Skoota Warner
| Skoota Warner | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Newnan, Georgia, United States |
| Genres | Rock, Funk, Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instruments | drums |
| Associated acts | Matisyahu, Ra, Cyndi Lauper, The B-52's, Yerba Buena, Hot Tuna |
| Website |
www |
Skoota Warner is an American musician and was the former drummer from rock band Ra. Warner is currently working on The Emeril Lagasse Show on The ION Network, Hot Tuna, G.E. Smith, Screaming Headless Torsos, KIF, Patrick Stump, Cyndi Lauper and completing his solo record due to be released early 2011.
Biography
Warner was born and raised in Newnan, Georgia. At the age of nine, his interest in playing drums led him to the church. Gospel played a soulful foundation for "The Funky Drummer". By the age of eleven he was touring the South with various then up-and coming Gospel groups.
During high school he improved his percussive skills and played at school social functions and local clubs. Graduating from high school, he decided to go where musicians who wanted to make it went: New York City. After only a few weeks, Skoota was spotted playing with street breakdancers by Pepeu Gomes and Baby Consuelo, Brazil's top pop artists at that time. At age 18, Skoota left for Brazil with Pepeu and Baby where he lived for two years, playing live rock shows and recording several albums with Pepeu and other Brazilian artists.
When Skoota returned to New York, he landed gigs with blues musicians Johnny Copeland and Johnny Johnson. The following year, Skoota joined the Apollo Theater's Amateur Night House Band with whom he backed such R&B, funk, and hip-hop stars as Keith Sweat, Guy, and Big Daddy Kane. Skoota's impromptu rhythm breaks incited live on-stage jams with guest hip-hop artists like Biz Markie, Doug E. Fresh, and Special Ed among others.
1989 hallmarked Skoota's ascending career when New York's premier studio drummer, Omar Hakim, chose him to be his drummer for the Rhythm Deep Project. Omar said "Skoota nails it! He's a drummer's drummer."
Since 1990, Skoota has played with such established artists as Santana, The B-52's, Arto Lindsay, Lionel Richie, Cyndi Lauper, Matisyahu, and Mary J. Blige.
Warner was a member of Dave Koz & The Kozmos, the house band of The Emeril Lagasse Show.[1]
Since 2009 Warner has also been touring with Jefferson Airplane founding members, and Rock and Roll Hall of Famers bassist Jack Casady and guitarist Jorma Kaukonen in the enduring American blues-rock band Hot Tuna. He has recently been revealed as a member of the touring backing band for Fall Out Boy singer Patrick Stump. As of September 17, 2012, Sahaj Ticotin announced that Skoota would be recording drums for the new Ra album. This album titled "Critical Mass" was released October 15, 2013.
References
- ↑ "Dave Koz & The Kozmos" (PDF). Retrieved May 10, 2010.