Musart

Description

As a musician, I have advanced skills in performing different music styles. I'm used to practice sight-reading, and I learn new music quickly. I love to play drums in different musical styles, and to challenge myself with new tasks. I can switch my drumming from the loud pop/rock situation, to a more soft and low-dynamic mood for a jazz gig.
I love to play in big band, as I love to play for musical projects, where I have huge responsibilities and I am playing in a big stage; at the same time, I love small situations such as jazz piano trios or a pop/rock quartet. In every situation I always ... do my best as a performer and a improviser.
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Biography

Andrea Murtas starts to study drums in 2002, under the guidance of a private teacher who, for three years, teaches him the basic techniques of the drumset and gives him his passion for fusion and jazz music. After a few years, he continues his studies as an autodidact using various drum methods (Gene Krupa, Dave Weckl, Jojo Mayer, Jim Chapin). Meanwhile, he starts to play rock and pop music with different bands.
In 2009 he enrolls for the Bachelor in Jazz Drums in the Conservatory of Cagliari. During these years he deeply understands many fundamental techniques of the drumset, through the stu ... dy of the methods of Morris Goldenberg, Ted Reed, George Lawrence Stone, Gary Chaffee and John Riley. Meanwhile, Andrea continues his studies as an autodidact, for what concerns the drums technique: he developes his own approach on drumset studying from the methods of Jojo Mayer and especially Dave Weckl, his greatest inspiration.
During his Bachelor, he studies and assiduously uses the practice of transcription, which will help him to understand the style of many drummers: Max Roach, Philly Joe Jones, Art Taylor, Tony Williams, Elvin Jones.
During his studies he joins various jazz ensembles, formed with colleagues and friends of the Conservatory. With one of these ensembles, a quartet called “Small Steps”, inspired first on the modern style of Jonathan Kreisberg, he plays many concerts, both in clubs and sardinian jazz festivals.
With another ensemble, called “Faces Of Alex” he records two albums, “The Tree of Timeless” (2015) and “A Raft To Cross The Sea” (2017).
From 2011 he starts his live activity in clubs, weddings, private events and celebrations all over the region of Sardinia, with different ensembles and different musical styles: jazz, pop, rock, rhythm 'n' blues, dance; from 2011 to 2019 he plays hundreds of gigs in many different situations.
In October 2013 he graduates in Jazz Drums with a thesis on the style of Dave Weckl, the drummer who has always been a milestone for him. The final score is 110/110 with honors. During the recital, he plays 5 songs: Highlife; Synergie (Dave Weckl); Nite Sprite; Got A Match?; Spain (Chick Corea).
After this first study experience he starts his activity as a teacher, mainly in municipal schools, from 2014 to 2019.
In 2014 and 2016 he is selected for the competition "Drummer of Tomorrow" organized by Mapex, along with nine other finalists.
On December 9th 2016, he wins the 2nd prize during the final stage.
In November 2015, he enrolls for a second Bachelor Degree at the Conservatory of Cagliari, in a different subject: Classical Percussion. With this course of study, he begins to expand his musical view through the practice of the contemporary repertoire: Iannis Xenakis, Akira Miyoshi, Steve Reich, David Lang.
In 2019 he finishes the Bachelor Degree in Classical Percussion with the final score of 110/110 with honors. During the recital he plays two contemporary compositions: Rebonds (Iannis Xenakis) and Unchained Melody (David Lang).
In 2017, with the “Faces Of Alex” trio, he plays two concerts during the final stage of the “International Jazz Competition” in Bucharest, Romania.
In September 2019 he enrolls at the Conservatory of Gent (Belgium) for the Master in Jazz Drums.
During the pandemic he keeps studying and practicing on drums, playing transcriptions from several drummers: Roy Haynes, Tony Williams, Antonio Sanchez, Bill Stewart, Ari Hoenig, Mak Guiliana. He starts to apply a new approach on the drumset for what concerns improvisation and comping, through the study of three different drummers: Bill Stewart, Ari Hoenig and Mark Guiliana. Displacement and metric modulation taken by these master drummers, and from John Riley’s book Beyond Bop Drumming are a new big inspiration during the long months spent mostly in lockdown.
During the lockdown he also starts to work on his own compositions, making music from many small phrases and patterns written through the previous 10 years. As a subject from the Master II, he is going to record his first composition, The Way Out, with the students from Music Production.
Andrea obtained the Master Degree in Jazz Drums on Sepember 2021.
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Experience

As a drummer, I played many gigs in different situations: from the big band to the small jazz ensembles, from the pop/rock ensemble to the musical and the dance show, I have played music for private events, weddings, jazz festivals, hotels, clubs, restaurants, theatre shows, conference/meeting and community events.
I started my activity in 2010, when I was studying for my Bachelor's in Jazz Drums, and I kept working during the next 10 years, before I started to study for my Master's Degree in Belgium.

Suitable for

Anniversary Party Awards Ceremony Bachelor / Stag Party Bachelorette / Hen Party Bar / Bat Mitzvah Birthday Party (Adult) Bridal Shower Casinos Christmas Party Club Party Concerts / Tours Conference / Meeting Corporate Event Cruise Ships Dinner Party Festival / Outdoor Event Graduation Party Grand Opening Party Halloween Party Hanukkah Celebration Holiday / Theme Parks Hotel Event Jewish Wedding New Year's Eve Party Nightclub Event Private Party Product Launch / Promotion Prom Night Restaurant / Bar / Pub Event Retirement Party School Event Social Club Theaters / Stage Trade Show / Exhibitions University / College Event Virtual Event Wedding Ceremony Wedding Cocktail/Drinks Reception

Physical Characteristics