#437 Ben Hilzinger- Drummer, Podcaster, Songwriter, Educator and More!
This week’s guest is Ben Hilzinger. Ben Hilzinger is a Los Angeles-based drummer and songwriter with 20+ years of performing, recording and teaching experience.
Currently the drummer for Eve 6 and cannons, Ben has also written, recorded, and/or toured throughout the USA/internationally with MXPX, Fitness, Mike Herrera, The classic crime, tapir, chevy mustang, Party Nails, We Shot The Moon, prxzm, Glorybots, Ever So Android, Jake Cummings, Josh Eacrett, rental 58, ray little, Jody ellen, young Professionals, Dave Cavalier, madhawkes and many more.
In addition to performing and teaching, Ben is the Director of Artist / Client Relations for Big Fat Snare Drum and hosts the ‘Drummers on Drumming’ podcast. Before moving to Los Angeles in 2016, Ben also taught drums/percussion/music theory both privately and at Off The Wall school of music in Seattle, WA.
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to Ben O’Brien Smith! Ben is a Musician, photographer, videographer, and all around social media geek. He has fused these elements into the services that Cadence Independent Media provides. Having spent nearly seven years working with the top brands and retailers within the musical instrument market as well as some of the greatest musicians of all time, He has developed a methodology and a means of execution for marketing individuals and products both inside and outside of the social sphere. He is also the co-host of the Sounds Like a Drum video series on YouTube.
Happy Birthday to Ed Choi! Edward Choi joined the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra in 2004 and became Principal Percussionist in 2007.
Mr Choi has performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra of London, Toronto Symphony, Sydney Symphony, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Malaysian Philharmonic, Singapore Symphony, and the Asia Philharmonic Orchestra.
As a chamber musician, he was a founding member of the Exit 9 Percussion Group, winners of the Chesapeake Chamber Music Competition.
He is originally from Canada and studied music at the University of Toronto, Northwestern University, and Rutgers University. Mr Choi holds a Doctorate in Musical Arts as well as a degree in English Literature. He studied percussion with Alan Abel, She-e Wu, James Ross, Michael Burritt, John Rudolph and Russell Hartenberger.
As an educator, he has held teaching positions at Sookmyung Women's University, Kyunghee University, Hanyang University and Seoul National University in Korea. Mr Choi has taught clinics and masterclasses in Canada, the United States, Australia, Japan, and China. He has also served on the Symphonic Committee of the International Percussive Arts Society and has presented an orchestral clinic at the PAS International Convention in 2014.
Edward Choi is a proud endorser of Malletech and Zildjian cymbals.
Happy Birthday to Brevan Hampden! Born in New York City in 1985, Brevan was born instantly a member of a high-level musical family; his father Ivan, who has toured with Luther Vandross, Vanessa Williams, Jennifer Lopez, Roberta Flack, Grady Tate, and Ashford & Simpson, and his mother Brenda, who has performed on Broadway, with Dizzy Gillespie, Angie Bofill, Marian Anderson, and Jazzmobile.
After moving to Durham, NC in 1988, Brevan began showing signs of talent in music from age 7. He began playing percussion in church with his mother and brother at age 9. Soon after, he began playing pick up gigs and at other churches in the Raleigh/Durham area. His older brother Brian moved to North Carolina when Brevan was 9, and introduced him to the world of Latin and World Percussion. Brevan learned how to read music in middle school, playing in concert band and jazz band, and participated in the marching band once moving on to high school. Although there were no high school programs that catered to Latin percussion or jazz/popular music in general, Brevan continued his study of percussion, by listening to and being influenced by percussionists Ray Barretto, Mongo Santamaria, Carlos “Patato” Valdes, Tata Guines, Changuito, Giovanni Hidalgo, Angel “Cachete” Maldonado, Tito Puente, Miguel “Anga” Diaz, Tomas “El Panga” Ramos and other artists such as Curtis Mayfield, James Brown, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Kool and the Gang, Parliament, Daryl “Munyungo” Jackson, Leon “Ndugu” Chancelor, Steve Kroon, Roger Squitero, Sheila E. and Luis Conte.
Twice, during his high school years, Brevan attended the Berklee World Percussion Festival in Boston, where he studied with Giovanni Hidalgo, Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, Eguie Castrillo, and Ernesto Diaz. This helped further his knowledge of percussion, and of music in general, which, upon his return to North Carolina allowed him to continue performing locally, with bands such as Junk in the Trunk, Samecumba, Carnavalito, and the North Carolina Central University (NCCU) Jazz Ensemble, with whom his other brother, Iajhi, was performing at the time.
