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| Modern Drummer Blogs |  |
Percussionist Ramon Yslas
2009-11-08
Hi, MD readers! I want to say hello and fill you all in on what I’m currently up to. I’ve been touring the U.S. with Colbie Caillat, promoting her latest CD, Breakthrough. After that I’ll be going to Europe with the band early in 2010.
A little bit about me: I’ve played percussion with Christina Aguilera, Stevie Wonder, Patti Labelle, Juan Gabriel, Maxwell, and many others. I’ve been fortunate to record on Grammy award–winning albums with Christina and recently with Luz Casal, Pepe Aguilar, and Peter White.
I have my own CD out as well, Radio, which is a blend of rock, Latin, funk, and other styles. I also co-lead Sinverguenza with Tariqh Akoni, featuring Wally Reyes Jr. on drums.
Thanks for listening! Much love,
Ramon
For more on Ramon, go to www.sinverguenzamusic.com or www.yslas.com.
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Carmine Appice
2009-11-06
Hey, MD! I’ve never written a blog before so I’ll just fill you in on what I’ve been up to. I recently released my Guitar Zeus project’s double CD Conquering Heroes with Tony Franklin on bass. The featured guitarists are Brian May, Slash, Ted Nugent, Mick Mars, and many more. I’m always doing drum festivals and clinics, including a recent one in Germany for ddrum. In November I’ll be doing in-store promos for Guitar Zeus. I’ll be at Best Buy in Pasadena, California on November 7 and at J&R Music in NYC on November 19. My group SLAMM will be appearing in NYC at Archlight Theater on March 19-20 for three weekends.
I also just finished shooting a DVD for my book Realistic Rock For Kids. We held a contest with MD and ddrum and came up with a great eleven-year-old-drummer, Peter Biggiani Jr., from Toms River, NJ. Peter won the contest and will star in the video. So it’s been crazy with meetings, shooting the video, stopping by the MD offices to see my friends, doing some radio interviews—one with Eddie Trunk—then editing the DVD. It’s been nuts, but a lot of fun.
Until next time, C ya, and thanks!
Carmine
For more on Carmine and SLAMM, including tour dates, go to www.carmineappice.com.
Photo by Paul La Raia
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Gloria Gaynor’s Swiss Chris
2009-11-05
Hello, MD! I am currently doing spot dates in North and South America with Gloria Gaynor. I’m also playing drums for this great group Bajah & the Dry Eye Crew. Check these guys out; they’re great artists with a message. Another fun project I’m involved in is being the musical director and drummer for the hip-hop/rock group Riot In Paris.
There are so many great teachers out there–choose the best to learn from. I took lessons at the Collective in NYC, while I studied at Berklee School Of Music and NEC in Boston. I’ve studied with Alan Dawson, Kenwood Dennard, Jim Chapin, Joe Morello, Dom Famularo, Giovanni Hidalgo, Victor Mendoza, Ed Uribe, Bob Moses, and Marvin “Smitty” Smith. I hope this info can help to empower you…if I can do it, you can do it too!
For all the tech nerds: I’m using acoustic/electronic drums and triggering kicks, snares, 808s, quotes from my Akai MPC, and loops and samples from my laptop using Ableton. Thank you, Alesis, Akai, Roland, Yamaha (electronics), Ableton, and Apple, for the support. And a shout to my drum sponsors: Yamaha, Sabian, Aquarian and Vic Firth.
Also be on the lookout for my book, Sticking With Swiss Chris, which will be out soon with Cherry Lane Publishing and Hal Leonard distribution.
For more on Swiss Chris, visit:
www.myspace.com/swisschris777
www.swissorg.org
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kyPddFIUe0
think-peace.com/?p=6705
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