"The Players" Webcast

We had a blast talking about all things drums and drumming! ENJOY and be sure to check out Carl's website at: http://www.carlallen.com With over 200 recordings to his credit, the gifted Milwaukee-born, New York-based drummer, sideman, bandleader, entrepreneur, and educator, Carl Allen's profound and propulsive percolations provided soulful and syncopated support for nearly three decades. Born on April 25, 1961, Allen grew up on gospel, R&B, and funk, but later turned to jazz after hearing an LP by the legendary saxophonist Benny Carter. He studied with drum instructor Roy Sneider and band director Robert Siemele. His first hometown gigs were with sax greats Sonny Stitt and James Moody. Allen studied at The University of Wisconsin at Green Bay from 1979 to 1981, and transferred to William Patterson College in New Jersey, where he graduated in 1983 with a Bachelor's Degree in Jazz Studies and Performance. Allen joined trumpeter Freddie Hubbard a year before his graduation, served as his Musical Director for eight years, and recorded several recordings with the trumpeter including Double Take and Life Flight. Allen also played with Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Benny Golson, Jennifer Holliday, J.J. Johnson, Rickie Lee Jones, Sammy Davis Jr., Branford Marsalis, Kenny Garrett, Lena Horne, Ruth Brown, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Bobby Hutcherson, Mike Stern, Nellie McKay, Terence Blanchard, Phil Woods, Benny Green, Cyrus Chestnut, Joe Henderson, Billy Childs and many others. Allen's phenomenal sideman discography also includes Jackie McLean (Dynasty), Donald Harrison (Indian Blues, Noveau Swing), Donald Byrd (A City Called Heaven), and Art Farmer (The Company I Keep). “Carl Allen is an international powerhouse. His sound and feeings have fuled the bands of Freddie Hubbard, Christian McBride and countless others as well leading his own projects. “ – Joe Lovano Piccadilly Square (Timeless) was Allen's first CD as leader, released in 1989, followed by The Dark Side of Dewey (Evidence), The Pursuer (Atlantic), Testimonial (Atlantic), and Get Ready, his 2007 Mack Avenue gospel/Motown accented debut release with co-leader, bassist Rodney Whitaker followed up by Work to Do (Mack Avenue Records) featuring Kirk Whalum. Education has always been part of my mission Allen says. Art Blakey taught me the importance of nurturing the next generation of musicians. “Every generation needs someone to help them get to the next level and this what I am hoping to do”. In May of 2012 Allen received an honorary doctorate from Snow College in Ephraim, Utah in Humane Letters. Allen is also an accomplished businessman. He co-founded Big Apple Productions in 1988 with saxophonist Vincent Herring, produced several recordings for several Japanese labels with future stars Roy Hargrove and Nicholas Payton. Several years ago he created Nella Productions which produces projects and developed an education component to the company called The New York Jazz Symposium where he runs workshops around the world on jazz. Allen has also produced recordings for pianist Eric Reed, Dewey Redman. Pharoah Sanders, Freddie Hubbard, Kris Bowers and guitarist Lage Lund, the winner of the 2005 Thelonious Monk International Monk Competition and many others totaling nearly 70 credits as a producer. Carl Allen's multifaceted career provides the perfect template for what a modern musician should be. As Sid Gribetz of Jazz Times wrote, “more than just another fine drummer, Carl Allen has it all together as a bandleader, businessman, and producer, becoming a force in today's jazz world.” Allen maintains an exhaustive schedule of recording, touring and teaching. He remains active as a sideman with Christian McBride and Inside Straight, Benny Golson and others. As a leader most recently leading The Carl Allen Quartet as well as The Art of Elvin, a tribute band dedicated to his two drum influences, Art Blakey and Elvin Jones was started after the passing of Elvin Jones in 2004.

