519 - JT Bates: Recording for Taylor Swift, the Minneapolis Scene, Making Your Identity Cumulative

Working Drummer

Growing up in a musical family gave JT an early start into sound and rhythmic exploration. He set on the path to becoming a working musician while playing in his father’s big band as a teen. Over the years he remained steeped in the improvised music scene, both as a performer and presenter.

As a session drummer JT has appeared on Grammy record of the year “Folklore” (Taylor Swift) as well as the follow up “Evermore”. Grammy nominated “s/t”(Bonny Light Horseman) as well as critically acclaimed records by Bon Iver, Big Red Machine, Cassandra Jenkins, The National, Maya Hawke, Ed Sheeran, and many others.

In this episode, JT talks about:

• Getting opportunities to record for Taylor Swift and others through older, more localized relationships
• Going from deep in the jazz world to deep into electronic music
• Being. not just your own marketing department, but your own HR department
• Being a booker for a music venue in Minneapolis, and balancing modern metrics like social media following with old school legwork
• What insecurity causes us to do and not do
• How your identity as a drummer is cumulative, not compartmentalized