After Peter Erskine joined Tama just before NAMM 2015, now Snarky Puppy rhythm masters Robert "Sput" Searight and Nate Werth have changed to the Japanese brand, as announced at the Musik Messe 2015. While writing this, Sput's new drum kit is on display at the Messe in Frankfurt. His Star Walnut has the Mint Green Mist finish with chrome shells. All the toms are 6ply/5mm and the bass drum and snare drum are 7ply, 6mm. Nate and Robert on a drum and percussion record called 'Ghost-Note'. The debut cd/dvd set will be released in the summer of 2015 and features this duo's rhythmical connection crafted over the past eight years. Here's the complete Tama setup of Robert Searight's Tama Star Walnut.
Tama Star Walnut
14x20" bass drum
8x12" Tom tom
14x16" Floor tom
5.5x14" Snare drum
9x14" Snare drum
5.5x10" Snare drum
The hardware
Iron Cobra Power Glide single pedal
Iron Cobra Lever Glide Hi-Hat stand
Star Hardware Combination stand
Star Hardware Snare drum stand
Star Hardware Boom cymbal stand
Watch both Robert Searight and Nate Werth perform live with Snarky Puppy at Java Jazz Festival 2014 below.
Snarky Puppy Live at Java Jazz Festival 2014
Robert "Sput" Searight Grammy Award Winner Robert "Sput" Searight is a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing & Visual Arts in Dallas, Texas, USA. He has worked in the music business professionally for well over 15 years with some of the best artists in the industry. Artists such as Celine Dion, Bob Carlisle , Kirk Franklin, Snoop Dogg, Erykah Badu, Justin Timberlake, Jo Jo, Diddy Dirty Money, Snarky Puppy, Dogg Pound Gangsters, Charlie Wilson, Teddy Riley(GUY), Jodeci, Jhene Aiko, Timbaland, Marcus Miller, and he currently serves as principal drummer and producer for the Grammy Award winning jazz fusion band, Snarky Puppy. He has acquired many on his journey, such as a Grammy, Soul Train Award, NAACP Image Award and the Dove Award, to name a few. Not only is he a traveling musician, but he’s a world renown clinician, gladly sharing his gift and approach to music with the students he encounters.
Nate Werth Grammy-award winning musician, Nate Werth, is one of today's most innovative and versatile percussionists. Hailing from Dyer, Indiana, his approach to diverse musical styles, as well as an inventive use of traditional and non-traditional percussion, defines his unique sound. Nate's musical career began at age 8 while taking orchestral percussion lessons. Soon after, he developed a love for all worlds of percussion. After years of practice, Nate decided to pursue a career in music. He subsequently attended the prestigious University of North Texas from 2001 to 2006, where he refined his technical skills and studied with legendary musicians and educators, including Poovalur Sriji, Jose Aponte, Gideon Alorwoyie, Paul Rennick, Christopher Deane, and Mark Ford.
After his formal studies, Nate quickly became a staple in the Dallas-Fort Worth R&B and Gospel music scene. Over the next 11 years, he formed intimate musical relationships with Grammy Award Winners Robert "Sput" Searight, Shaun Martin, and Bernard Wright. In 2013, Nate moved to New York City to further immerse himself in a wide array of musical cultures.
A Meinl Percussion, Meinl Cymbals, Tama Drums, and Vic Firth endorser, Nate has been actively recording and touring world wide for the past decade. He has worked with internationally acclaimed artists such as Snarky Puppy, Screaming Headless Torsos, David Crosby, Q-Tip, Lalah Hathaway, Susana Baca, The Lee Boys, Turkuaz, Myron Butler and Levi, Jamison Ross, and The Metropole Orchestra.
