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Born and raised in New
Orleans, Stanton Moore is a dedicated drummer and performer
especially connected to the city, its culture and collaborative
spirit. Driven and inspired by the thriving music scene of his
hometown which includes such greats as Professor Longhair, Doctor
John and The Meters, Moore’s name is now mentioned amongst these Big
Easy mainstays. In the early ‘90s, Moore helped found the New
Orleans-based essential funk band Galactic. Their first album,
1996’s widely acclaimed Coolin’ Off, led to an intense tour schedule
of nearly 200 gigs a year for the next ten years. Building on their
fan base by adding an esteemed list of all-star collaborations to
the six albums that followed, Galactic continues to amass a
worldwide audience via recording and touring globally. Moore
launched his solo career in 1998 aided by eight-string guitar
virtuoso Charlie Hunter and saxophonist Skerik (Les Claypool, John
Scofield, Roger Waters). The group recorded All Kooked Out!
featuring a handful of local New Orleans musicians as well. In the
midst of these recording sessions yet another concept was taking
shape. Outtakes turned into the first Garage a Trois release,
Mysteryfunk (1999). In 2000 the trio, led by Moore behind the drum
kit, was joined by percussionist Mike Dillon (Les Claypool, Ani
DiFranco) and has since released three more albums – Emphasizer in
2003, Outre Mer in 2005 and Power Patriot in 2009.
Moore extended his solo discography with the release of Flyin’ the
Koop (Verve/Blue Thumb) in 2001, and III (Telarc) in 2006. Following
the latter Modern Drummer called Moore’s trademark sound
“infectious, jazz-meets-Bonham, nouveau second-line.” Recorded at
the legendary Preservation Hall in New Orleans, III featured
organist Robert Walter (Greyboy Allstars, The Head Hunters) and
guitarist Will Bernard (T.J. Kirk, Doctor Lonnie Smith) as the
Stanton Moore Trio, with special guests Skerik and trombonist Mark
Mullins (Galactic, Bonerama, Harry Connick, Jr., Better Than Ezra).
In 2008, Moore looked to continue his scaled back session crew with
Walter and Bernard to record Emphasis! (on parenthesis). Says Moore,
“When it came time to do another record, I had already known for a
while that I wanted to build on the momentum of this band – three
musicians who were becoming a unit unto themselves – and I wanted to
get a little more adventurous with the music itself.”
In April 2010, Moore releases Groove Alchemy. The 12-track set is
the culmination of Moore’s multimedia project that also includes an
instructional book and DVD of the same name. All three facets of the
project are designed to explore the roots of funk drumming by
examining the work of pioneers like Jabo Starks, Clyde Stubblefield,
and Zigaboo Modeliste – each of whom made their mark at different
times throughout the 1960s as the engines driving James Brown’s and
the Meters’ legendary rhythm sections – and in turn tracing their
influences back to the rhythms coming out of New Orleans in the
earlier part of the 20th century. Recorded at Levon Helm’s studio in
Woodstock, NY, this project is the follow up to the widely acclaimed
Take it to the Street DVD and book that focused specifically on New
Orleans drumming styles.
Showing his outstanding versatility, Moore has appeared on Heavy
Metal Grammy nominees Corrosion of Conformity’s In the Arms of God,
Irma Thomas’ After the Rain (winning a grammy in the process),
Robert Walter’s Super Heavy Organ, Tom Morello (Rage Against the
Machine) and Boots Riley’s (the Coup) Street Sweeper Social Club,
Will BernarDiane Birch’s Bible Belt, Alec Ounsworth’s (Clap Your
Hands Say Yeah) Mo Beauty. He continues to play dates globally with
an ever-evolving cast of musicians including John Scofield; Karl
Denson; George Porter, Jr., and Leo Nocentelli (of the Meters);
Charlie Hunter; Warren Haynes; John Medeski and Chris Wood (of
Medeski, Martin and Wood); Donald Harrison Jr.; Dr. Lonnie Smith,
Dr. John, Tab Benoit, Robert Walter; the New Orleans Klezmer
All-Stars and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band to name a few.
With a bachelor’s degree in music and business from Loyola
University, Moore stays involved in education by constantly giving
clinics and teaching master classes and private lessons all over the
world. He has been a contributing writer for Drum!, Modern Drummer,
and DownBeat magazines here he was featured on the covers of more
than six drum publications. In 2005, he launched a signature line of
cymbals with Bosphorus Cymbals and a signature drumstick with the
Vic Firth stick company. In 2009, Moore developed his own drum
company to introduce his signature titanium snare drum that he
designed in conjunction with Ronn Dunnett.
Deeply affected by Katrina and its aftermath, New Orleans’ native
son was quick to lend a hand by spearheaded the Tipitina’s Music
Workshop, free Sunday seminars that cater to children and a rotating
cast of well-known professionals to promote the preservation of New
Orleans music. He also set up the Staletta Fund, a scholarship
started by he and his wife Aletta to help cover costs for aspiring
students to attend jazz camps, auditions and further their
education.
Moore stays active as a spokesperson for the Gulf Restoration
Network and is a regular proponent of and player with the Voice of
the Wetlands All-Stars. Additionally he serves on the board of
directors for the Roots of Music, a free music education and
academic mentoring program founded by Derrick Tabb, drummer for
Rebirth Brass Band and recent nominee for CNN’s Heroes awards.
Galactic’s latest record Ya-ka-may was released in February, 2010,
and Moore steps into the role of producer on Anders Osborne’s next
record due out this Spring.
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