Troy Valente (Va-len-tee) was born and raised in Northern California and has been living in Northern Colorado since July of 2001. Even though his interest in the drums started at a very young age, his mom insisted on piano lessons prior to letting him play drums. This was something he was restless with at the time, but later came to appreciate. Troy’s musical career began with basic singing and acting through his school and church at the age of 4 as well as taking piano lessons throughout half of grade school. Music, especially music influenced by jazz, is constantly changing throughout the song. The drummer should change as well, whether it is through pocket development, fills, texture, etc. Having a melodic and musical theory background prior to moving to the drums has been instrumental in how Troy approaches the drumset and how he anticipates and adapts to the musical discourse of a song.
After gaining a general understanding of music in grade school, Troy started percussion in 7th grade and drumset in 8th grade. He was heavily involved with jazz in both junior high school and high school, both programs competing regionally. He also maintained his piano throughout high school, even dabbling in some pop composition. In high school Troy studied with John Mehler, who studied with Freddie Gruber (a close associate of Buddy Rich). Troy’s stent with John Mehler revolutionized both his technical and mental approach to the drumset. Troy won the Louis Armstrong National Jazz award for his local area as a senior in high school . He then went on to play and study jazz and pit orchestra at Pepperdine University on a small music scholarship, where he met his wife (Barb), also on scholarship. They toured nationally together with a blues/funk band out of LA prior to coming to Colorado.
Troy continues to push his level of playing and has recently begun dabbling with bass guitar. He is an incessant student of the drumset, spending hours a week practicing, and is a stickler on technique. Troy recently studied for a year with local Colorado legend Gary Lefrancois, owner of Denver’s Metro Drum School and another student of Freddie Gruber’s, to further develop his Moeller technique that John Mehler had introduced him to years earlier. Troy’s life is music, and he is very insistent on pushing the musicians he plays with to new levels of musicianship and encourages them to “be in the moment”. Troy believes that bringing yesterday’s baggage into today’s moment can ruin it without proper balance and perspective. Let the music be fresh every time you play and fully commit your body, mind and soul to your art.
Troy's current gigging/recording projects are M Squared, The Jeff Brinkman Band, The Austin Wahlert Band, Kidron's Crossing, and Chris Liepe with Backhead Studios.
After gaining a general understanding of music in grade school, Troy started percussion in 7th grade and drumset in 8th grade. He was heavily involved with jazz in both junior high school and high school, both programs competing regionally. He also maintained his piano throughout high school, even dabbling in some pop composition. In high school Troy studied with John Mehler, who studied with Freddie Gruber (a close associate of Buddy Rich). Troy’s stent with John Mehler revolutionized both his technical and mental approach to the drumset. Troy won the Louis Armstrong National Jazz award for his local area as a senior in high school . He then went on to play and study jazz and pit orchestra at Pepperdine University on a small music scholarship, where he met his wife (Barb), also on scholarship. They toured nationally together with a blues/funk band out of LA prior to coming to Colorado.
Troy continues to push his level of playing and has recently begun dabbling with bass guitar. He is an incessant student of the drumset, spending hours a week practicing, and is a stickler on technique. Troy recently studied for a year with local Colorado legend Gary Lefrancois, owner of Denver’s Metro Drum School and another student of Freddie Gruber’s, to further develop his Moeller technique that John Mehler had introduced him to years earlier. Troy’s life is music, and he is very insistent on pushing the musicians he plays with to new levels of musicianship and encourages them to “be in the moment”. Troy believes that bringing yesterday’s baggage into today’s moment can ruin it without proper balance and perspective. Let the music be fresh every time you play and fully commit your body, mind and soul to your art.
Troy's current gigging/recording projects are M Squared, The Jeff Brinkman Band, The Austin Wahlert Band, Kidron's Crossing, and Chris Liepe with Backhead Studios.