It was great to talk with drummer / percussionist, Michael Beck. In this conversation, Michael talks about his time with the iconic progressive rock band, Happy The Man. Great information, education, and stories! ENJOY! Michael Beck: My initial interest in drums began when I was in the sixth grade in Bloomington, Indiana. I started with metal rods as drum sticks on cardboard boxes and played to the music on the radio. Then in Junior High, I bought my first drum set, a 1950 model, and joined my first group playing 60's tunes, like “Louie Louie”. Our family then moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, where I met Rick Kennell (current bass player for Happy The Man). We formed a group together playing covers and original music. After High School I studied music at Indiana University for a short time, and began branching out playing many other styles of music, as much as possible, wherever I could, in clubs and concerts, with whoever I could find to work with. Rick Kennell, now back from the Army, called me to go with him to Harrisonburg, Virginia, to join a newly forming band, called Happy The Man, doing all original music. During this time frame, I increasingly became very dissatisfied with the confines of the ordinary drum set-up and began on a path of experimenting with adding on cowbells, woodblocks, and as many percussion instruments that I could find to add to my drum kit. I read everything I could find on old vaudeville, big band, and wacky drummers of the past. I built scaffolding to suspend wind chimes and various odd instruments I had found or made. I began discovering sounds in everything from toys to junk, to just about whatever would make an interesting sound. I was very influenced by Harry Partch and his idea of what a musician should be. He began a musical company that built his instruments from found objects, and in combination with dance, pantomime, and musicianship, was one of the first people I knew of that was presenting a multi-media performance show. Because of my rather large drum/percussion set up, I began to experiment with dance and movement myself…. mostly out of necessity, with having to move from one instrument to another when scoring my drums parts in Happy The Man. With this new art form in hand, I slowly (with the incredible music the HTM guys were writing) developed my own unique style. I always felt HTM music lent itself to a percussionist who should not confine scoring his parts to just a drum kit. The music was incredibly symphonic; it needed the proper ambient sounds to accompany the drum kit to bring out all the emotion the songs entailed. The HTM time period in my life was one of the most unique and amazing experiences I've ever had. We worked as a unit, everyone had huge respect for one another, and together we created incredible music. After leaving HTM, I played with various groups of all sizes, shapes, and styles. I did many recording projects, some small touring, and eventually moved back to Fort Wayne, Indiana to work at a drum/percussion music store, “The Percussion Center”. I became the in-house drummer for Marty Bleifield's state-of-the-art new recording studio doing all the jingle and demo work. I continued to put together original music groups, and played in anything of quality that came my way. I began writing music more seriously at this time, and eventually discovered that making a living as a sideman had its shortcomings - joining a band to eventually watch it break up would put you back on the street again, looking for work. The roller coaster instability became a factor, especially with a family to support. My wife, Annie, of 24 years, has always supported my artistry in every way, which has allowed me to continue my passion for music.

It was a great honor to talk with one of my musical heroes, GRAMMY award winning drummer, producer, & educator - Terri Lyne Carrington.

One of my favorite musicians, compsers, drummers, and people, Asaf Sirkis has released new and amazing recording entitled SOLAR FLASH! Available July 15th, 2021 on MoonJune Records, this album features Gary Husband on piano & keyboards, Kevin Glasgow on electric bass and Asaf on drums plus special guests; Sylwia Bialas on vocals and Mark Wingfield on guitar. This album has been in the making for the last two years, so great to see it out finally! It was great to have a chat online with Asaf about the making of the album. Enjoy the interview.

