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About Pat Petrillo

Pat is one of today's most dynamic, creative, & versatile drummers. Known for his tremendous groove with such artists as Gloria Gaynor, Patti LaBelle, Glen Burtnik, and many others, he has toured the world and recorded with some of the best in the business. He is currently leading his own group, Groovallegiance, featuring Guitarist Chieli Minucci, Bassist Gary Grainger, and Chris Fischer ..boards. His versatility extends to Broadway, having played many shows over the years, including "A Chorus Line", "Grease", "Footloose", and "Dreamgirls". From deep pocket R&B/Funk, Pop, and swampy Roots grooves, to world rhythms, and fiery fusion fills, Pat brings it all together with musicality, finesse, and uncanny technical ability. Pat has also performed/recorded with:

Glen Burtnick
Patti Smyth
Christine Ohlman
Ed Hamilton
Dee-Lite
Scott Ambush
Julio Fernandez
Gerald Veasley
George Howard
Stanley Clarke
Lincoln Goins

Musical Journey

Growing up in New Brunswick, New Jersey in a culturally diverse neighborhood, Pat started playing at age five. It was obvious at this early age, Pat had a gift for music. With the help of an older brother, he began playing along to music of the Beatles. As he got older, Pat's musical influences began to include James Brown, Parliament/Funkadelic, Yes, Earth, Wind, and Fire, Stevie Wonder, and anything that was on the radio. By his teenage years he was drawn to fusion music Weather Report, Spyro Gyra, Chick Corea, and Return to Forever. This melting pot of music helped shape the drummer that he is today.

Education

Pat honed his hand technique and chops with the popular Bayonne Bridgemen Drum and Bugle Corps, where he was a snare drummer/section leader. They won many DCI drumline championships in the 80’s, touring the country. After receiving a scholarship to Morehead Sate University in Kentucky, he studied with Frank Oddis, receiving Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Music Education. Here he was a member of the Percussion Ensemble, Jazz Lab Bands, and Jazz Vocal Ensemble. This really helped shape and refine his musicality. Upon his return to New Jersey, Pat enrolled at Drummers Collective in NYC, studying with the likes of Peter Erskine and Frank Malabe.

Teaching and Clinics

As a popular clinician and educator, he has performed clinics at many events, including at PASIC, numerous universities, as well as drum shops and music stores around the world. His Multi - Media instructional package, “Hands, Grooves, & Fills” (Hudson Limited/Hal Leonard), is a DVD/Book/MP3 Play Along CD, which has received international acclaim for it’s methods for improving hand technique, groove ideas, and fill vocabulary.

The Collective

Pat is one of only 2 Full Time Faculty members at Drummers Collective in New York City, the world's premier Rhythm Section School, which is accredited by NASM. He is involved in every aspect of the curriculum, from Reading classes and Rudiments, to U.S Roots, Soul, & Funk'R&B classes, Rhythm Section classes, Music Business/Life Skills classes, and of course private lessons. In lessons, he concentrates on developing hand technique, groove coordination, "grooveology" (historical grooves of the past), and fill & soloing techniques. He has also written “The Roots of Groove: R&B/Soul & Contemporary Funk Styles for the Drums” (Carl Fischer), a curriculum which explores numerous sub genres of groove music. This book is used as part of The Collective Style Series classes.

To study with Pat, call The Collective at (212) 741 - 0091

Pat is also an Artist-in-Residence at The University of North Carolina/Pembroke.

University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Pat is also available for private lessons at his New Jersey location

Click here to study with Pat in New Jersey

Visit Pat’s websites

Pat's Home Page

Pat's Page on Drummerworld

Pat Petrillo Discography

The following is a list of CD's Pat has recorded.  Most of the clips are from these recordings.  Click the link to order any of these CD's.

Glen Burtnik Welcome to Hollywood	Glen Burtnik Palookaville	Glen Burtnick Retrospectable
Ed Hamilton Planet Jazz	Ed Hamilton Hear in the Now	Ed Hamilton Path to the Heartland
Ed Hamilton Groovology
Everything's Liquid