Sam is a drummer, percussionist, and educator from Charlottesville, VA, where he played in local and regional bands in his teens and twenties. A graduate of the University of Virginia, Sam also holds a Ph.D. in music from the University of California, Santa Cruz. He has taught everything from private drum lessons for five-year-olds to lecture courses at public universities and community colleges. Sam is a lifelong learner and a passionate student of music from around the world. In addition to his extensive experience with funk, rock, jazz, breakbeat drumming, and other popular forms of American music, he plays the North Indian tabla and pakhawaj and has performed with professional percussion ensembles around the United States.