Meet Ric Roccapriore | Drummer, Artist & Educator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ric Roccapriore and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ric, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
Good question! For me, its mostly been about taking risks. In high school I was into rock and some pop but I had to learn jazz if I wanted to play in the school band and meet other musicians. This was a good thing because it started me on my journey to be more open minded towards learning other styles of music.

I went to the University of Bridgeport, CT but realized that there wasn’t a lot of competition so I decided to try the Drummer’s Collective in New York City. I eventually finished my college career at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA.

In college I joined big bands, small jazz ensembles and a reggae band even though I knew nothing about the style. I quickly fell in love with Reggae music, the rhythms & grooves and it changed my playing forever.
From there I took one of the biggest risks of my life and moved to Los Angeles, CA. One of the best decisions I ever made in my life! I was very focused on taking my career to the next level and that’s exactly what I did. Touring the world and working with artist such as Berlin, Sophie B. Hawkins, Edgar Winter & Englebert Humperdinck. Last year I released my first album, “Resume'” under the band name Catfish Critters. I produced the album and set up the online distribution and website with a store (https://catfishcritters.com) that sells Vinyl’s, CD’s, Downloads and T-Shirts. It even has a tip jar because it takes a lot of money to make an album the right way and every little bit helps. I’m hoping to start my second album this year. I learned a ton about releasing an album using crowd funding and offering different packages. This was an extremely scary process to do on your own but I am so happy I did it and proud of the end result.

I really feel that with risk comes reward and it may not seem like it at the time, but with the help of my wife, I’ve learned how to focus on the positive lesson that came from taking that risk.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am mostly hired as a touring drummer. I love traveling and learning new cultures but I also love recording in my studio (Dexter Studios LA) for clients and learning new things especially if they will give me an edge in my industry. During the pandemic I learned how to use a green screen and Final Cut Pro to create cool videos. Things that I do that not all drummers can do is sing. It was and still can be a challenge but the more you do something the easier it becomes. I also learned how to run backing tracks using different DAW’s (digital work stations). Some bands use Ableton Live, Pro Tools, Logic Pro and Digital Performer. This is a lot and can be very challenging at times and most drummers do not want to take on this responsibility. You are basically the music director and the show depends on you! This is a second job and you should be compensated for that. Playback engineers make good money and rightfully so. These skills can be very beneficial for bands that want to put on a high quality show with videos, lights and sound. It was a bit stressful when I first started doing this and I keep learning better ways of doing things. I feel confident that I can learn any system.

The best advice I can give is to stay open minded and try to challenge yourself. It can only help you in the future. Also, be kind to yourself. Musicians/Artists can be very critical and we have to give ourselves a break. This is a very tough career and we need to find ways to remain positive and creative. There is also no greater privilege than to give back to a younger musician by mentoring them. Contact me at ricrocc.com if you have any questions.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Hmm… That’s a tough one. I like new adventures so I’m always researching different things to do where ever I am. If I was to focus mostly on just the Los Angeles area I would say we would start off the morning having a home cooked breakfast and some delicious coffee at my house in Highland Park. We have a great deck overlooking mountains and it is very peaceful. There is also some great coffee shops in walking distance for when you just need a change. Then probably an epic hike maybe to Switzer Falls or Eaton Canyon since Chantry Flats has been closed do to a fire. Jump in the water, picnic and head back. I also have some great neighborhood hikes with great views of downtown Los Angeles. For tourist things I would take them to see the Hollywood Sign, La Brea Tar Pits, Walk of Fame, and The Getty Center (which I still haven’t been to). Do a drive through of Beverly Hills to see the sign and Rodeo Drive area but not my scene.
I liked Venice Beach and Santa Monica back in the day but it’s been pretty bad for a while so I would venture farther south to Hermosa and Manhattan Beach. Depending on the time of year, a Kings or Dodgers game would be great. I still haven’t seen a football game at SoFi yet! Wink, Wink…
Catch a concert at the Hollywood Bowl and Greek Theatre. I would look for some under ground clubs that have local bands and/or cool vibes. Live band karaoke is always a blast at Break Room 86 (Speak Easy) with Casual Encounters. My wife and I do a lot of kitchen karaoke and some how our neighbors seem to love it as well.
I’ve always wanted to do the drive up the coast. I’ve been to Yosemite, Bryce Canyon and camped in The Red Woods but never did the full coastal drive. I’ve also been meaning to do the Venice Canals on a gondola and the bike path along the beach which is always a blast and many places to stop and grab a drink and bite to eat. Finally, some good comedy because we all need it!!!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My wife, Jeanne has been an integral part of my success. She is what we call “East Coast” and tells it how it is. She keeps me humble and is someone I can trust to share my thoughts and ideas with. I’d also like to say that I am blessed with an amazing family on both sides as well as some of the best friends you could ever ask for. Some go back as far as elementary school! I’d like to thank them all for supporting me all these years.

I did a show with Berlin a few months ago at Foxwoods Casino in CT and I ended up having about 150 people attend with the help of my family and friends. It was an unbelievable feeling and I am so grateful. My sister Lisa set up a private room to do a meet and greet as well as to sell my Catfish Critter album and merchandise (https://catfishcritters.com). I’ve included the after show picture of some of my friends and family that were allowed to stay in the venue afterwards. Berlin has been so supportive of me and I am so thankful to the entire camp. There is a joke going on that I have relatives in every place we play! I guess we have to stop breeding!

I’d also like to give a very special shoutout to Jimmy Paxon, Matt Rohde, Alex Navarro, Andrew Doolittle, Scott Felton and Steve Corriea. They believed in me and I definitely would not be where I am with out them.

Website: https://ricrocc.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ricrocca?igsh=NGVhN2U2NjQ0Yg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ric-roccapriore-777389a/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ric.rocc?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ricrocc

Other: https://catfishcritters.com

Image Credits
Mark Mackay Inc, Erica Vincent, Richard Hawkins