I'm back again and on the road w/ Hilary Duff!

What’s up! I’m back! First off, thanks to everyone for all of the emails and support. It makes having the greatest job in the world all the better!

I’m writing this from the plane on the way home from New York City where this morning we made our US television debut of Hilary’s new single With Love on Good Morning America. You can check out the video of the performance on their website and I will post it here shortly. The band is killing it, Hilary is sounding great and we are all excited for the record to come out April 3. It was also nice to meet so many great fans in New York. We appreciate you getting up early with us and giving us all of that energy!

The band is full of nothing but the best LA musicians and I can honestly say that they are all great people as well. We are already having a blast on the road together and I’m stoked to hit the road even more with these cats very soon! We have a full week of TV in LA coming up starting April 2 including The Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel, Dancing With The Stars, Ellen, TeeNick and others so please check your local listings and check us out!

Time to land and get home to Hannah and our 20-pound-cat (he’s lost weight!). Traveling the country playing music is beyond words but it is always good to be at home. I’m back on the road in May with Hilary so keep an eye out for us and pick up the record April 3. Please keep in touch and I hope to see you all out on the road. More very soon, I promise. Peace.

-MB

I'm back!

Sorry for the lack of blogging but things have been crazy busy!


The good news is that as soon as I posted about the Modern Drummer article I found out that I was also featured in this month's DRUM! Magazine! Exciting stuff! What an honor! Both magazines are on news stands now so make sure you pick up a copy!

I am also excited to announce that I am now exclusively endorsing LP Percussion products. I am extremely stoked to be w/ LP and I have been waiting for this for quite some time now. I am looking forward to this new relationship and to be now endorsing their gear even though I've always played it! It's that good!

On the playing front....

I have been in the studio w/ Roland again this time beginning the sampling of the new percussion library. Alot of instrument and alot of hitting of things! It's coming out great though. We are almost finished w/ percussion but we're not done w/ the sampling process. We have alot more great sounds to capture and I gurantee you that this library is going to be insane! You are going to need some Roland gear as soon as we get these sounds public!

This is my living room as I was getting ready to load SOME of the gear for this session into my car!

I also just spent the weekend playing over at the Temecula International Jazz Festival. It was alot of fun. I worked with my man Johnny Blas as well as w/ great Portland B3 organist Steve Hall (SteveHallMusic.net) as well as w/ New York trumpeter/saxophonist/composer Matt Finley and his Brazilian group. What a blast! Abrigado!

My bro and one of my favorite sax players was at the festival and even came and sat in w/ The Johnny Blas Band. His name is Edmund Velasco and he is the absolutely awesome! We play together frequently w/ Chris Williams but he can also be found leading his own group as well as working w/ The Estrada Brothers, Disneyland Band and many others! Pick up one of his CD's or check him out around town. You can find him on the web at www.EdmundVelasco.com . He often uses drummer Jimmy Ford (Lionel Hampton) and he is no slouch! He is the leading Buddy Rich impersonator and its no joke. Drummers make sure to check him out!

I had a great time hanging w/ everyone and I even slept in my brand new car (ask me for details in person!). The not so glamorous life of a musician! You do what you gotta do to play though. Heres my Johnny Blas kit at sound check.....


Things are busy as always around town so make sure to check out my calendar and come say hi. I am also finshing up confirming some clinic dates so stay tuned!

As always I want to give a quick thank you to all of the companies I happily endorse. I appreciate you all taking care of me and for the great gear I am fortunate to make music with daily.

Take care everybody and I'll be back soon!

-MB

I'm in Modern Drummer Magazine!

Alot of great stuff has been going on but the big news is......

I am featured in Modern Drummer Magazine this month in the "On The Move" section! It has always been my dream to be in this magazine since I bought my first copy when I was in 5th grade. I feel honored and am excited to be included in the Agusut issue and please go pick up a copy and check it out!



More soon, thanks guys. I would not be able to live my dreams without your support. Thanks.

-MB

PS- Check out www.MySpace.com/MikeBennettMusic for a TON of video performances, online lessons and even a new one in a series on hand percussion for drumset players. Get out a shaker and check it out!

Long Time, No See....

Hey everyone! First off, I apologize for being away so long. As usual, things have been super hectic and I am behind on everything! I'm gonna try to catch up as brief as I can today...

Thanks for all of your emails regarding the "Licks & Tricks" MP3 lesson I debuted a few months back. I know I promised them monthly but as I said this month got busy but I promise to get the next installment up real soon. I'm glad alot of you are digging it and please email me if you have any ideas and suggestions. Who knows, maybe I'll do some video lessons soon!

