Pat Wright | SoultoneCymbals.com

Pat Wright

Pat Wright

After winning numerous awards and teaching on weekends during high school, Pat attended the University of Northern Iowa as percussion major. During this time, he worked with the Bruce Young Orchestra on the weekends, and continued to take on as many students as he could handle. Since then, Pat has performed alongside the Imperials, and has toured and recorded with the gospel group Alpha Omega and with vocal artist Sherman Andrus (Andrus Blackwood & Company). When he moved to California, he was introduced to the jazz community through a weekly improvisational jazz class at the local Jr. College. He soon joined the already-existing Polaris Jazz Quartet, after which he performed and recorded with the Latin/Jazz sextet Fusebox, which appeared at the Lunaria Jazz Bar in L.A. During this time he also performed numerous casuals with his own trio, and has shared the stage with Nick Martinis (Pete Jolly) and the legendary Netherlands drummer John Engels, whom he befriended while performing at the annual Ocho Rios Jazz Festival in Jamaica. In addition to holding the drumming chair for the AV Big Band, Pat plays regularly in his church orchestra, and remains available as a sideman for artists in the Wrightwood area as well as locally in Los Angeles County.

Pat has been heavily drawn to drummers who are noted for their musicianship, precision, and inimitable style: Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Joe Morello, Shelly Manne, Grady Tate, Tony Williams, Bobby Colomby, Ed Soph, Peter Erskine, Bill Stewart, Dave Weckl, Teri Lyne Carrington, Greg Hutchinson, and John Engels have been some of his most valued influences.

Commenting on his experience with Soultone cymbals, Pat says: “I have come a long way from the day when a cymbal was just a cymbal. I have now owned all the modern ‘boutique’ hand-hammered offerings. I am extremely picky about sound, and the character of my cymbals in particular. That ride cymbal embodies my soul as a jazz musician… It has to be right. So for the big band, I needed something very difficult to find: A ride with definition but not pingy, able to be 'excited' and worked-up to a shimmering frenzy, yet maintaining a warm bed of unobtrusive wash to blend with the music. I found it in the 21" Custom Brilliant. My large crash cymbal was another sonic challenge. I found what I was looking for among the 18" Gospel series crashes. Whatever sound you need, you will find it among the various Soultone lines. All the cymbals have their own character, yet none of them sound bad. It's a matter of choosing your 'best' among the best... So, be patient. Iki and Tomer have treated me extremely well, and have made the selection process as easy as it could possibly be."