It was an honor to talk with one of my favorite musicians and biggest musical influences, Gary Husband. In this conversation, Gary talks about his journey from early gigs as a teenager with the Syd Lawrence Orchestra, to 36 years of working with Allan Holdsworth, to working with John McLaughlin and the 4th Dimension, and more. Gary also shares his thoughts about “success” and the difference between waiting for opportunities versus creating opportunities. Be sure to check out Gary's website and his newly launched VideoCast education videos. They're amazing! http://www.garyhusband.com​ Gary Husband is one of a rare breed of musicians in that his expression is divided equally in his capacity as a drummer and a pianist and keyboardist of international repute. His classical roots, his quest and development in the improvisational, jazz and jazz/fusion areas – not to mention his tenure in the pop, rock, funk and blues circuits – are all evident inside Gary's distinct and far-reaching musical personality. His solo album and DVD output has also reinforced his status as a critically acclaimed writer and arranger in the contemporary music world. For close to four decades Gary has worked alongside a vast and eclectic range of celebrated musicians including John McLaughlin, Allan Holdsworth, Jeff Beck, Jack Bruce (Cream), Gary Moore (Thin Lizzy), British pop/funk band Level 42, Billy Cobham, Al Jarreau, Mike Stern (Miles Davis), John Wetton (King Crimson), Chris Squire (Yes), Andy Summers (The Police), Steve Hackett (Genesis), Robin Trower (Procol Harum), and with producers Sir George Martin (Beatles), Trevor Horn (Grace Jones & Art of Noise), Quincy Jones (Michael Jackson), Jerry Hey and James Guthrie (Pink Floyd). Further associations and performing/recording credits include his work with Randy Brecker, Jan Hammer, Jerry Goodman, fusion/jam band Gongzilla, Germany's NDR Bigband, Soft Machine, Maria Schneider, Christian McBride, Eddie Van Halen, Dean Brown, Bob Berg, Nguyên Lê, Joe Lovano, Charles Tolliver, Bireli Lagrène, Peter Erskine, Ron Sexsmith, drum n' bass protagonists Lemon ‘D' and Dillinja. As an internationally established drum clinician he has performed alongside Dennis Chambers, Vinnie Colaiuta, Terry Bozzio, Billy Cobham, Simon Phillips, Omar Hakim, Ricky Lawson, Todd Sucherman, Paul Wertico, Denny Seiwell and Bernard Purdie, and most recently has been developing a series of motivational videocasts in drumming. His alter-ego as a pianist/keyboard player brings an extra dimension to his musicality at the drums. Indeed, he has been the keyboardist & second drummer in John McLaughlin's 4th Dimension since 2007. Gary continues to devote a substantial proportion of his time recording and performing worldwide across many styles of music.

Adam Nussbaum is considered one of the finest drummers working today. In this video, Adam shares his insights on many important topics, including flow, balance, playing for the song, and much more. Stay tuned for part 2 in a few weeks! He also share some fantastic stories about a multitude of experiences. Be sure to visit his website at: http://www.adamnussbaum.net​ He's played with a virtual "Who's Who" in the jazz world. Longtime associates have included: John Abercrombie, Michael & Randy Brecker, Eliane Elias, Gil Evans, Stan Getz, Vic Juris, James Moody, John Scofield, Joe Sample, Ohad Talmor, ‘Toots' Thielemans, Kenny Wheeler & NHØP, as well as freelancing with prominent artists of every generation, being a major asset no matter where he appears. Nussbaum has recently formed the Lead Belly Project. He has also joined forces with other musicians to form such groups as “BANN” w/Seamus Blake, Jay Anderson & Oz Noy, “We3” w/Dave Liebman & Steve Swallow, "The Impossible Gentlemen" w/Gwilym Simcock, Steve Rodby & Mike Walker, “The Nuttree Quartet" w/John Abercrombie, Jerry Bergonzi & Gary Versace and "The ZZ Quartet w/Ratko Zjaca, Simone Zanchini & Martin Gjakanovski. He's been on hundreds of recordings, including the Grammy winning "Don't Try This At Home” recorded with Michael Brecker. In addition, Nussbaum reaches out to the next generation. He is an in-demand educator doing Clinics and Master Classes, teaching at such institutions as Berklee, NYU, State University of New York, the New School, and at numerous Conservatories around the world. His abilities have brought opportunities for him to work with the finest makers of all things drum-related. Working with Sonor drums, he helped design a line in the “HiLite” series. In conjunction with Zildjian cymbals, Nussbaum helped developed the “Renaissance” & "Pre-Aged” K. Zildjian cymbals. He also coproduced with Hudson Music, "The Art of Playing Brushes." He was born in New York City and grew up in Norwalk, Connecticut and started to play drums at age 12 after studying piano for five years; he also playing bass and saxophone as a teenager. He moved to New York City in 1975 to attend The Davis Center for Performing Arts at City College. He eventually focused on drums….

