Rabbit Hole Sessions with Abe Ovadia

EPISODE 21 - Ben Zweig

Drummer and percussionist, Ben Zweig, plays around the world in places such as Japan, China, the Netherlands, Germany, Israel, Chile, Cameroon, across North America, and locally at venues in his native NYC. He keeps an active performance schedule and tours frequently throughout the United States and Canada.
Born in 1992 in NYC, Zweig frequented the local scene of seasoned jazz musicians who eventually became close mentors. He has had the opportunity to share the stage with some of these masters – Randy Weston, Johnny O’Neal, Jerry Dodgion, Harold Mabern, Larry Ridley, David Williams, Roy Hargrove, Deborah Davis, Grant Stewart, Joe Cohn, and Steve Nelson. Downbeat magazine has described his playing as “especially crisp and articulate” and all about jazz, “Zweig steals it with his brush work.” Ben strives for his playing to reflect a passion for performing simple, heartfelt music.
Beginning his musical journey on drum set at age 5, he later picked up trumpet and steel drums. These early voices ultimately shaped his expression on the drums, drawing from the musical traditions of American jazz, West and Central African, Brazilian, Caribbean, and European classical music. In 2018, Zweig traveled to southeast Cameroon to work with Global Music Exchange and learn from master musicians of the Baka Gbiné pygmies. Then in 2021, a pilgrimage to learn from Brazilian percussionists across the country’s coast furthered his diasporic exploration. His fascination with rhythmic dance music from around the world led to the formation of the drum featured band, big beet. Grammy winning producer Don Sickler commented, “[Zweig] is able to combine history with the current musical environment, making it sound fresh.”
Ben’s teaching is the culmination of public schooling and private conservatory, NYC late night sessions, jazz youth programs, steel orchestras, marching bands, classical orchestras, and mentorship from musical stalwarts Joe Farnsworth, Billy Hart, Kenny Washington, Rodney Green, Justin DiCioccio, Christopher Brown, John Riley, Rogerio Boccato, and Ken Piascik. His pivotal fortune to study music in a variety of environments has fueled his love and dedication towards his own teaching practice, always with the goal of increasing students’ interest in deeper rooted music and reaching higher levels of group connection in their playing. Ben received his B.M. and a M.M. from the Manhattan School of Music. He has taught private lessons for over 15 years, currently at the Q Studiolab in Queens, NY as well as many university jazz and drum clinics across the US and Canada.

EPISODE 20 - Charlie Apicella

Charlie Apicella was voted onto the 84th and 86th DownBeat Readers Poll for Guitar.
He studied composition and improvisation with musical titans Yusef Lateef and Pat Martino and was trained as a historian by Archie Shepp and Dr. Billy Taylor. As a young guitarist he met his idol BB King, who offered him advice and shared some stories.
He has performed concerts and recorded with jazz legends Dave Holland, Sonny Fortune, John Blake, Jr., and Avery Sharpe as well as contemporary masters Joe Magnarelli, Vic Juris, Dave Stryker, Don Braden, and Jon Herington of Steely Dan.
In 2022 he formed The Griots Speak with bassist William Parker, saxophonist Daniel Carter, and percussionist Juma Sultan who is known for his work with Jimi Hendrix.
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Charlie Apicella is the founder and program director of Blues Alive: ancestral voices of the blues
He is Vice President of Education for the North Jersey Blues Society
He is an Eastman Guitars Featured Artist a
Guild Guitars Sponsored Artist and a
ZT Amplifiers Official Artist
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He has been a TrueFire educator since 2018 
and has published two masterclass lessons for DownBeat magazine

