Pete's Percussion Podcast - Pete Zambito

About Pete's Percussion Podcast - Pete Zambito

A place for long form talk with percussionists and other compelling people.

Publisher

Pete Zambito

Category

arts

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

27 Apr 2023

Latest episode

8 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

174 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   8 Oct 2026

   Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 515: Kat Otto-Gentry

   Episode 515 - Kat Otto-Gentry Pete's Percussion Podcast Paseo Academy of Fine and Performing Arts (in Kansas City) band director and Lincoln University (MO) alum Kat Otto-Gentry stops by to talk about her new job there and the changes from her previous post at FL Schlagle High School (03:55), growing up in Kansas City, her parents the radio DJs, drumming from a young age, playing cello and sousaphone, and meeting former LU band director Rhonda Harper (16:40), Kat interviews Pete about his years teaching at Lincoln (39:00), Kat discusses her own time as an undergrad at Lincoln (58:00), her post-Lincoln career beginning at Lee A. Tolbert in KC and her learning curve about the teaching profession (01:12:30), teaching at Schlagle, replacing a legend, her thoughts on attaining future degrees, and her decision to leave her alma mater (01:21:30), and finishes with the Random Ass Questions, including segments on her experiences in the band world as a woman, grilling food, the Kansas City Chiefs, great KC Ethiopian food restaurants, and the JS Bach Cello Suites (01:45:05). Finishing with a Rave on the recent Missouri Symphony Performance of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (02:15:40). Kat Otto-Gentry Links: Paseo Academy of Fine and Performing Arts Staff Page (https://hartman.kcpublicschools.org/o/paseo/staff?page_no=4) Previous Podcast Guests Mentioned: Charles Smotherson in 2017 (https://www.petezambito.com/petes-percussion-podcast-the-episodes/2017/1/15/petes-percussion-podcast-episode-22-charles-smotherson?rq=smotherson) Other Links: F.L. Schlagle High School (https://schlagle.kckschools.org/about/faculty-staff) Youth Jazz (https://youthjazz.us/2022-guests/) Lincoln University Music Department (https://www.lincolnu.edu/department-of-humanities-and-communications/music/index.html) Sunset Reggae with Sister G (https://spinitron.com/KKFI/show/132960/Sunset-Reggae) The Grand Emporium, Kansas City (https://digital.library.umkc.edu/node/3384) VH1 Save the Music Foundation (https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=4s&v=Up-t90ZbYvU) Verdine White (https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=RDRgzDQgJ4fnc&start_radio=1&v=RgzDQgJ4fnc) The Warm Demander (https://www.edutopia.org/blog/warm-demander-equity-approach-matt-alexander) Wicked trailer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6COmYeLsz4c) Team America: World Police trailer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMyJWuvW_9k) A Song For You: My Life with Whitney Houston - Robyn Crawford (https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/44674459-a-song-for-you) Black Garlic restaurant (https://blackgarlicrestaurant.com) Blue Nile Cafe (https://bluenilekc.com) Yo Yo Ma on Arthur (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs230iuIlpE) Yo Yo Ma playing JS Bach’s Cello Suite in G Major, Prelude (https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=RD1prweT95Mo0&start_radio=1&v=1prweT95Mo0) Raves: Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in concert (https://calendar.missouri.edu/concert-series/event/18623-star-wars-the-empire-strikes-back-in-concert)

2. 

