Elmo Lovano is a producer, drummer, musical director, and the Founder/CEO of Jammcard. Each week, Elmo dives deep with an inspiring creative to give you context on how they go forward professionally and personally. Let’s GO!
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Episode 104: Kamasi Washington Kamasi Washington is one of the most important voices in modern jazz. A saxophonist, composer, and bandleader from Los Angeles, he has helped shape the sound of contemporary music through his solo work and collaborations with artists like Kendrick Lamar, Thundercat, Dinner Party, Flying Lotus, Andre 3000, Terrace Martin, and Robert Glasper. In this episode of Go With Elmo, Kamasi sits down for a deep conversation about his journey, from growing up in Los Angeles wi...
Episode 103: Linda Perry One of the greatest songwriters, producers, and hitmakers of the last 40 years, and a Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee to prove it. In this episode of Go With Elmo Lovano, we go deep with Linda Perry on her journey through the music industry, from her early days to global success, and everything in between. We talk about her upbringing, her rise to fame with 4 Non Blondes, and how writing the iconic song “What’s Up?” changed her life. Linda opens up about the reality of...
Episode 102: Jimmy Chamberlin Today is the greatest day I’ve ever known, because one of my favorite drummers is here in my home. Jimmy Chamberlin changed the sound of rock music, MTV, and radio in the 90s when his drums were heard around the world. His approach to jazz, fusion, and rock all coming together helped create the unique sound of Smashing Pumpkins that no one had ever heard before. In this interview, we go deep on how Jimmy developed that sound, his approach to drumming, and his philos...
Episode 101: Ilan Rubin. Ilan Rubin is the new drummer for Foo Fighters and one of the most respected musicians in modern music. He and I go way back to our early teen and even pre-teen drumming years, so this is an extra fun one for me. He spent 17 years with Nine Inch Nails as their longest-running drummer, earning a reputation for precision, versatility, and the ability to step into any musical environment at the highest level. From there, he has continued to evolve, now joining Foo Fighters ...
Episode 100: Miguel Gandelman. This man is the Musical Director behind Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show, one of the biggest and most complex live television performances in the world. Miguel Gandelman aka "Miga" is a Berklee graduate and longtime force in live TV and touring. He has worked with some of the biggest artists on the planet including Christina Aguilera, Stevie Wonder, Usher, Shakira, Lady Gaga, Janet Jackson, Jonat Brothers, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Babyface, John Mayer, Aretha Franklin...
Episode 99: Ty Dolla $ign. One of the only artists to earn TWO diamond records in the last decade, Ty Dolla $ign joins us for a deep, musician-to-musician conversation about a career built on trust, taste, and timeless records. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Ty grew up surrounded by live music through his father, musician Tyrone Griffin Sr. of Lakeside, learning instruments at a young age and developing a deep respect for musicianship before fame ever entered the picture. In this interview, Ty ...
Episode 98: Lawrence. Clyde and Gracie Lawrence join me for a rare conversation, and for the first time ever, they're joined by their little brother Linus, who collaborated on the arrangement that earned Lawrence a Grammy nomination this year. Lawrence has spent years building one of the most joyful and intentional sounds in modern music, and right now they’re having a major moment. They’re currently on Broadway as the house band for All Out: Comedy About Ambition, they’re Grammy-nominated for B...
Episode 97: Robert Glasper. The career-defining, three hour deep dive with one of the most influential musicians of our time. In this conversation, Robert Glasper walks through his entire journey, from his upbringing and early musical foundations to becoming a Grammy-winning pianist, producer, composer, and cultural architect who reshaped the relationship between jazz, hip hop, and R&B. This is the most expansive interview Robert has ever done. He breaks down how he became the Robert Glasper...
Episode 96: Terrace Martin joins me for one of the deepest conversations we have ever had about musicianship, professionalism, creativity, community, and what it truly takes to build a lasting career in music. We break down the do’s and don’ts every musician needs to know. Showing up early, respecting the room, keeping the gig, getting hired, reading the temperature, avoiding the gigging mentality, how to negotiate, emotional maturity, and how to think long term in an industry that can appear to...
Episode 95: Simon Phillips. This is the definitive deep dive into the legendary career of Simon Phillips, one of the most influential drummers in the world. In this long form conversation, Simon talks about his work with Toto, The Who, Judas Priest, Hiromi, Protocol, Jeff Beck, Jack Bruce, Pete Townshend, Big Country, Stanley Clarke, Brian Eno, Phil Manzanera, and goes all the way back to his teenage session years in the UK with his dad. This episode covers his technique, sound, gear, studio app...
