Ron Thaler

Recognized for his "exhaustively innovative polyrhythmic drumming" (JazzTimes, USA), for performances that leave "a lasting impression of his talent and his particular approach to music" (Drums Etc, Canada.), and for a "virtuosity that touches great depth, eliciting that special emotion from his listeners well beyond the mere consideration of his technical wizardry" (Batteur Magazine, France), Ron Thaler continues to make his mark on the audiences of the world.

While in Vancouver Canada, Ron was a first call session and touring drummer, working with recording artists such as Sarah McLachlan, Moev, Ultramarine, Tom Arntzen, Ian McDougall, Monique Van Dam, Mark Hasselbach and Daryl Jahnke.

Ron moved to New York in 1991 and quickly became immersed in the city's hectic music scene. Performing on jingles for McDonalds, Coca Cola and The Cartoon Network, Ron began working in African and Soukous circles with recording artists Alain "Nkossi" Konda and Dominic Kanza (guitarist with Paul Simon), in Eddy Zak's psycho-fusion ensemble Swivelhead, and in flamenco-jazz project "Conosur" which featured guests percussionist Manolo Badrena (Weather Report) and guitar legend Al DiMeola . Ron took on the chores of bandleader when he formed the True Story Band (TSB) in 1994, and toured with the group throughout Europe, Canada, and the USA. Ron's compositional abilities are showcased on the band's two releases, "...Works" (TP Records) and "Grain" (EFA/JVC), which feature powerful performances by Hiram Bullock, Ray Anderson, Rufus Reid, Rick Margitza, Oskar Cartaya, and Mike Stern.

Ron has also become a very in-demand drum clinician. He has performed a dizzying number of clinics and workshops throughout Europe, North America, and South America for SabianCymbals, Pearl Drums, Vic Firth Drumsticks and Evans Drumheads. He has shared stages with the likes of Dennis Chambers, Steve Smith, Virgil Donati, Giovanni Hidalgo, Johnny Rabb, Mike Portnoy, Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez, Anton Fig, Ignacio Berroa, Jojo Mayer, and many others while performing at Drummer's Collective New York City, The Montreal DrumFest, NAMM International Music Fair, KOSA Drum Festival, Vancouver's "Music West" International Music Fair , and at the Paris "Zebrock" Music Festival.. Ron's unique approach to drumming is showcased in an instructional drumming video entitled "Phraseology and Individuality on the Drumset", released in Europe on the Editions-Connections label.

Always active in the studios, Ron has worked on recording projects with Lizzy Mercier Descloux (Polydor), Mercedes Ferrer (WEA), Taylor Dayne (Arista), Jonathan Robbins (Arista - "You Got Me" also features drummers Jeff Porcaro and John Robinson), Andreas Schuld (Brouhaha), John Tennyson (Catalina), Bill Tonsaker (Brouhaha), Joie Lenz (RCA), and has recently been featured on an album entitled "Guitar Talk Part 1" alongside Frank Gambale, Chuck Loeb, Mark Egan, Jimmy Earl and Jon Hammond on the EFA/JVC/Hotwire label.

You can also hear Ron on his most ambitious project to date, "Uncovered : Exploring the Music of Led Zeppelin", fueled by producer Michael Landolt (Goo Goo Dolls, Sheryl Crow, Shania Twain).. Ron re-arranged and re-orchestrated 9 of Led Zeppelin's most popular songs including The Ocean, Friends, Kashmir, Whole Lotta Love and Heartbreaker. The album is propelled by the core members of Ron's True Story Band, and incorporates creative instrumentation such as sitar, Bengali flute, Venezuelan cuatro, electric cello, a horn section, tabla, and DJ scratching. "Uncovered : Exploring the Music of Led Zeppelin" features guitarists Dweezil Zappa and Mike Stern, new wave violinist Miri Ben Ari, harmonica ace Hendrick Meurkens, the infamous trombonist Dave Panichi, psychedelic cellist and techno pioneer Adam Peters, and a pan-national orchestra comprising some 25 musicians from all four corners of the globe.

For more, you can see Ron in Modern Drummer Magazine, JazzTimes, Jazziz, Talking Drums, L'Est Republicain, Toronto Star, Montreal Gazette, GoodTimes, New York Times, CBC TV, MTV, MuchMusic, Brave New Waves and Pulse Magazine, and in interviews in Canadian Musician Magazine ('96), Drums etc. ('97), and in France's Batteur Magazine ('95 & '98), or at www.ronthaler.com