Things on the gig front have been great. 2azz1 has been working alot and we've done some cool stuff including the celebrity openning of Tatsu, the new rollercoaster at Magic Mountain here in California and we also just debuted theyre new CD "Driven" at the Cadillac Jazz Lounge at Spaghetinni sponsored by Smooth Jazz TV on NBC. I'll be playing w/ them some more this summer and will be with them all weekend. Please check MySpace.com/MikeBennnettMusic for most of my current dates as I get my homepage back in order. You can also check out the new 2azz1 CD at www.2azz1.com



The new Joe Jewell record is almost out and we're doing a few dates this month. This is one of my favorite groups and the CD is slammin! Come by a gig and make sure to check out www.JoeJewellGuitar.com to get your copy of the new disc.

In addition to all of the coool gigs I had an amazing day yesterday. After spening the day at the beach w/ Hannah we went to the CD release party for the killing B-3 player Rob Whitlock. The band consisted of my favorite guitarist Mike Miller, Amber Whitlock, Rob, bass legend Anthony Jackson, and one of my biggewst heroes and influences Cliff Almond on drums. When I got into college I got hip to Cliff and decided I wanted to be him! I've always hunted down any recordings, pics, anything I could get my hands on but I have never gotten to see him live until last night. What an amazing drummer! I wanted to go home and play! I felt like a little kid getting to hang with him and hear him play. In addition to have a huge tasty groove and inspiring creativity, he also turned out to be one of the kindest, most honest and down right coolest guys I've ever met. I now want to get back into the practice room and pretend to be Cliff again. So in between gigs thats where I'll be all weekend! Check Cliff out at www.CliffAlmondMusic.com .

Rob and band sounded great and it was awesome to see them and hang w/ one of the greatest living bass players Max Bennett. I am lucky to have been able to work w/ Max and his stories are awesome! He's played w/ everybody and his groove and sound and the pure example of how to groove. I want to play as mature, selfless and solid on the drums as Max plays the bass. It was great to see him and I thank him for the stories, lessons, kindness, and amazing grooves.

Please take the time to check out Rob and Amber Whitlock's CD's, gigs, etc. at www.RobWhitlock.com .

I promise to check in sooner this time! Thanks or all of your support and talk to you all soon. Peace.

- MB

Da' Latest

Hey everyone! Just checking in real quick in between students. Things have been the same old craziness as usual. Im really lucky to be working this much. Alot of cool stuff is going on so make sure to check my calendar for upcoming dates.

For all of you roller coaster fans out there, I'll be at Magic Mountain next Thursday w/ 2azz1 for the celebrity opening of their newest roller coaster. This will be my first time in the park because I have never been on a roller coaster and theres not a chance in hell that you could get me on one! Im also around the southland w/ 2azz1 quite a bit this month getting ready to release their newest CD on the 28th at Spaghetinni in Seal Beach. Listen for them doing an interview on 94.7 The WAVE (Los Angeles) on May 21st around 1 PM. Alot of cool stuff going on for them and the new CD is groovin!

Today I learned about yard work. I had to do it when it starts getting hot now too! We just moved into our new place and they had been doing construction in the backyard so I hadnt been able to get out there and clean. Now that its done I spent the morning cutting through layers of grass and getting the back yard looking good. I just got a brand new BBQ and w/ summer approaching I plan on filling the fridge w/ some Coronas and breaking my home in a bit!

Look for a new "Licks & Tricks" MP3 w/ in the next week or so. The response has been great and I thank you for taking the time to check it out. Also please visit all of the companies that supply me w/ my azaing gear. I couldnt do it without them so show them some love and play some of it yourself! Take care. Peace.

- MB

Audition Craziness!

Whats up! Just wanted to check in on a quick break from prpearing for a last minute audition and explain the often hectic part of this weird job....

Hannnah and I were at the movies last night and got out at 1 AM. (V for Vendetta on IMAX! Amazing!) I checked my messages and had one from after 11 PM from Barry Squire (the big casting agent in Hollywood) regarding a BIG last minute audition today. I was told to call him back if I could do it but his voice mail box was full. So I came home, did my gig homework super fast (see why everyone needs V-Drums!) and finally got a hold of his machine by 230. Got to bed at 5 AM. Woke up at 830 prepared to be at the audition spot just in case. Got a call on the way there and got a time. So Im off to LA for a 230 PM audition then getting in the car and driving straight to Palm Springs for a gig w/ Chris Williams. Craziness! Wish me luck everyone. Im real lucky to get this call so lets hope all goes well and I'll have good news to report soon. Peace.

MB

Yo!

Just checking in real fast. I will now be at Steamer's in Fullerton tomorrow night w/ Chris Williams and I will also be at Spaghetinni on Wednesday night w/ 2azz1. Come by and say hi.I am also almost done w/ my first educational boook. More new on that later. In addition, I am also freeing up some time to do some more teaching on both drum kit and hand percussion. Anyone interested please visit the "clinics/lessons" section of my site for info or email me at lessons@mikebennettdrums.com . Peace.

- MB