079 – Marcus Finnie: Drumming with Grammy Award Winning Kirk Whalum, Growing up Performing in the Church, Healthy Road Life

A Memphis native, Marcus Finnie has toured and recorded several years with Grammy winner Kirk Whalum. He has also toured the world with Grammy winning artists such as Donna Summer, Larry Carlton, Earl Klugh, Lady Antebellum, Billy Preston, and BWB.

Marcus is featured on KirkWhalum’s fourth volume of The Gospel According to Jazz. This project also features Rick Braun, Norman Brown, Sheléa and several other artists. Marcus also performed with Sinbad, Keiko Matsui, Marc Antoine, Chuck Wicks, Gerald Veasely Christopher Cross.

While living in Nashville, Marcus has toured and performed with Keb Mo, India Arie, Tamir Hendleman, Monte Montgomery, Larry Goldings, Lalah Hathaway, Aaron Neville, CeCe Winans and several others.

Over the years he’s worked with Grammy winning producers Keb Mo, Shannon Sanders, Andrew Ramsey, Cedric and Victor Caldwell, Kelvin Wooten, John Stoddart, Robben Ford, Rodney Crowell, Darrel Brown, Tommy Simms, Ed Cash, and Desmond Child.

Marcus teaches at The Nashville Jazz Workshop and fronts his own band – The Marcus Finnie Band.

Marcus endorses: Sakae Drums, Vic Firth Sticks, Zildjian Cymbals, Meinl Percussion & Evans Drum Heads

This episode is sponsored by Sakae Drums

In this podcast, Marcus talks about:

Changing his set-up to accommodate the song/vibe in the studio

Working with studio engineers

Marcus’s early influences

Working with Grammy award winning Kirk Whalum

Click or no click in the studio

Nashville Jazz Workshop

The Marcus Finnie Group

The future of jazz in Nashville

Healthy road life