“Most of the top artists that are out there started as sidemen.  That’s where you start, and then it evolves into something else.  If you treat that correctly, you build yourself a great fan base.  That’s important for your artistry.  After that, you have to take care of it.  I believe that [if] you present yourself and what God has given you, there’s an audience for it.  Whoever that audience is will appreciate it for what it is.”

Smoothviews enjoys bringing our readers the On the Side feature each month.   As we attend concerts and festivals across the country, we continue to be pleasantly surprised by the many talented players who share the stage with the headliner artist.  One such player who landed on our radar is drummer Eric Valentine.

Eric is a man of many talents.  Like other musicians, he began playing at an early age, around five or so.  “I started when I was very young, but the thing was, I didn’t really stick with it because I didn’t have the tools available to me to really work at it.”  He began on drums and migrated to the bass.  “I played more bass.  We had a family gospel group.  My Dad played guitar.  He still plays guitar.  There was a bass lying around the house and he needed me to play bass in the family group.  I come from a very musical family, very gifted and talented.  There was definitely a lot of talent in the house.  When we’d get together, everyone would know what their harmony would be.” 

To teach himself how to play instruments, Eric would sit in the basement listening to the radio.  “I just started learning patterns and learning what my notes were.  That’s how I got started.”  Eric returned to the drums late in his high school years and on into college, where he majored in psychology.  He tried out for the marching band with the hope of getting a scholarship.  One of his band directors saw a potential in him and urged him to learn the material.  “I can remember countless hours of practicing, trying to get it together. (Laugh) But that’s where things started really being detailed, as far as my drumming.  In my early 20’s, that’s when I got serious.”
In addition to the drums and bass, Eric also plays a little keyboards and a little guitar.  This is one of the reasons why Eric is such an in demand player.  He played with Nick Colionne (playing bass on a couple of tracks on Nick’s first album, and played bass on some of Marcus Johnson’s tracks, and, played bass with some other musicians as well.  I became aware of Eric when he played with Jonathan Butler.  Eric’s list of credentials is impressive: Kirk Whalum, Mindi Abair, Rick Braun, Richard Elliott, Chris Botti, Peter White, Brian Simpson, and Wayman Tisdale, just to name a few.  “Wayman was really important to who I am as a musician.  I can remember practicing along with Wayman Tisdale records back in the day, playing along with my bass and working on my drumming.  So, I have much respect for Wayman.  It was incredible, first, working on my craft through Wayman, and then working with him and getting to know him more than just Wayman the employer.  I have a song that’s on my new record that’s going to be dedicated to him and his family.”

In addition to being multi-instrumental, Eric writes, and does programming and producing for other artists as well.  Again, this is another reason why his dance card is always filled.

Eric’s musical career began in Washington, DC, where he was influenced by, and played with, a lot of the local musicians.  His major influences began at home, beginning with his father.  His father would show him things and explain to him the importance of listening.  Another influence was Alvin White, a guitarist from the Washington, DC area that Eric grew up in and spent most of his life.   As for drummers, there is Billy Cobham, Dennis Chambers, Dave Weckl, and Lil John Roberts.  “I listen to him a lot and a lot of guys in DC, but also bassists because I didn’t have drums in the early days.  I don’t discriminate against anybody.  If anybody’s doing it, I definitely want to check it out.  There’s always something you can take from that and make it your own.”  He spent his formative years in DC, learning his craft and making a living.  It was only four years ago that Eric decided to make the move to LA.  “Certain opportunities I felt were unavailable to me in DC.  Because I play more than drums, I write, I produce, and I play other instruments, I needed to be where I felt the maximum amount of opportunities were available to me.  I wanted to make myself available to more of the artists living the west coast.” And it’s been nonstop ever since.  Eric has been known to work with multiple artists at the same time.  One wonders how he manages to keep things straight.  “You just have to. (Laugh)  I remember one day at the Long Beach Jazz Festival, I was playing with two artists in one day.  I stayed over that night and played with two or three artists the next day.”  Being an in demand musician seems to be a lot like being a juggler.  People keep throwing balls at you, and you keep catching them and juggling them without dropping any of them.  That is what he and his fellow side musicians do every time; they do not drop the ball.  “You definitely have to be focused, and not be lazy.  It’s exciting.  You get challenges all the time.”

Although Eric remains busy being a working musician, he also finds time to write and produce his own projects, as well as those of other musicians.  “I just finished up a couple of projects with Art Sherrod, and a couple of others.  I’ve just been working pretty hard in the studio with that.”

True to form for this multi-tasker, Eric has not one, but two of his own releases in production.   His first release, Eric Valentine’s Jazz Impressions was released in 2003.  His second release, one of the two currently in production, began as a five song download and has grown into a full blown 11 track release.  “This record is going to be just really good music, nice melodies, and nice chords, not too musically intrusive.  I have my friends on this record; the guys that you see being sidemen for other artists.  Some of them are doing leads.  I want people to see these guys not only as sidemen, but as legitimate artists as well.”  The other record in production will be more intense.  He is hoping to get them both out by winter.

When not making music, Eric enjoys going to the movies, eating sushi, working out, and cooking.  “I love to cook.  It’s a passion for me.  I believe that if I didn’t pursue music, I’d have done that.”  With his hectic schedule, free time doesn’t come easily, so Eric often has to make the time to pursue his other interests.

At the time of this interview, Eric was again juggling.  He was making preparations to go on an intense month long European tour with Steve Lukather, while also preparing for a gig that evening.  When he returns from Europe, he’s got some dates with Peter White, Chris Standring, and some others.  And, he will continue to work on his releases, as well as those of other artists.  Look for Eric offstage, producing and writing, or onstage at one of your favorite jazz festivals.  There’s a good chance he’ll be a part of somebody’s tour.