Stanton Moore

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 next record Ya-ka-may will be released February, 2010, and Moore steps into
the role of producer on Anders Osborne’s next record due out next Spring.
www.stantonmoore.com
www.myspace.com/stantonmoore