New Drummer Makes a Lot of Noise
by Rob Nemeyer
Rob Garcia is one of the hottest new drummers on the scene. He has a very spiritual approach to his playing and clearly is making some noise around the industry as his resume speaks for itself. He has a new CD out with his group, Sangha. The CD is titled Hearts Fire and is now available. For more information on what Garcia is doing and the new CD, go to www.robgarcia.com.
We recently had the opportunity to ask Garcia some questions about his start as a drummer, his progression as a player, and his new project.
InsideCx: How were you attracted to the drums?
RG: I was always into music and played piano and trombone in elementary school. I then became very attracted to the drums in early high school. I was into classic rock, and the Who was my favorite band. I was kind of fanatical about them. I was particularly drawn to Keith Moon and his reckless abandon approach to playing. I was pretty quiet and reserved, so it was a very attractive outlet for self-expression. I finally got a drum set for Christmas in tenth grade, and as soon as we got it home, I set up a cymbal and snare drum and began to play. It was a magical moment. It sounded and felt so cool, and I haven't stopped since.
InsideCx: What was the most important aspect of your drumming education?
RG: There are so many aspects of my drumming education that were extremely important, but having to choose one, I would say the experience of playing with other musicians. As soon as I got drums, I started taking lessons, and luckily I also was getting together with friends and jamming. Playing music with others is the reason we study and practice technique, reading, coordination, rudiments, etc. All that stuff is very important, but there is no substitute for the experience of playing music to learn how to play music. Playing music, ideally, goes beyond intellectual understanding. It has to get into your body and soul. It's like riding a bicycle. The only way to learn is to do it.
InsideCx: You seem to keep very busy as a player in a very competitive industry. What do you attribute that to?
RG: First of all, being on top of my game as a player serves me well. As a musician, I need to serve the music. Ideally, the music will become greater than the sum of its parts. So as a drummer, to play good time, have a good feel and make good "color" choices, in that order, are necessary fundamentals. Being a good reader also helps for getting certain gigs. I am well versed in many styles, cutting-edge and traditional, and play a wide variety of gigs, unlike most.
InsideCx: Tell us about your new release.
RG: My group, Sangha, just released our debut CD called Heart's Fire. The band consists of fabulous musicians who have really brought this music to life. They are Adam Kolker - saxophones, Michel Gentile - flute, Yoon Sun Choi - vocals, Kenny Wessel - guitar, Daniel Kelly - piano, Dave Ambrosio - bass, Rob Garcia -drums, percussion. This CD is a collection of my original music, arrangements and lyrics. While I would still consider it in the jazz realm, it is more arranged than my previous projects and has a pop and world-music edge to it. I choose to create this project to express, lyrically, my experiences of studying holistic healing and spirituality. The tight arrangements and chosen rhythms make it accessible beyond the jazz audience. Everyone in the group is featured, and we are a group with chemistry that has developed over the past few years of playing out. It was recorded by Peter Karl, mixed by George Petit and mastered by Emily Lazar, and it sounds great.