I had the honor of talking with musician, educator, & drummer, Gary Hobbs. What a blast

What a blast it was to talk to Mark Mondesir. I've been a fan for many years and have always loved Mark's playing. In this conversation, we talk about a variety of subjects, including his time working with John McLaughlin, Courtney Pine, Jilian Joseph, and many others. ENJOY! Mark Mondesir was born in Stepney, London, on 12 December 1964. Mainly self taught, Mondesir attended various music workshops including Ian Carr's workshops at the Weekend Arts Centre. He began his professional career with Courtney Pine between 1985 and 1989 and recorded with Kevin Eubanks in 1991 & 1993 for the Blue Note label. In the 1990s he accompanied musicians who were visiting the UK; these included Art Farmer, Joanne Brackeen, Cecil Payne, Ronnie Matthews, James Williams, Hermeto Pascoal, Joe Zawinul, McCoy Tyner and John Scofield. Since the mid 90s he continues to play with Pee Wee Ellis... including a brief stint with James Brown's Bobby Byrd, Fred Wesley & Vicki Anderson early in that period. In the 1990s and early 2000s he was part of bands led by pianist Julian Joseph. From 2007 - 2010 he toured & recorded with John McLaughlin's Fourth Dimension Band including the Grammy nominated album To The One. He has also toured with Todd Sharpville with blues legends Joe Louis Walker & Duke Robillard, ex Deep Purple bassist/singer Glenn Hughes & later with Jethro Tull in 2009.

We hope you will consider showing your support through our Patreon page. This helps to keep the episodes coming. Thank you so much! www.patreon.com/theplayerswebcast I have been a hard core fan of the amazing, Vivien Lalu for many years. It was an honor to have him as my guest. In the conversation, Vivien takes through his journey from the formative years as a musician to composing, recording, performing, and much more. Enjoy, friends! He is an amazing talent and a wonderful musician and composer. Be sure to visit Vivien's website at: http://www.vivienlalu.com/​ Vivien Lalu is a French composer, keyboard player, songwriter, and record producer. The son of Noelle and Michel Lalu, musicians from the ‘70s French progressive act Polène, he had a musical upbringing with his parents. However, he also studied shortly with Emmanuel David, a former student of jazz pianist and composer Thelonius Monk. Vivien has released numerous recordings through an array of different bands and projects since 1997. He first became known for being the keyboard player and songwriter for Hubi Meisel from 2002 to 2005. He is better known for producing progressive metal records, in particular his own band LALU. Among his honors are an Album of the Month title in Rock Hard Magazine, and a mention in Roadrunner Records' Top Ten Albums of 2013 by Jordan Rudess (from Dream Theater) himself. In 2008, Vivien scored his first film, Warner Bros' Seuls Two, directed by French comedy artists Éric & Ramzy. This accomplishment helped him to secure more soundtrack work such as the show Science 2 made in association with Lucasfilm Ltd. Additionally, he joined the production team behind Laszlo Jones in order to assist in the recording and production of ‘Banana Nation' for Universal Music France. Vivien has since composed many soundtracks for French television, as well as music and sound effects for Ubisoft, and Neko Entertainment games on Nintendo DS, 3DS and Wii U. He endorses Roland keyboards and currently appears on more than 20 records as keyboardist. Progressive Metal Recordings Born of Noelle and Michel Lalu, musicians from the ‘70s French progressive act Polene, Vivien has released a surplus of progressive rock/metal recordings through an array of different bands and projects since 1997. At the turn of the millennium Lalu played keys for two underground progressive metal bands from Paris, Sad Warden and then Mind's Orchard. In 2002, he was hired by Hubi Meisel (ex-Dreamscape) to compose and record keyboards for his solo album EmOcean. The following year he did the same for Meisel's sophomore album Kailash. Both of these albums were released by Lion Music. ONIRIC METAL (2005) By this time Vivien Lalu began recruiting his own associates from major prog and metal bands – some of whom he shared time composing music in progressive metal act Shadrane – and formed his own solo project: LALU. The first full-length album ‘Oniric Metal' amongst others featured guitarist Joop Wolters, Ryan Van Poederooyen (Devin Townsend Band) on drums, bassist Russel Bergquist (ex-Annihilator) and Martin LeMar (Mekong Delta, Nachtgeschrei) on vocals. The album was released on Lion Music in 2005 and marked a new chapter for this composer and his insatiable need to create mind-expanding, cinematic music. These accomplishments helped Lalu to secure score and soundtrack work for film and television. Over the last few years he has written many cues for the orchestral soundtrack for the Warner Bros movie Seuls Two and for the show Science X made in association with Lucasfilm Ltd. Additionally he joined the production team behind Laszlo Jones in order to assist the recording and production of Banana Nation (Universal Music Group). Lalu has composed many soundtracks for French television, music and sound effects for Neko Entertainment, besides working as a sound designer for Ubisoft Entertainment and much more.