Gig Alerts
The Rise Festival is taking place in the Mojave Desert on October 3rd, 4th, & 5th in Mojave California.
Damon will be playing with Concrete Jungle in Cheshire, CT, Nantucket, MA and New Bedford, MA from May 23rd-26th. Then he will play with Ken Freeman at Cisco Brewery in Boston on the Fenway the 27th-29th.
The Greenwich Town Party is happening this weekend on May 24th. They announced their headliners and their local town stage acts as well.
Porchfest is happening all over North America. Feel free to get involved!
Good Night and Good Luck is being shown on CNN on June 7th at 7pm. Friend of the show, Bryan Carter is involved as the musical director and more.
Educational Spotlight
Friend of the show, Stefon Harris is hosting an Art of Listening Summer Intensive Camp. The deadline for APPLICATIONS is June 2nd.
PASIC is happening this November 12th-15th. Registration is now open. Both Damon and friend of the show, Ivan Llanes will be giving clinics.
Iconic Recording
In honor of Ben’s podcast where he asks his guests to talk about their top five most influential recordings, here are Ben’s top five.
Music News
Sesame Street has been picked up by Netflix and will air over there as well as continuing to run on PBS. -Article
You can get tickets to Rolling Stone’s new immersive rock experience called “Amplified” -Article
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s recent budget proposal sent shockwaves through the arts sector with a targeted $11.5 million cut. The budget cuts could have far-reaching consequences for music funding and the broader creative community. -Article
This administration has singled out pop stars as it’s new target and the musician’s union has come out in support of the musicians. -Article
Ben Hilzinger Interview
The song leading into the interview is “Black Nova” by Eve6.
Damon mentions a reference to the similarity to Ben’s last name and Tommy Hilfiger’s name. He also mentions his old house on Nantucket.
Ben mentions Ralph Lauren’s off shoot brand called Lauren Ralph Lauren.
It reminds him of the pudita rudiment.
There was a reoccurring “drummer hangs” that Ben is a part of.
He is originally from Redmond, WA, home of the Mustangs in the Spokane area. He named a handful of other cities including Seattle he’s lived in in that State.
Ben has the same birthday as the Mt. St. Helens volcanic eruption.
Damon mentions the podcast that Ben host’s called ‘Drummers on Drumming’..
His dad played drums, his sister played saxophone and his brother played french horn.
Ben learned how to play drums from N’Sync.
Anthem bands, specifically Blink-182 helped influence Ben and his playing.
Ben and Damon talk about serving the song.
Damon and Ben talk about chops vs. technical facility.
Jim Gordon, Levon Helm, and Ringo Starr are the drummers of influence in this week’s rotation for Ben.
He also mentions Nick Mason of Pink Floyd and Benny Greb.
Damon and Ben talk about imposter syndrome. He mentions this episode he did that talks about mental health. Shout-out to friend of the show Mike Robinson who was on that episode.
Ben mentions the the Naval Ravikant quote, “You can escape competition through authenticity, when you realize that no one can compete with you on being you.”
Ben and Damon talk about timeframes and individual timelines.
Ben went to school for winemaking and spent half a decade in the wine business.
Ben talks about the move from Washington to California.
Ben talks about working at Big Fat Snare Drum.
Ben was playing with Eve6 and Fitness at the same time.
Ben talks about the book he put together that is also for sale.
Damon brings up the difference between a band member and side-person. Ben talks about the different bands he plays with.
Ben talks about scheduling and balance of playing with about six different bands. From Eve6, to Cannons, and more.
Damon mentions the documentary on donut shops in L.A.
Ben talks about juggling gear with multiple touring units.
Ben names his top five influental songs/albums.
Ben uses Zildjian Cymbals, Rogers Drums, Evans Drumheads, Vic Firth Sticks and Mallets, Roland Electronics, Porter and Davies Drumthrones, and Big Fat Snare Drum.
Shout-out to Cannons, Eve6 , Hoko, Nicky Youre, The Palms,
Shout-out to (friend of the show) Bruce Becker, (friend of the show) Daniel Glass, (friend of the show) Nate Morton, Matt Johnson, Alan Watts and his therapist T.J.
You can follow Ben on his Website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The song leading out of the interview is “Drawing Room” by Castles.
