Whether it’s at the forefront in an all-timpani ensemble or artificially inseminated into your favorite techno jam, percussion moves and shapes music differently but just as substantially as any other instrument. From technically robust prog-rock players to minimalist and simple garage rock bangers, a good percussionist knows when to be subtle and when to go all out, when to drive the beat and when to sit behind it. Austin has a community of talented percussionists who do far more than the bare minimum – but you can bet each of the quartet of talented drummers profiled here have great respect for the pursuit of accuracy and tasteful playing over showboating or pesky gong solos. Our gang of four -Thor Harris, Sarah Norris, Chris Cogburn and Erik Conn - are different in many respects but are united in their ability to perform amazing feats of slamming, banging, scraping and much more with remarkable skill and a good taste not always synonymous with the word “drums.”
