JRAD: THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE

DieZeL video and bio to be in Modern Drummer Magazine

My name is Jordan Cannata a.k.a. DieZeL.  I’m the drummer for the band J. Rad. I would like to start by saying that it is an honor to write a blog for Modern Drummer.  I’ve been playing drums since I was 8 years old in 1998.  I formed J. Rad with my brother Jared Cannata a.k.a. J. Rad in 2000.  We started off as a trio that did instrumental guitar based songs.  However, over the years we’ve been changing and growing.  The lineup has changed a lot over the years and so has our style.  We’ve morphed into a more modern rock band with a heavy yet melodic sound.

Playing with my band has truly been a blessing.  I knew from the moment I picked up a pair of sticks that I wanted to spend the rest of my life playing.  That’s why I am so excited about the bands future.  Our album Sons of Priapus is currently available on iTunes and Rhapsody.   We are also writing new material and are in pre-production for a new EP with producer David Ivory, who has worked with Halestorm, Silvertide, The Roots, Erika Baddu, and many others.  We’re putting a lot of work into it so it should be interesting.  While trying to maintain our signature hard rock sound, we are still looking to be diverse.  We write some songs that are just all out heavy rock and others that are softer and a little more commercial.

We have had the pleasure of sharing the stage with many amazing bands over the years such as Living Colour, Yngwie Malmsteen, Rick Derringer, Vince Neil, The Trews, Twisted Sister, Mountain, Joe Lynn Turner, Asia, Blue Oyster Cult, and many others.  The experience of playing along side all of these amazing musicians has truly benefited us as a band and as musicians.  I’ve learned a lot from all of these groups by spending time with them and studying their approach to playing as well.  Its been an amazing feeling to share ideas and with legendary drummers live Will Calhoun, Bobby Rondinelli, Corky Lang, Chris Slade, A.J. Pero and the many others.

            I am currently listed as a student at Berklee College of Music, however I took a leave of absence to pursue a career with my band.  I learned a lot in my time spent there.  I was fortunate enough to study under some amazing drummers such as Rod Morgenstein, Alberto Netto, and Mark Walker.  I hope to go back one day because there is always more to learn and I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today without all of the mentoring that I have had.

            These days I focus on drumming based on songs.  I don’t try to play the craziest and most complicated thing I can all the time.  I like to let the songs breathe and let the other instruments be heard.  I try to make my drum parts as interesting as possible without making them too busy.  David Ivory once said to my band, “You are a four piece band, but you have to add in the fifth member……the song.”  That might have been the best advice I’ve ever been given because I now know that you always need to write your parts based on the song and not the other way around.

            We will continue writing and recording over the next few months and will be posting information on shows and music on our website and myspace.  Check us out at www.jradrocks.com and www.myspace.com/jradlive.  Thanks to Modern Drummer for letting me shed some light about myself and my band J. Rad, and thanks to all of the Modern Drummer fans for reading.