We hope you will consider showing your support through our Patreon page. This helps to keep the episodes coming. Thank you so much! https://www.patreon.com/theplayerswebcast I have been following Sergio Bellotti for many years. He is among the top perforners and educators in the music business. This interview goes deep into the topics of education (bringing out the best in your students and watching them evolve), professionalism, learning, performing, and much more. Watch, learn, and enjoy. There's GREAT education in this interview. Here's a bit more information about the rich and diverse career of Sergio Bellotti. Sergio Bellotti is an international artist and Renaissance man. As a powerful and tremendously gifted drummer, he's played with some of the world's finest musicians. As an educator, he's an in demand clinician as well as a professor at the esteemed Berklee College of Music. As an entrepreneur, he owns 247 Drums which caters to the needs of drummers everywhere. Hailing from Bari, Italy, Sergio's passion for music and accomplished drumming spurred him to move to Boston in 1995 to attend the Berklee College of Music. Shortly after arriving in the U.S., Sergio met his longtime musical partner, fellow Italian expatriate and bassist extraordinaire, Tino D'Agostino. Together they founded and continue to lead Spajazzy, a jazz fusion group, which has featured guitarist Mike Stern on both of their cd releases. Good company indeed. In addition to his professorship at Berklee, where students from all over the world come to study, Sergio serves as a visiting artist at the GM Drum School in Torino, Italy and as a faculty member at the Conservatorio Della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano, Switzerland. Sergio is the founder of the “Do You Speak Drumming?” program and often travels to Europe to conduct clinics, concerts and master classes. He is a drum artist for both Yamaha Acoustic and Electronic drums. Sergio has recorded or shared the stage with world class musicians such as Blues Hall of Fame and Grammy nominated Joe Louis Walker, Mike Stern, The Platters, The Drifters, Tom Scott, Nathan East, Robben Ford, Alessandra Belloni, Bernard Purdie and Rocco Ventrella to name but a few. He has performed at international festivals such as the Montreal Drum Fest, The Golden Jazz 2015 in China, Bari In Jazz 2010,Cape Breton International Drum Fest, Berklee World Percussion Festival and the PASIC and 5 consecutive KOSA festivals. Sergio has been based in Boston ever since arriving in 1995 and is still immersed in the city's lively music scene. He holds down the drum throne for his weekly gig with We Jazz Up. Their Tuesday night show at Slade's has become a time honored ritual and one never knows which talented musician might visit to sit in. In addition to being an artist, educator and clinician, Sergio ministers to the needs of drummers with his shop, 247 Drums. The major manufacturers of drum gear have recognized his talents, and besides Yamaha, Sergio is also an endorser for Remo drumheads, Sabian cymbals, Vic Firth drum sticks and the Vibe T5 Stick which he designed himself. Whether playing, recording, teaching or supplying drummers with gear, Sergio Bellotti is truly a renaissance man.

