Arthur Hnatek on Creating Drums for Tigran, Creative "Family Trees"

Whether or not you’ve heard the name Arthur Hnatek, you’ve probably heard the drummer.

If you love Tigran Hamasyan, by definition you love Arthur Hnatek.

Since the Mockroot album, Arthur has been creating unique drum parts for Tigran, and weaving himself deeply into the fabric of the band, and the albums.

As my interests currently sit at the intersection of jazz and prog rock, I was extremely interested in who Arthur’s influences were, and how he’s developed his voice.

We start out having the usual conversation about developing a music voice, but quickly segue into “musical family trees” - i.e. is Keith Carlock the “grandfather”, and Mark G and Nate wood the “fathers” - something I’m gratified that Arthur likewise found fun.

Maybe most fascinating, Arthur didn’t ever consciously play prog rock, but rather absorbed it via osmisis.

Insights like, and something surprising about Tigran’s input into drum parts, abound in this interview. Know you’ll enjoy.