Episode 94: Jimmy Jam. Our first live audience interview! Jimmy Jam has lived through every major jump in music technology over the last five decades: drum machines, synths, MIDI, sampling, tape to digital recording, DAWs, and now AI. Together with Terry Lewis, he helped shape entire eras during these transitions, from Prince to Janet, Michael and beyond. Again and again, he showed that technology does not kill music. Musicians adapt, and the music adapts with them. In this conversation, we expl...
Episode 93: Christian McBride Part 2. He's back! Nine-time GRAMMY winner Christian McBride returns for Part 2 of our conversation. In this episode we pick up where he becomes a bandleader and makes his first album. From there we cover his journey through leadership, creativity, and legacy. We talk about his work with Chick Corea, his solo albums, and the moments that earned him nine GRAMMY Awards. Christian shares stories about the drummer greats he has played with including Jack DeJohnette, Ton...
Episode 92: Joe Lovano. Joe Lovano is one of the greatest musicians of all time. A Grammy-winning saxophonist who's been on the cover of DownBeat magazine multiple times (as well as many others), a Blue Note Records legend with 25 releases, a Berklee alum, and he holds the Gary Burton Chair in Jazz Performance at Berklee College of Music, which he’s had since 2001. He also happens to be my cousin and one of the biggest inspirations and mentors in my life. This was our first time ever doing somet...
Episode 91: Christian McBride. Nine-time GRAMMY winner Christian McBride is one of the most influential jazz artists in the game. His collaborations span icons like Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, James Brown, and Sting. He’s the leader of multiple acclaimed bands including the Christian McBride Big Band, Inside Straight, and New Jawn. He also serves as the host of NPR’s Jazz Night in America and was the Artistic Director of the Newport Jazz Festival for a decade. His story is incredib...
Episode 90: Chance the Rapper. Chance the Rapper is one of the biggest independent artists in the history of music. He’s a multiple GRAMMY winner, including Best New Artist, Best Rap Album, and Best Rap Performance. He’s hosted Saturday Night Live twice, been the musical guest three times, headlined the world’s biggest festivals, and done it all without a record label. He’s the definition of a creative entrepreneur and a true leader. In this conversation, we dive deep into how Chance built his c...
Steve Ferrone: The Legendary Drummer Behind Tom Petty, Average White Band, Eric Clapton, Duran Duran Episode 89: Steve Ferrone. A nearly 3 hour deep dive with one of the greatest groove drummers of all time, Steve Ferrone. He joined Average White Band after the passing of their original drummer and went on to create “School Boy Crush,” one of the most sampled grooves in hip-hop history. From there, he played with Duran Duran, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Johnny Cash, and Michael Jackson, befor...
Antonio Sánchez: Drumming Legend, Birdman Composer, Pat Metheny Group, The Studio, 4 GRAMMYs, Emmy Episode 88: Antonio Sánchez. Antonio is one of the most celebrated drummers and composers of our time. From shaping the sound of the Pat Metheny Group, to scoring Alejandro Iñárritu’s Oscar-winning film Birdman, to composing for Apple TV+’s The Studio, Antonio has pushed the boundaries of what a drummer can be. With 4 GRAMMY wins, a 2025 Emmy nomination, and collaborations spanning jazz, film, and ...
Episode 87: Daya At 16 years old, still in high school, Daya dropped “Hide Away” with no label, no team, no social following. Just a song she believed in. It exploded, racked up hundreds of millions of streams, and suddenly she was on the radio while still in class. She followed it with “Sit Still, Look Pretty,” then connected with The Chainsmokers to record “Don’t Let Me Down,” one of the biggest hits of the 2010s. We talk about how that collaboration came to be, what it was like for her life t...
Episode 86: Travie McCoy. You likely know Travie as the lead singer of Gym Class Heroes, the multi-platinum genre bending band behind a generation of hits. His first solo single, Billionaire featuring Bruno Mars, was the track that launched Bruno into stardom. He’s also collaborated with Sia, Ryan Tedder, Adam Levine, Tyga, and many more. Now, 20 years after the release of The Papercut Chronicles, Gym Class Heroes are officially back. This is a three and a half hour deep dive with Travie McCoy. ...
Episode 85: Miles Bonham. Known to millions online as Miles Music Kid, Miles Bonham has become one of the youngest and most talked-about musical prodigies on Instagram. His videos have gone viral around the world, showcasing his natural talent, creativity, and unique ear for music at such a young age. He is one of the most followed under-10-year-olds in the world, and already, at just 9 years old, has some of the most elite musicians and producers befriending him, supporting him, and cheering hi...