EPISODE 19 - Frank Russo

Frank Russo joyfully paints colorful soundscapes with his highly skilled, passionate, musical drumming. He's an in demand performer, recording artist and educator who currently resides in Maryland and teaches at Towson University. He is also an artist/educator for Bosphorus Cymbals, MD Drums and The Vic Firth Education Team. Raised in the NYC area, Frank was steeped in the rich musical heritage of the jazz legends at an early age and carriers on the legacy of a musical family.An incredibly adaptable musician, a partial list of his performances testifies to his diverse talent. He has performed with Mundell Lowe, Dr Lonnie Smith, Hal Crook, Craig Handy, Keter Betts, Ethel Ennis, Greg Gisbert, Chuck Redd, Bill McHenry, John O'Gallagher, Dave Ballou, John D'earth, Denis DiBlasio, Ron McCurdy, The Coasters, Frankie Lane and many more. Highlights of his performances include the Detroit Jazz Festival, Ottawa Jazz Festival, Stan Getz Jazz Festival, East Coast Jazz Festival, The Kennedy Center and many others. Tours have included several trips to Asia, Europe, Canada, Mexico and Bermuda. Frank completed a distinguished career with the prestigious Naval Academy Band where he performed in and led several dynamic ensembles. He was stationed in Annapolis, San Diego, Great Lakes, Monterey and Norfolk during his career.Frank is a Summit Records Recording Artist whose recordings have gained national recognition and praise from Downbeat, Jazztimes and Modern Drummer along with others. He is featured on "Point of Grace" with PF Flyer, "No Turning Back" with Fred Hughes, "Gabrielle's Hand" with Bob Boguslaw and The acclaimed Shook Russo Quartets "Featuring Greg Gisbert" all on Summit Records. As a sought after studio ace he has played on countless sessions, crossing all genres, including PBS Documentaries, "Quiet Now" with John Toomey, "In My Mind's Eye" with Max Murray & Doug Bickel, Kenny Carr's "Turn the Page" featuring brilliant saxophonist Donny McCaslin, "Uncertain Paths" with Rob Levit and many more.Frank is also a member of the Bob Butta Trio, The Fred Hughes Band, Rob Levit Trio, Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet, Bob Boguslaw's The Way, Mozart to Motown with Stefan Scaggiari, PF Flyer and The Shook Russo Quartet. His most recent release on Summit Records "A Thousand Eyes" is with the superb saxophonist Pete BarenBregge.Frank is proud to exclusively perform on maple drums designed by Keith Larsen (Maryland Drum Company), Bosphorus Cymbals and Vic Firth Products.
 
 

EPISODE 18 - Nate Hook

Born and raised in Texas, Nate Hook is a musician, educator, and composer currently living in Philadelphia.  He has degrees from William Paterson University, the Peabody institute, and Eastern University.  Notable teachers he studied under from that time include Harold Mabern and Gary Thomas.Before moving to Philadelphia, Nate lived in NYC and Baltimore where he actively participated in the jazz scene playing at venues like Smalls, Smoke, the Zinc Bar, etc.  As a working musician, he never limited himself to jazz, but also played in everything from symphony orchestras, to theatrical productions, to afrobeat bands.Currently, Nate plays jazz under his own name mostly around Philly.  He also manages the jazz/avant garde/electronic project ‘Progressive Overload’ with collaborators Paolo Cantarella and Dan Finn.Nate also plays bagpipes, as did John Coltrane — a little-known fact about each.

EPISODE 17 - Noel Sagerman

Noel Sagerman is a jazz jam drummer from New Jersey and is proficient in all sorts of live music genres and settings from late-night jazz to early morning religious services. Noel Sagerman has been playing drums since elementary school in West Orange, NJ and started playing professionally at the University of Vermont. He then spent a year playing in Japan. Later, he returned to NJ and furthered his studies with teachers Bobby Thomas, Billy Higgins, and Tim Horner. 
Some of the artists he has worked with include Irene Reid, Pharoah Sanders, "Big" John Patton, David "Fathead" Newman, Oliver Lake, Bruce Williams, Dave Stryker, Pat Tandy, Freddie Hendrix, Brandon McCune, and Pete Rodriguez, along with gospel singer/pianist Joshua Nelson on tour, and at Hopewell Baptist Church. 

EPISODE 16 - Will Strickler

A proponent of a “no holds barred” approach to modern creative improvised music, Will Strickler is an in-demand bassist performing throughout the United States.  
Will has toured the country as both a bandleader and sideman at notable venues such as Midtown Music Festival, Cliff Bells, Rockwood Music Hall, Bop Stop, BluJazz+, and many more. 
He has performed with highly acclaimed artists such as the grammy winning pop singer Daya, finalist on NBC’s “The Voice” Chris Jamison, Doc Robinson, Jess Baldwin, Lily Bloom, Zakk Jones, Sam Blakeslee, Dan Wilson and many more.

