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Born and raised in New Orleans, Stanton
Moore is a dedicated drummer and performer especially connected to
the city, its culture and collaborative spirit. Driven and inspired
by the thriving music scene of his hometown which includes such
greats as Professor Longhair, Doctor
John and The Meters, Moore’s name is now mentioned amongst
these Big Easy mainstays.
In the early ‘90s, Moore helped found the New Orleans-based
essential funk band Galactic. Their first album, 1996’s widely
acclaimed Coolin’ Off, led to an intense tour schedule
of nearly 200 gigs a year for the next ten years. Building on their
fan base by adding an esteemed list of all-star collaborations
to the six albums that followed, Galactic continues to amass a
worldwide audience via recording and touring globally.
Moore launched his solo career in 1998 aided by eight-string guitar
virtuoso Charlie Hunter and saxophonist Skerik (Les Claypool, John
Scofield, Roger Waters). The group recorded All Kooked Out! featuring
a handful of local New Orleans musicians as well.
In the midst of these recording sessions yet another concept was
taking shape. Outtakes turned into the first Garage a Trois release, Mysteryfunk(1999).
In 2000 the trio, led by Moore behind the drum kit, was joined
by percussionist Mike Dillon (Les Claypool, Ani DiFranco) and has
since released three more albums – Emphasizer in
2003, Outre Mer in 2005 and Power Patriot in
2009.
Moore extended his solo discography with the release of Flyin’ the
Koop (Verve/Blue Thumb) in 2001, and III (Telarc) in
2006. Following the latter Modern Drummer called Moore’s
trademark sound “infectious, jazz-meets-Bonham, nouveau second-line.” Recorded
at the legendary Preservation Hall in New Orleans, III featured
organist Robert Walter (Greyboy Allstars, The Head Hunters) and
guitarist Will Bernard (T.J. Kirk, Doctor Lonnie Smith) as the
Stanton Moore Trio, with special guests Skerik and trombonist Mark
Mullins (Galactic, Bonerama, Harry Connick, Jr., Better Than Ezra).
In 2008, Moore looked to continue his scaled back session crew
with Walter and Bernard to record Emphasis! (on parenthesis).
Says Moore, “When it came time to do another record, I had
already known for a while that I wanted to build on the momentum
of this band – three musicians who were becoming a unit
unto themselves – and I wanted to get a little more adventurous
with the music itself.”
In April 2010, Moore releases Groove Alchemy.
The 12-track set is the culmination of Moore’s multimedia
project that also includes an instructional book and DVD of the
same name. All three facets of the project are designed to explore
the roots of funk drumming by examining the work of pioneers like
Jabo Starks, Clyde Stubblefield, and Zigaboo Modeliste – each
of whom made their mark at different times throughout the 1960s
as the engines driving James Brown’s and the Meters’ legendary
rhythm sections – and in turn tracing their influences back
to the rhythms coming out of New Orleans in the earlier part of
the 20th century. Recorded at Levon Helm’s studio in Woodstock,
NY, this project is the follow up to the widely acclaimed Take
it to the Street DVD and book that focused specifically on
New Orleans drumming styles.
Showing his outstanding versatility,
Moore has appeared on Heavy Metal Grammy nominees Corrosion of Conformity’s In
the Arms of God, Irma Thomas’ After the
Rain (winning a grammy in the process), Robert
Walter’s Super Heavy Organ, Tom Morello
(Rage Against the Machine) and Boots Riley’s (the Coup) Street
Sweeper Social Club, Will BernarDiane Birch’s Bible
Belt, Alec Ounsworth’s (Clap Your Hands Say Yeah) Mo
Beauty. He continues to play dates globally with
an ever-evolving cast of musicians including John Scofield;
Karl Denson; George Porter, Jr., and Leo Nocentelli (of the Meters);
Charlie Hunter; Warren Haynes; John Medeski and Chris Wood (of
Medeski, Martin and Wood); Donald Harrison Jr.; Dr. Lonnie
Smith, Dr. John, Tab Benoit, Robert Walter; the New Orleans Klezmer
All-Stars and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band to name a few.
With a bachelor’s degree in music and business from
Loyola University, Moore stays involved in education by constantly
giving clinics and teaching master classes and private lessons
all over the world. He has been a contributing writer for Drum!, Modern Drummer, and DownBeat magazines
here he was featured on the covers of more than six drum publications.
In 2005, he launched a signature line of cymbals with Bosphorus
Cymbals and a signature drumstick with the Vic Firth stick company. In
2009, Moore developed his own drum company to introduce his signature
titanium snare drum that he designed in conjunction with Ronn Dunnett.
Deeply affected by Katrina and its aftermath, New Orleans’ native
son was quick to lend a hand by spearheaded the Tipitina’s
Music Workshop, free Sunday seminars that cater to children and
a rotating cast of well-known professionals to promote the preservation
of New Orleans music. He also set up the Staletta Fund, a
scholarship started by he and his wife Aletta to help cover costs
for aspiring students to attend jazz camps, auditions and further
their education.
Moore stays active as a spokesperson for the Gulf Restoration Network
and is a regular proponent of and player with the Voice of the
Wetlands All-Stars. Additionally he serves on the board of directors
for the Roots of Music, a free music education and academic mentoring
program founded by Derrick Tabb, drummer for Rebirth Brass Band
and recent nominee for CNN’s Heroes awards.
Galactic’s next record Ya-ka-may will be released
February, 2010, and Moore steps into the role of producer on Anders
Osborne’s next record due out next Spring.
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