We hope you will consider showing your support through our Patreon page. This helps to keep the episodes coming. Thank you so much! https://www.patreon.com/theplayerswebcast I was very fortunate to meet Peter Erskine in 1972 on his first tour with the Stan Kenton band. He had been a tremendous influence to myself and so many others around the world. I'm this video, we talk about a multitude of topics: Peter's work at USC, his home studio setup (mics, cameras, drums, etc) and Peter shares a few fun stories, as well! Be sure to visit his website at: http://www.PeterErskine.com

We hope you will consider showing your support through our Patreon page. This helps to keep the episodes coming. Thank you so much! https://www.patreon.com/theplayerswebcast On a February, 2019 trip Los Angeles, I had a chance to meet up with Dave Weckl at his home studio. We did our second interview: “Mindset For Success.” Dave shares great words of wisdom on what it means (to him) to be successful. Watch and enjoy! Check out my other interview with Dave at: https://youtu.be/V_Q2N9NMlXU​ where we talk about "Dave Weckl Interview: Staying Healthy on Tour / Movement Efficiency While Drumming." Be sure to check out Dave's website at: http://www.daveweckl.com​

We hope you will consider showing your support through our Patreon page. This helps to keep the episodes coming. Thank you so much! https://www.patreon.com/theplayerswebcast It was so much fun to talk with Tom Brechtlein. He has been one of my favorite musicians / drummers since I first saw him with Chick Corea in 1980. In this conversation, Tom shares about a multitude of topics including his time with Chick Corea (and how he met Chick), Wayne Shorter, Kenny Loggins, and others. Be sure to visit Tom's website at: https://www.tombrechtlein.com​ Tom Brechtlein grew up in East Meadow, Long Island and gravitated to drums after listening to the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Who, Cream and the Jimi Hendrix Experience. In junior high, his attention turned to big band jazz, and he became attracted to the music of the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra. His investigation of jazz led him to Dave Brubeck's drummer Joe Morello and then to modern giants like Elvin Jones and Tony Williams as well as legends like Papa Jo Jones, Max Roach and Philly Joe Jones. "When I was 18," he recalls, "I saw Chick Corea's Return To Forever on PBS Television; and I remember sitting there thinking, ' I'm going to play with that guy someday.'" Two years later, in 1978, he auditioned with Corea and got the gig. He remained in the band till 1983, at which point he joined Wayne Shorter's band. There followed extensive road work with guitarist Al Di Meola and violinist Jean Luc Ponty before Tom finally hooked up with Robben Ford in 1986.

We hope you will consider showing your support through our Patreon page. This helps to keep the episodes coming. Thank you so much! https://www.patreon.com/theplayerswebcast What a blast

We hope you will consider showing your support through our Patreon page. This helps to keep the episodes coming. Thank you so much! https://www.patreon.com/theplayerswebcast I've been a Mitch Stein fan since the mid 1990's. It was an honor to talk with Mitch and have him share about his career, his compositions and music, and experiences working with so many great artists. Be sure to visit his website and see his full bio and more at: https://mitchstein.com/home​ Mitch Stein Guitarist/Composer The show had already started and the sound came rushing up the stairs to meet me as I made my way to the basement of the Izzy Bar that night in '97. The sound, like Led Zeppelin on overdrive wearing a Stetson and armed with 21st Century calculus, made my hair stand on end. I'd been told by those who know that The Hermanators were probably the best band in the city and that their leader, Mitch Stein, was a New York guitar legend. Sure enough the room was packed, full of some of the finest improvising musicians anywhere, devoted fans and even a contingent of the ‘beautiful people’. Over the course of the set they played with energetic hyper funk, raucous raging rock, hymnal beauty, twisted country and bemused blues underpinned by advanced harmony and intricate grooves all the while displaying incredible empathy between each other and a healthy dose of humor. I’d been Hermanated! Mitch "Moose" Stein is a genuine NY guitar hero, born and raised in the mythic Gotham. Both his parents were musicians (mother a classical pianist and father a jazz trumpeter) but the first music that hooked him while still in kindergarten was"Meet the Beatles". The young Stein, drawn to the rhythm of rock 'n roll, started off on drums before switching to the guitar in the 6th grade. Shortly after, he started lessons with renowned studio musician Allen Hanlon whom Mitch says "kicked my ass and made me take the guitar seriously!" As a teenager Moose loved listening to bands that stretched out and jammed a la The Allman Bros and then one day, while still a senior in high-school, a friend played him Coltrane. It was "My Favorite Things"live at Newport and "it turned my head around! They were jamming but on a whole different planet!"Coltrane had opened up a whole new world for the nascent musician who subsequently found a great jazz teacher in Rich Boukas and immediately started soaking up as much jazz history as he could.