EPISODE 15 - Anthony Taddeo

Cleveland-based drummer Anthony Taddeo has a passion for creating music that is accessible, engaging, and connects people from all walks of life. Whether as a sideman supporting musicians such as Frank Wess, Ron McClure, Bobby Selvaggio and Camila Meza or as a composer for film, he is interested in what ignites the audience’s relationship to a performance. An integral member of Cleveland’s jazz/improvised scene, he leads projects including Alla Boara, ALbaTrio, TMT Trio, and his solo project featured on “Self-Portraits” (2018). As a recording artist, he is featured on over 30 albums. Taddeo received an MFA in Composition from Youngstown State University and a BFA in Music Performance from New School for Jazz & Contemporary Music, where he studied with Jimmy Cobb, Reggie Workman and Amir Ziv. An enthusiastic educator, Taddeo is co-director of JazzFest Academy Saturday Morning Program and percussion instructor at Tri-C Jazz Fest Camp and Jazz Prep Program. He is currently endorsed by Byrne Cymbals and Out of the Drawer Percussion as a performing artist.

EPISODE 14 - Randy Johnston

Randy Johnston makes learning jazz guitar fun. He takes an approach to teaching jazz in it's simplest form. Each class will improve your abilities and get you ready to perform. Randy Johnston is one of the most widely recorded and prolific guitarists of his generation. He has released 12 albums as a leader for the Muse, Highnote, J Curve, Mel Bay, and Random Act labels and has appeared on dozens of recordings with other top recording artists. In addition to his recording career, Randy has toured and played with some of the most acclaimed names in jazz, including Lionel Hampton, Houston Person and Etta Jones, Lonnie Smith, and has played for 17 years as a regular member of the Lou Donaldson Quartet. He has traveled the world concertizing, both as a bandleader and side musician, performing at the top clubs and festivals all over the United States, Europe, Japan, Thailand, and South America.

EPISODE 12 - Gordon Kuba

Gordon Kuba is a versatile jazz drummer based in the NJ/NY area, known for his dynamic performances and deep groove. A graduate of the Montclair Jazz Program, Gordon has developed a unique sound that seamlessly blends traditional jazz with modern fusion elements. He leads First Mountain, his original fusion band, showcasing his versatility and creative vision. Over the years, Gordon has had the pleasure of performing with notable artists such as Charlie Apicella & Iron City, guitarist Dave Stryker, and Hal Gaper, building a reputation as a dedicated and talented musician in the jazz scene.

EPISODE 11 - Jeff Mann

Jeff Mann is quickly becoming a respected presence in the drumming community. He has been playing for 20 years, but since joining the NYC world-prog shredders Consider the Source six years ago—a trio known for their virtuosic playing and unique “sci-fi Middle Eastern fusion” sound—he has had more of a spotlight for his abilities. A study in contrasts, Mann’s approach ranges from powerful, propulsive attacks laden with chops, to deft light hands that bring out the compositional nuance of the band’s rich, intricate arrangements. Add to this mix of technique and phrasing his ability to maneuver between Eastern and Western traditions, fusing culture rhythmically with a tonal palette that includes numerous traditional drums and hand percussion instruments, side by side with modern electronics. All the while, and maybe most important of all, he swings: he brings a groove to what can be dense, heavy sonic passages allowing odd-time signatures to flow by naturally, and he makes it seem easy. A remarkable soloist, Mann seems at times to compose on the fly, jumping from the song into a new space that is all his own, adding melodic textures to the rhythms and beats, then back into the arrangement. Like most fine players, however, what sets him apart is his ability to support and enhance the playing of his band mates—two extraordinary string players who would challenge any drummer. As one London blog put it, in a review of the band’s recent release, the epic double album World War Trio, Parts II & III (Techne Records, 2015), “The band is the sum of its brilliant parts, with guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Gabriel Marin flanked by multi-bass player John Ferrara and drummer / percussionist Jeff Mann. Mann combines subtlety and power in his phrasing to shape several challenging pieces brilliantly (getreadytorock.me.uk).” After catching the band live, another writer draws this comparison. “Imagine the ‘90s Bulls. Now, imagine them with LeBron on the team too. You can debate either way which of Marin and Ferrara are Michael and LeBron….Mann is unarguably Pippen, valiantly rocking (NYSMusic).” With a rigorous touring schedule averaging 125 shows per year, Consider The Source performs throughout North America, and has toured the Middle East and Europe three times. Demand from fans led the trio to create the “Source Academy”—an online lesson forum that Mann’s 10+ years of experience teaching lessons prepared him for.