Rising Stars: Meet Bongo John

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bongo John.

Hi Bongo, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Music has always been a focal point throughout my life since my formative years. At the age of seven, I saw Buddy Rich perform drums with his big band and, after the show, met Buddy. I told him I wanted to be a drummer and he replied, “Stick with it, kid!”. With his autograph in hand, my path in pursuing drumming became my destiny.

I soon began taking snare drum lessons to learn essential drum rudiments from percussion ensemble students at the University of Oklahoma. I was 1st chair on the snare drum in the band from middle school into high school. At that time, I had been tinkering around with my late dad’s Akai reel-to-reel, as well as dabbling on the piano that he had given to my mom as a wedding gift.

Throughout my growing up, I spent quite a bit of time recording my own ideas and elaborating on said ideas into full songs, as well as recording musician friends just for fun. I started to acquire the wherewithal to record other musicians and bands more often and began to seriously pursue recording engineering. I took several classes in recording engineering at Rose State College under the mentorship of Craig White of White Rose Studio out of Guthrie, OK.

Eventually, I landed a job as a chief recording engineer for Studio 313 (now defunct) based in Morrisville, NC, working with local artists such as Jason Adamo, Brent Jordan, and Jordan Okrend (to name a few). During this time I started my own recording studio, Bongo John Studio.

Recording engineering, drumming, dabbling on the piano, and exploring video editing have been of main interest for many years.

Today, I work solely via business referrals by word-of-mouth and have no need to advertise. I have found that by virtue of the quality of work that I do and the TLC I put into working with each artist in my studio has paid off. My past clients are bound to tell others about my studio as well as return again. It’s not easy in this modern day to be a successful recording engineer. It takes years of experience to yield recordings that are of broadcast quality.

Currently, I am quite active working with bands and solo artists, recording, and filming, as well as getting started with scoring for documentaries/short films.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It was not exactly a smooth road. In my 20s, I struggled with mental illness into my 30’s. Was misdiagnosed for many years and was on the wrong medication for what was ailing me for over five years.

This compounded my problem with mental illness until I was properly diagnosed and placed on appropriate medication. It’s important to take medication, even if one is feeling well, to prevent any relapse of illness IMO. I will say that getting on the right medication and the right dosages can take years for anybody out there with mental illness.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Music is a universal language. It transcends all boundaries and is the catharsis for humanity. We become one through music. Rhythms, harmonies, and melodies become the celebration of creativity, the great passion for one another, and the unbounded exploration of this infinite Universe.

I have over 20 years of experience as a recording engineer (Studio 313 & Bongo John Studio) in lieu of my 44 years of drumming. I am working on being a more prolific composer & musician with a substantial collection of original works.

Recording engineering is my mainstay and is the place where I feel most at home. Having worked professionally at Studio 313 in Morrisville, NC full-time for almost four years, the additional experience was gained doing part-time work for various local studios including session work as a drummer & percussionist. I have recorded over 70 artists/bands in the past 12 years collectively at both studios.

I make every effort in appeasing the vision of any given artist – not only by basing mixes on reference material but also by engaging the artist on a production level that maximizes creativity; to not only listen critically but also to hear out what an artist has to say on all levels throughout the recording & mixing process.

With extensive experience in recording DAWS (digital audio workstations), maximizing creativity and minimizing the rigors of technology are key.

​​ As a percussionist, I have an eclectic and unorthodox approach to creating rhythms, often exploring unique configurations of percussion – from traditional Afro-Cuban and West Indian instrumentation to utilizing sample-triggering technology to create an acoustic-electric pseudo-organic sound.

​ Drumming for 44 years and counting, I have been given favorable write-ups in Modern Drummer Magazine (March 2005 issue – ‘On The Move’ column) as well as Drum! Magazine (May 2010 issue – ‘New Blood’ column).

​​ In 2015, I released the drum book ‘The Bongo Method’ with a corresponding 45-minute video tutorial. The Bongo Method is an open-ended approach to exploring coordination in poly-rhythms explained in layman’s terms. I’m often fascinated by poly-rhythmic coordination in rhythm (i.e. 4-way independence).

​​ My distinct percussive style is the fruition of many years of exploring my own concepts in rhythm. My main focus is complimenting & interacting with other musicians in a jam, band, or through-composed scenario.

Connecting with an audience is paramount. To have fluidity in one’s own artistic expression while actively listening is to communicate naturally and to have a better feel of a given arrangement. The purpose of keeping time is not to exercise or demonstrate the technique. It is to seek what emanates from the heart and soul. That’s the objective I am always striving for.

I began tickling the ivories in my formative years, tinkering around on an old Chickering console piano. Little did I know that this creative process would lead me to develop my own unique voice as a keyboardist, not only with the piano but also with synthesis.

​​Finding unique avenues, such as exploring synthesis & electronics to create organic yet other-worldly noises, is also an area of exploration in my 54 years as a composer/recording engineer/musician. Synthesis is one of the mainstays of sonic textures that I explore, as evidenced by my progressive-pop albums “Havana Sunrise” and “Savannah Sunset.” I have delved into a synthesis in the past several years sampling with dedicated keyboards as well as experimenting with Native Instruments-based VSTs.

Technology should remain transparent by understanding thoroughly the technology at hand. In this light, creative ideas can be realized more readily. Creativity, intuition, and playing with passion will take an artist’s vision to a new level. We have the wherewithal to create transparency for any technology utilized to capture any given idea. It was out of necessity that I became a recording engineer in order to capture my own musical ideas, and by doing so, I have developed a skill set to help others in making permanent their cherished creations…

Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Seeing from the front row Buddy Rich playing drums in a Big Band!

• Website: www.bongojohnstudio.com
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/bongojohnstudio

Image Credits
Rich Cox Photography