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The Life - Matthew Dudek

Matthew Dudek's percussion setup for Cy Coleman’s The Life at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan.

Matthew Dudek's percussion setup for Cy Coleman’s The Life at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan.

“With ‘classics’ like 'The Oldest Profession' and the big dance number 'The Hookers Ball' this show was a lot of fun to play. It's almost continuous music so you rarely get a chance to catch your breath, which isn't always a bad thing either. I've found many theaters are quick to eliminate the percussion book for budget reasons and ask the drummer to ‘grab what they can’. However, this show definitely needs the percussion book to go hand in hand with the drums. Not only are there well written mallet parts, especially a Milt Jackson-esque vibraphone line, but the additional Vibraslap hits and shaker-feels truly set up the musical styling and New York environment.

This was the first I had heard of anyone doing this show and I had to do some digging around to find out more about it. Hopefully more people will get a chance to experience this show and enjoy this percussion book like I did.

While I work on catching a National Tour and expanding outside of Michigan, getting to play great shows and work with even better theaters is always an honor.

Like most percussion books, the difficulty was primarily in the choreography of instrument to instrument. It took a few days of running the show to find where things truly needed to be to work, but this was a great experience!

Because this is a black box theater with no pit, the band was in the scene shop next to the theater."

Percussion:

  • Yamaha Glockenspiel
  • LP Vibraslap
  • TreeWorks Double Row Wind Chimes
  • LP Granite Blocks
  • Miller Machine with Alan Abel 6" Triangle
  • LP Cowbell
  • Rhythm Tech Tambourine
  • LP Congas
  • Wooden Shells
  • Rainstick
  • Maracas
  • Shaker
  • Finger Cymbals
  • Ratchet
  • Bell Tree

Cymbals:

  • Zildjian 17" K Constantinople Suspended Cymbal
  • Zildjian 16" K Fast Crash
  • Zildjian 9" Zil-Bel

Electronics:

  • MalletKat Pro for Vibraphone and Xylophone
  • Apple iPad running ThumbJam for Timpani sounds

Vic Firth Sticks and Mallets

The Life - Regional - Matthew Dudek
November 2014

Matthew Dudek's percussion setup for Cy Coleman’s The Life at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan.

Patrick Lehosky's percussion setup for In the Heights at the CM Performing Arts Center in Oakdale, New York.
Jay Mack's setup for the National Tour of If/Then at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle, Washington.
Craig Given's percussion setup for Hairspray at the Isaac Theatre Royal in Christchurch, New Zealand, for Showbiz Christchurch.
"After a grueling four years at SUNY I still had one theory class left to finish. I was really depressed. A classmate of mine recommended me for a tour of a Broadway show. This completely changed the course of my life."
  • 7 min read
"When I first got the call to start working on Ain’t Too Proud - The Life And Times Of The Temptations, I was curious about which era the show was going to focus on. Their career began in the early 1960’s and they’re still releasing albums today."
"The unique part of Groundhog Day was that the drummer had to play on stage, in a groundhog costume, wearing a giant groundhog head. Since I could barely see out of the head, it was impossible to read a chart (and there wasn’t a music stand), so it had to be memorized."
  • 4 min read
Steve Gadd's drum solo from the track "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours". From the album Live Stuff (out of print) from the legendary 1970's New York based band Stuff.
Robbie Ameen's drum solo from the track "Spring Fling".

Gene Krupa's drum solo from "Gene's Blues" from the album Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich released November 1955.

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