drummer Magazine, Percussive Notes, and other percussion publications, and releases 60-second video drum lessons on DrumItInAMinute.com. Mark plays and endorses Tycoon Percussion instruments, REMO drumheads, SABIAN cymbals, Vic Firth drumsticks, ProLogix practice pads, Humes & Berg cases, and Cajon Brush. Find out more at PowersPercussion.com.
Gig Alerts
The Stagecoach Festival is happening in Indio, CA from April 24-26, There are some lineup changes to be aware of.
The R&B tour with Usher and Chris Brown is happening this summer.
Damon has a bunch of gigs this summer with a few different artists.
Friend of the show Jeffrey Barudin has listed new percussion job openings on his website.
Educational Spotlight
There is an opening for an internship with the Percussive Arts Society.
There are also days of percussion for the month of April.
If you are interested in joining one of the 17 committees for the Percussive Arts Society, the opening to submit your application is from April 1st-30th.
Lastly, there is the Steve Weiss Memorial Grant.
Iconic Recording
The iconic recording is “Got A Match” by Chick Corea, performed by the Elektric Band, with Dave Weckl on drums.
Music News
The inductees for the 2026 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame have been announced. -Article
Coachella 2026 just ended its first weekend, filled with Justin Bieber playing YouTube videos, Airbnb cancellations, and angry creators saying their invites were rescinded, and outlandish prices.. There was also a lot of great music -Article
Damon mentioned Karol G’s performance.
The Federal Trade Commission has ordered StubHub to pay $10 million to fans for deceptively advertising ticket prices on its website. -Article
Shout-out to all the percussionists and educators involved in the WGI Indoor Percussion Championships this coming weekend.
J.P. Bouvet Interview
The song leading into the interview is, “Something Else” by Childish Japes & Dave Vives from the ‘Salamander’ album.
Damon and J.P. met at a dinner at PASIC. They talk about being a “bad middler” at a table.
J.P. and Damon talk about the Zoos in NYC.
J.P. talks about his PASIC clinic.
J.P. elaborates on the ability to improvise.
Damon mentions Mark Guiliana and his book.
JP talks about ways to improvise and expand your vocabulary.
JP went to Berklee College of Music and then switched to, Columbia University to get a degree in psychology.
He talks about his path from music to psychology and back to music. He talks about how psychology helped him create his curriculum.
JP talks about his book.
JP talks about flow and melodies in his drumming.
If you want to read about the history of conducting, CLICK HERE.
Shout-out to friend of the show Carter McLean.
Damon mentions Alexander technique.
JP talks about work-life balance between touring, teaching, and being a dad/husband.
JP’s mom was a professional bass player and pianist.
JP took lessons from Wade Linkert at Schmitt Music in Burnsville, Minnesota. The bandmate he refers to is Mike Linden.
Shout-out to The Penguins and “Y”.
Damon and JP talk about memories.
Shout-out to Dillon Pinard.
JP mentions his dad being from Mauritius Island.
JP picks the iconic recording for the week.
JP uses DW Drums, Meinl Cymbals, and Vic Firth Sticks.
Shout-out to all the students of JP.
