If you’d asked me in 3rd grade what I wanted to be when I grew up, I probably would’ve said something wildly unrealistic like astronaut-rockstar-wizard. But what I actually ended up doing was picking up a guitar because my older brother played, and like any younger sibling with zero originality, I wanted to do whatever he did. So, I started plucking away on a beat-up guitar in our living room, trying to mimic power chords with a strap that was too long for my small body. I never thought I would become a Jazz Drummer.
Fast forward to 5th grade: our school had a concert band, and I joined because it sounded better than sitting in the choir classroom during music hour. That same year, I had the not-so-brilliant idea to try out for the jazz band. Here’s the plot twist: I had no clue how to play the drum set. But jazz band meant you got to sit at the back with sticks in your hand, and let’s be honest, that looked cooler than playing clarinet.
At this point, my music taste was heavily shaped by my family. We had Led Zeppelin, Guns N’ Roses, and that sort of stuff on quite a bit.. I thought, “Okay, I want to be that kind of drummer.” But I was also practical (well, kind of), and I figured if I was going to learn drums properly, jazz was the way to go. Especially because our school made it easy. Turns out, the jazz band wasn’t just a side quest; it became the main game for me.
Then came the game-changer: I met Rich MacDonald. This man is a wizard in the land of drumming, especially in my small town of Winona, Minnesota I studied under him for years, and I owe a huge chunk of my drumming DNA to him. His teaching style was very artistic, but still very structured.. He also wrote this absolutely brilliant book on jazz comping (this one) that I still go back to when I want to humble myself.
Middle school me became a full-blown drumming addict. I wasn’t watching cartoons – I was watching Buddy Rich videos and trying to figure out what the heck “trading fours” meant. By high school, it had escalated. I was playing in the Minnesota All-State Jazz Band, sneaking in practice time as much as I could, and even started my own jazz group with some friends. Nothing special – but it was a fun time.
Then college happened. I went to St. Olaf in Minnesota, hoping to minor in music while keeping my options open. (Spoiler: music was the fun option.) That’s where things got even more serious. I studied under Phil Hey, an incredible drummer with this magical ability to not only play well, but tell incredible stories about his experiences playing with famous jazz artists. I also worked with Dave Hagedorn, who was the best vibes player I’ve ever heard in my life. He had a percussion background as well.s. Both of them taught me to listen deeply, play intentionally, and always, always keep the ride cymbal very consistent when playing jazz
At this point, drumming was no longer just something I did. It was a bit of my personality, and the music I enjoyed, especially as a jazz drummer.
So yeah, I didn’t become a wizard-astronaut-rockstar (yet). But I did fall in love with the drums, and with listening to music in general, which is just as important, because I’ve gotten to expand my taste quite a bit through the pursuit of drumming and still am a jazz drummer. Playing drums can open up a lot of fun experiences in life, and my journey is definitely a good example of that.