HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (July 26, 2006) – Yamaha Drums is please to announce that
Mike Shapiro has joined its artist roster. The drummer for Latin superstar Sergio Mendes plays Yamaha Absolute Birch Nouveau Drums.
"We are very excited that Mike has joined the Yamaha Drums family. He has an amazing ability to re-invent himself and work in every genre of music from Brazilian to jazz to pop," comments Joe Testa, international artist relations manager for
Yamaha Drums.
A self-taught musician who considers himself a "student of the streets," Shapiro got his professional start with Airto and Flora Purim and has played and recorded with some of Brazil's most important musicians including Mendes, Dori Caymmi, Milton Nascimento, Caetano Veloso, Ivan Lins, Toninho Horta, Nana Caymmi and Eliane Elias.
Shapiro's long musical friendship and collaboration with Mendes began in 1988 and continues today. He is Mendes' current musical director and worked on Mendes' latest CD,
Timeless, produced by and featuring the Black Eyed Peas' Will.i.am. Other special guests on the album include Stevie Wonder,
John Legend, Justin Timberlake, India.Arie and Erykah Badu, just to name a few.
Shapiro has produced a total of 10 records for his wife, singer/recording artist Kevyn Lettau. He has also worked with singer Al Jarreau, guitarist Andy Summers of The Police, Bobby Caldwell and his big band, Earth, Wind and Fire guitarist Al McKay, Macy Gray, Justin Timberlake and Jessica Simpson.
In addition to recording and touring, Mike is the Dean of Students at the Los Angeles Music Academy. When he is not on the road or in the studio, he can be found there teaching a variety of courses covering the history of funk drumming and Brazilian drumming.
Shapiro's Yamaha drum kit includes:
Acoustic Drums:
Absolute Birch Nouveau
BBD-1522T 22"x18" bass drum
BTT-1512J 12"x8" tom
BFT-1514 14"x14" floor tom
BFT-1516 16"x16" floor tom
SD-455APL 14"x5.5" Paul Leim Sig. snare drum
Hardware:
CL-945L tom mount
HS-740 hi hat stand
SS-74- snare stand
(4) CS-745 cymbal boom stands
FP-9310 foot pedal
DS-840 drum throne