We hope you will consider showing your support through our Patreon page. This helps to keep the episodes coming. Thank you so much! https://www.patreon.com/theplayerswebcast Asaf Sirkis is one of the most versatile, dynamic, and expressive musicians / drummers of our time. In our conversation, we talk about a variety of topics, including Asaf's perspective on “freedom” in music, letting the music play you, flow, balance, & that's just the beginning. Stay tuned for part 2 in a few weeks! To learn more about Asaf, be sure to visit his website at: https://www.asafsirkis.com​ Born in Israel, Asaf started his professional career as a drummer in the late 80's and played with some of Israel's Jazz luminaries such at Harold Rubin and Alber Beger. A few years after the recording of his first solo album 'One Step Closer' Asaf relocated to the Netherlands, France and finally settled in London around 1999 where he soon became one of the most active Jazz drummers around. During that time Asaf became a founder member of Gilad Atzmon's ‘Orient House Ensemble' and started his long time collaborations with renown saxophonist Tim Garland and pianist Gwilym Simcock. Asaf has been leading his own bands and projects such as 'Asaf Sirkis & the Inner Noise' - a band of an unusual line up of church organ, guitar and drum as well as the Asaf Sirkis Trio. He has been touring worldwide and recorded over 100 albums as a sideman, collaborator and as a leader. Asaf have been playing with many renown jazz and world music artists such as: Dave Holland, Jacob Collier, Tim Garland, Gwilym Simcock, Larry Coryell, Jeff Berlin, John Abercrombie, Bob Sheppard, Norman Watt-Roy (off the Blockheads), Wilco Johnson, Soft Machine, Robert Wyatt, Natacha Atlas, Dave Liebman, David Binney, Gary Husband, pianist John Taylor, Norma Winstone, Kenny Wheeler, Andy Sheppard and many more.

We hope you will consider showing your support through our Patreon page. This helps to keep the episodes coming. Thank you so much! https://www.patreon.com/theplayerswebcast It was an honor to talk with Chad Wackerman! In this interview, Chad talks about his experiences with Allan Holdsworth, Frank Zappa, Terry Bozzio, and much more. We hope you'll consider supporting us at the link below as we work towards bringing you countless more interviews with many of the greatest musicians on the planet. THANK YOU

We hope you will consider showing your support through our Patreon page. This helps to keep the episodes coming. Thank you so much! https://www.patreon.com/theplayerswebcast What a blast it was to talk with drum icon, Gregg Bissonette! Gregg Bissonette—just a regular, down-to-earth guy who plays drums for the most celebrated musicians, directors, and producers of our time. We hope you'll consider supporting us at the link below as we work towards bringing you countless more interviews with many of the greatest musicians on the planet. THANK YOU

We hope you will consider showing your support through our Patreon page. This helps to keep the episodes coming. Thank you so much! https://www.patreon.com/theplayerswebcast In this interview, keyboardist and composer, Steve Hunt talks about his upcoming release entitled CONNECTIONS. This new album features an allstar lineup of musicians, including Jimmy Haslip, Chad Wackerman, Gary Husband, Vinnie Colauita, Virgil Donati, Nate Wood, Evan Marien, Jimmy Johnson, Eric Marienthal, Billy Cobham, and many others. We hope you'll consider supporting us at the link below as we work towards bringing you countless more interviews with many of the greatest musicians on the planet. THANK YOU