~ John Bergamo ~
Percussion
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Biography
John Bergamo has studied percussion with Joseph Giarratano,
Fred Albright, Paul Price, Max Roach; at the Ali Akbar College of Music
with Mahapurush Misra and Shankar Ghosh; in Indian with P. S. Venkateshan,
tavil player; at Cal Arts in Javanese and Balinese Gamelans with K. R. T.
Wasitodiningrat, I. Nyomen Wenten and tabla with Swapan Chadhouri. In New
York, John has worked in orchestras with Lukas Foss, Gunther Schuller, Arthur
Weisberg, and Charles Wuorinen. In Canada he has performed with John McLaughlin,
and at Vancouver World Expo '86. In Los Angeles John has recorded with Fred
Myrow, Harry Nillson, Van Dyke Parks, Paul Chihara, Herb Alpert and Frank
Zappa. John has taught at California Institute of the Arts since 1970, has
guest lectured at Universities in the Midwest and on the East Coast; was
featured lecturer for the Orff Schulwerk National Convention in 1985, and
taught at Naropa's Summer Institute in 1986.
From his early days as a drummer in New Jersey, John Bergamo has never lost
his desire to expand his interest in percussion. An M.M. degree at Manhattan
School of Music was followed by three summers in Tanglewood and time in
New York City as a free-lance musician. A Rockefeller Foundation grant made
him a Creative Associate at SUNY Buffalo where John explored the avant-garde
in a wide variety of 20th Century styles, including jazz.
Relocating on the West Coast, John became involved in learning the hand-drums
traditional to non-European cultures, and since 1970 has been coordinator
of the Percussion program at California Institute of the Arts.
This breadth of background has led John to such diverse musical involvements
as concerts with McLaughlin's Shakti and performing in Frank Zappa's Abnuceals
Emukka Orchestra. In California John has continued to be involved in contemporary
music performance, studio work and non-EuroAmerican music performance. Incorporating
many of the styles which have influenced him, John co-founded the all-percussion
group Repercussion Unit, with whom he has recorded an EP for Robey Records,
and C.D. for CMP Records. He has two instructional videos from INTERWORLD
MUSIC - The Art and Joy of Hand Drumming,and Finding Your Way with Hand
Drums. His newest instructional video is called HAND DRUMMING with John
Bergamo, and is available through TALAMALA, as well as Lira Productions.
Most recently, John has just finished a CD with his newest group - the HANDS-ONSEMBLE, featuring Randy Gloss, Andrew Grueschow, and Austin Wrinkle, all playing hand drums from different parts of the world. The CD is now available through TALAMALA, as well as LIRA PRODUCTIONS. See Below for details.
Reviews
WIRE Magazine
"This is a solo percussion tour de force. The emphasis here is on getting a variety of sounds from a few instruments, and it's amazing how many sounds Bergamo can produce...
Throughout the recording Bergamo's knowledge of Indian hand drumming is evident, both in rhythmic complexity, and in his ability to use his hands so well..."
MODERN PERCUSSIONIST Magazine
"I knew that something very therapeutic and centering was going on, and when I got home I started to mess around with the Remo hand drums..... I also learned a lot from Glen Velez's and John Bergamo's videos, and I started getting this feeling that if technology all stopped tomorrow and there was no plastic or metal, I could be happy sitting under a tree playing one of these drums. It's a very special thing..."
TERRY BOZZIO
"Bergamo's video is great... techniques and concepts relevant to all percussion and music making."
ED MANN
"Bergamo is acknowledged worldwide to be an innovative percussionist, an inspiring teacher and a soulful composer."
INTERWORLD MUSIC
"Bergamo is more concerned with the similarities among various instruments than the differences, He achieves a sort of cross-culturalization by applying various hand and finger techniques ..."
MODERN DRUMMER Magazine
Performance Credits
Selected Discography
JOHN BERGAMO and the HANDS-ONSEMBLE |
JOHN BERGAMO and the HANDS-ONSEMBLE |
Music for 4 hand percussionists, including original compositions by members of the ensemble. Available through Lira Productions. $10 for the CD,plus $3.50 S&H. |
CMP RECORDS/INTERWORLD MUSIC | ||
CMP RECORDS/INTERWORLD MUSIC | ||
CMP RECORDS | ||
ROBEY RECORDS | ||
CMP RECORDS/ROBEY RECORDS |
HAND DRUMING with JOHN BERGAMO Instructional material includes: Fingering patterns, the use of vocal syllables to express rhythm and meter, drum harmonics and playing on unusual instruments. Seven solos on various instruments include Djembe, Frame Drum, Congas, and a spaghetti pot demonstrate the possibilities presented in the lessons. Over head shots of the hands give the viewer a non-mirror inage facilitating imitation of hand and finger movement. |