   1 Oct 2026

   Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 514 - Steph Davis

   Episode 514 - Steph Davis Pete's Percussion Podcast Boston-based marimbist, educator, collaborator, composer, arranger, and Africana historian Steph Davis stops by to talk about with entrepreneurial and performance career, his teaching at Boston Conservatory, living and working in Boston, and playing gyil (03:35), growing up in Orlando (FL), getting into percussion, his years as a gymnast, and his love of reading (28:50), attending Boston Conservatory for his undergrad and masters, studying with Nancy Zeltsman, moving to a new city, and getting into the foodie culture (46:05), and settles in for the Random Ass Questions, including segments on making a career on marimba, maintaining physical and mental health, the Twilight movies, Toni Morrison, and Lauryn Hill (01:13:40). Finishes with a Rave on the 2026 film Is God Is (01:42:20). Steph Davis links: Steph Davis’ website (https://www.stephdavismusic.com) Steph Davis’ Boston Conservatory page (https://bostonconservatory.berklee.edu/faculty/steph-davis) Steph Davis’ Marimba One page (https://www.marimbaone.com/community/marimbaoneartists/steph-davis) Castle of Our Skins (https://www.modernconnectionscollective.com/partnerships/coos) “Of Thoughts and Thinking” - Tony Lymon (https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=RDbSRd_mJ4OXw&start_radio=1&v=bSRd_mJ4OXw) Previous Podcast Guests mentioned: Britton-René Collins in 2023 (https://www.petezambito.com/petes-percussion-podcast-the-episodes/2023/3/15/petes-percussion-podcast-episode-336-britton-ren-collins?rq=britton) Julie Spencer in 2021 (https://www.petezambito.com/petes-percussion-podcast-the-episodes/2021/8/3/petes-percussion-podcast-episode-253-julie-spencer-part-1) Other Links: Matt Sharrock (https://www.mattsharrock.com) Vicente Lusitano (https://www.earlymusicamerica.org/emag-feature/vicente-lusitano-a-legacy-recovered/) Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges (https://www.nypl.org/blog/2023/06/01/joseph-bologne-chevalier-de-saint-georges-first-known-composer-african-descent) Gabriela Lena Frank (https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/resources-for-educators/classroom-resources/media-and-interactives/artists/frank-gabriela-lena/) New Gallery Concert Series (https://newgalleryconcertseries.org) Valerie Naranjo (https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/people/valerie-naranjo) Nancy Zeltsman (https://nancyzeltsman.com) Harry Potter (https://www.harrypotter.com/discover/books) The Twilight Saga (https://stepheniemeyer.com/the-twilight-saga/) Ender’s Game - Orson Scott Card (https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/375802.Ender_s_Game) Sweet Song - Nancy Zeltsman (https://open.spotify.com/album/7cfYriunENvl1OPhMeFnrH?si=fr-q5bT0SFSKXgUU6mGyBg) “Variations on Lost Love” - David Maslanka (https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=RD5-ySK245JmA&start_radio=1&v=5-ySK245JmA) “Scenes from Mexico” - Alice Gomez (https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=RDrX0Yz4hnDAQ&start_radio=1&v=rX0Yz4hnDAQ) Samuel Solomon (https://www.bu.edu/cfa/about/contact-directions/directory/samuel-solomon/) Marti Epstein (https://college.berklee.edu/faculty/marti-epstein) John Murphree (https://bostonconservatory.berklee.edu/directory/john-murphree) Moonlight trailer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NJj12tJzqc) Twilight trailer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxjNDE2fMjI) Song of Solomon - Toni Morrison (https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/11334.Song_of_Solomon) The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill - Ms. Lauryn Hill (https://open.spotify.com/album/1BZoqf8Zje5nGdwZhOjAtD?si=2zDMVJvzSaOXUFnnQs1Suw) Nicki Minaj (https://open.spotify.com/artist/0hCNtLu0JehylgoiP8L4Gh?si=I2KkBZIRQFCtOxQS2pzmtw) Close Up - SBB & DBR (https://vimeo.com/1056478317) Zora Neale Hurston’s Anthropological Legacy (https://www.aaihs.org/zora-neale-hurstons-anthropological-legacy/) Raves: Is God Is trailer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgtdkuNFoKk)

3. 

