Billy Martin and Allen Herman
Life on Drums
Drumset Clinic
Thursday, 1:00 p.m.

Billy Martin	Allen Herman

 Allen Herman started playing drums at 12 years old, got into his first cover band at 14, and his first steady job at 15.  He played his first recording with Ten Wheel Drive with Genya Ravan when he was 23 and soon after recorded with Elliott Randall.  He has a history on Broadway where he played the Tony Awards and recorded the cast album for A Chorus Line at 29.  Among the many musicians he performed with, he was able to work with Bob Fosse and Chita Rivera.  He retired from music when he was 49 and went to work for American Express.  He co-produced Life on Drums with Billy at 62 and retired from American Express at 63.  He is currently teaching, giving clinics and masterclasses, and composing/recording classically improvised jazz music for solo drums. Allen plays Craviotto Drums, Zildjian and Paiste cymbals, and uses Pro-Mark sticks.

As one-third of the renowned experimental jazz trio Medeski, Martin, & Wood, drummer Billy Martin has become a forward-thinking, innovative, and influential percussionist. Born in New York City in 1963, Martin initially studied with Allen Herman, Joe Morrello and continued at Drummer Collective into the mid 1980s. Over the next decade, Martin would make a name for himself in New York's jazz scene with Brazilian group Pe De Boi, John Zorn, Chuck Mangione and Bob Moses. Moses introduced Billy to bassist Chris Wood and organist John Medeski. In 1998, Martin established Amulet Records “Dedicated to the art of percussion, avant-garde, and beyond.” Over 30 releases include a plethora of percussion, jazz, and world music. Martin has recently released Billy Martin’s Life on Drums, an educational approach to the art of drumming on DVD. Martin teaches privately and gives masterclasses at New England Conservatory, NYU, The New School, and the Utrecht Conservatory.

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