In this extensive interview, drumming icon Dave Weckl recounts his journey, detailing his early influences, pivotal tours with Simon & Garfunkel, and his transformative years with Chick Corea's Elektric and Akoustic Bands. He discusses the creation of his signature Vic Firth sticks and Sabian cymbals, offering insights into his unwavering work ethic and dedication to sonic quality. Weckl also shares profound lessons on musicality, adapting to different feels, and navigating the complexities of a lifelong career in music.
Episode 83: Narada Michael Walden Part 2 At this point in the story, Narada has gone from a jazz fusion drummer with Mahavishnu Orchestra, to a major label solo artist with hits, to a Grammy-winning producer with Aretha Franklin. And now... Whitney Houston enters the picture. We kick off this episode with the moment Narada and Whitney's journey starts together. He gets a call from Arista A&R exec Jerry Griffith, who discovered Whitney, asking him to work with the unknown artist. Narada says ...
Episode 82: Narada Michael Walden. He went from being the drummer of Mahavishnu Orchestra and landing the cover of Modern Drummer Magazine , to producing Whitney Houston’s biggest hits and winning the GRAMMY for Producer of the Year. This interview is the epic journey of Narada Michael Walden. I loved this conversation so much. Narada’s positive, creative energy jumps out at you immediately. We go deep into his drumming career, how he got the gig with his favorite band, Mahavishnu Orchestra, fol...
Episode 81: Kevin Lyman. The Vans Warped Tour is the longest-running touring music festival in North America, drawing over 750,000 fans every summer at its peak. And it all started with one guy — Kevin Lyman. In this episode, we sit down in person with the man who turned parking lots into punk rock playgrounds, helped break some of the biggest names in music, and built a generation-defining cultural movement. Warped Tour was the first concert I ever went to at 13 years old, and a few years later...
Episode 80: Mike Caren. If you’re in the music industry, you hear the name Mike Caren all the time. He’s one of the most powerful people in music, with a career that’s led to billions of streams, multiple GRAMMY wins, and chart-topping, career-defining hits as both an A&R and executive. He’s signed and/or helped break artists like Bruno Mars, Charlie Puth, Ed Sheeran, Kehlani, YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Wiz Khalifa, Flo Rida, T.I., Trey Songz, Ava Max, Kevin Gates, and Don Toliver. He start...
Episode 79. Omar Hakim, Part 2! We’re back with the drumming legend Omar Hakim and pick up right where we left off in Part 1. We start with the wild story of how he met Sting while recording Brothers In Arms with Dire Straits… ON AN ISLAND. This story blows my mind. From there, we continue through his career with Sting, Miles Davis, Madonna, and the crazy story of making the Daft Punk hit "Get Lucky." This episode is full of rare backstories, industry gems, and lessons in creativity and innovati...
Episode 78: Omar Hakim. Today on the pod we’ve got one of the most recorded drummers of all time. The legendary Omar Hakim! We went deep for over 2 hours, and unlocked SO MUCH GOLD, so we’re releasing this conversation in two parts. In Part 1, Omar shares the stories behind some of his most iconic recordings, including his legendary session with David Bowie on Let’s Dance, his deep musical relationship with Nile Rodgers, and his time in Weather Report. We also get into the wild story of how he t...
Episode 77: Steve Smith. The incredible, multi-faceted, Steve Smith was one of my favorite drummers growing up. His playing with Journey blew me mind, and the fact that he had a full-on jazz career alongside his rock success made him even more inspiring to me. Steve made Modern Drummer’s Top 25 Drummers of All Time list and won the #1 All-Around Drummer Award five years in a row. His credits are stacked, from early gigs with Jean Luc-Ponty (alongside Allan Holdsworth), Focus, and Ronnie Montrose...
Episode 76: Jerrod "J-Rod" Sullivan. If you're a drummer, chances are you've seen J-Rod pop up in your feed. He's one of the most exciting drummers to watch, and now he’s holding down the drum chair for Janet Jackson. From uploading his first drum video to YouTube back in 2006 to building an audience of over 700,000 followers, J-Rod is living proof that consistency and passion pay off. We get into everything from his early days playing in church to building an online community of over 700K+ foll...
Thomas Lang: Drum God Mode, Practice Secrets, Clinics, Social Media Trends with guest Luke Holland! Episode 75: Thomas Lang. Thomas Lang is one of the best drummers of all time. His drive and focused, intentional practice has led to him being one of the most sophisticated drummers, producers, and composers, with the ability to do four-limb separation beyond pretty much anyone else. On top of that ability, he is musical! He's also a great human, impressive entrepreneur, and a fun guy to hang with...
