Session Drummer Round Table

Kicking off our annual drum-focused issue, we brought together three world-class session drummers—Nick D’Virgilio, David Blascoe and Daru Jones—for a casual roundtable conversation about the art of recording drums. Each of these players represents a unique corner of the modern drumming landscape. Nick is known for his dynamic body of work with NDV, Spock’s Beard, Big Big Train, Tears for Fears, Genesis and countless studio projects. David is a Nashville-based drummer and producer, with a chart-topping history in CCM, now also working with a range of country and modern pop artists, including Laci Kaye Booth, Girl Named Tom, Holly Brand, Chris Cron, Building 429 and many others. Daru’s unique and creative flair has earned him two Grammy Awards and has graced recordings by Jack White, Th1rt3en, Pete Rock and many more, bridging gospel roots with forward-thinking groove design in the worlds of hip-hop, R&B and indie rock.

Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to see each of these incredible drummers perform live, and I’ve even had the opportunity to sit in on a number of studio sessions with both David and Nick. Watching them work up close has given me a deep appreciation for their skill, versatility and musical intuition. So it was a real pleasure to bring all three together for a conversation about the craft—sharing their thoughts on the art, technique and evolving landscape of modern session drumming.