   24 Sept 2026

   Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 513 - MacKenna Tolfa

   Episode 513 - Mackenna Tolfa Pete's Percussion Podcast Percussionist and Freelancer Mackenna Tolfa stops by to talk about her long run with the Blue Man Group, getting the job and the physical and acting demands of the role, the daily schedule, and cooking on tour (02:10), growing up in Green Bay (WI), surrounded by music at an early age, her extensive piano and percussion background, and her fondness for the composer Sergei Rachmaninov (30:50), her undergrad years at the University of Minnesota and studying with Fernando Meza (47:30), her post-undergrad years, the Blue Man Group auditions, the importance of social media for her success, and her Broadway gigs and the Dust Bowl Radio Hour (59:25), and finishes with the Random Ass Questions, including segments on mental health in school programs, social media, thrifting, traveling, great books and music, her love of sports, and the importance of the music of AURORA (01:14:00). Finishing with a Rave on the 2000 film Miss Congeniality (01:49:30). MacKenna Tolfa links: MacKenna Tolfa’s website (https://www.mackennatolfamusic.com) MacKenna Tolfa’s Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/mackennatolfa_?igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw%3D%3D&utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet) MacKenna Tolfa’s Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/mackenna.tolfa/) Previous Podcast Guests mentioned: Fernando Meza in 2020 (https://www.petezambito.com/petes-percussion-podcast-the-episodes/2020/7/15/petes-percussion-podcast-episode-198-fernando-meza-part-1?rq=Fernando%20meza) Britton-René Collins in 2023 (https://www.petezambito.com/petes-percussion-podcast-the-episodes/2023/3/15/petes-percussion-podcast-episode-336-britton-ren-collins?rq=britton) Eriko Daimo in 2025 (https://www.petezambito.com/petes-percussion-podcast-the-episodes/2025/1/28/petes-percussion-podcast-episode-430-eriko-daimo?rq=Eriko) Nicole Patrick in 2020 (https://www.petezambito.com/petes-percussion-podcast-the-episodes/2020/8/25/petes-percussion-podcast-episode-204-nicole-patrick?rq=nicole) Julie Spencer in 2021 (https://www.petezambito.com/petes-percussion-podcast-the-episodes/2021/8/3/petes-percussion-podcast-episode-253-julie-spencer-part-1) Other Links: Blue Man Group (https://www.blueman.com) Clayton Craddock (https://www.claytoncraddock.com) David Anania (https://www.drumtrainer.com/trainer/david-anania/?lang=en) Philip Mayer (https://www.philipmayer.net) Keiko Abe (https://pas.org/keiko-abe/) Kansas (https://open.spotify.com/artist/2hl0xAkS2AIRAu23TVMBG1?si=pidCS7GxSku-u1lx5fiGbw) Billy Joel (https://open.spotify.com/artist/6zFYqv1mOsgBRQbae3JJ9e?si=V1pLPIyGSpuNbP9l0yTXLQ) Rush (https://open.spotify.com/artist/2Hkut4rAAyrQxRdof7FVJq?si=IGR-IgQ6SIakCGnRa3bR4Q) Yes (https://open.spotify.com/artist/7AC976RDJzL2asmZuz7qil?si=HT-JOwG-QhOrczzoRwn05Q) Josh Groban (https://open.spotify.com/artist/6cXMpsP9x0SH4kFfMyVezF?si=slbDdIZ9Tcqpv3o-or1Bfw) “Prelude in G minor” - Sergei Rachmaninov (https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=RDGhBXx-2PadM&start_radio=1&v=GhBXx-2PadM) Piano Concerto No. 2 - Sergei Rachmaninov (https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=RDNsqXCO0ADwM&start_radio=1&v=NsqXCO0ADwM) Concerto in F - George Gershwin (https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=RDMDxKtkkbE7w&start_radio=1&v=MDxKtkkbE7w) Mean Girls (https://meangirlsmusical.com) The Lion King (https://lionking.com) Chris Cerreto (https://chriscerreto.com#home) Kasey Dillon (https://www.kaseydillon.com) Patrick Newton (https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Patrick-Newton/) Disclosure Day trailer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCYT8vb2siQ) The Odyssey trailer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eOxiiMS-Ec) Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - JK Rowling (https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/58613345-harry-potter-and-the-half-blood-prince) The Courage to be Disliked - Ichiro Kishimi (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43306206-the-courage-to-be-disliked?ref=nav_sb_ss_2_18) Alexander Scriabin (https://open.spotify.com/artist/6nZiWg5ZB511S24WmB7TCV?si=-5kICvYcSr2PXyCHK6aH5Q) Graystone Ale House (https://www.graystonealehouse.com) Erling Haaland (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EppU7FwAyEc) Jordan Love (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5fltgOij4w) AURORA (https://open.spotify.com/artist/1WgXqy2Dd70QQOU7Ay074N?si=crvvnlHOTgSOBibwMdQCJA) Raves: Miss Congeniality trailer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwrEnPYHsyQ)

Who has been a guest on Pete's Percussion Podcast - Pete Zambito

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Kristie Ibrahim
• Gina Ryan
• Victoria Sparks
• Lamon Lawhorn
• Drew Tucker

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

17 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

14 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 38 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

56

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

51

Contact Pete's Percussion Podcast - Pete Zambito

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about Pete's Percussion Podcast - Pete Zambito