Mark Tritico – Capital Region Timekeepers – An Xperience Interview

Mark Tritico – Capital Region Timekeepers – An Xperience Interview – by OP Callaghan.

Recent “Listen Up Award” winner, the Donna Tritico Band, has been a fixture on the local scene for several years. Opening for such acts as Robin Trower, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and Blues Traveler, Donna and her band have a well-earned reputation as a super-tight, high-energy band that is full of surprises. Holding down the rhythm section is drummer Mark Tritico. Mark got into the drums at an early age, when his grandfather turned him on to Gene Krupa. Growing up in the great state of Delaware, Mark moved to Pennsylvania at 16, has worked as a hairstylist, and is now the man behind the Donna Tritico Band. So how about a warm welcome for Mark Tritico!

RRX: Thanks for agreeing to do the interview. How did you get started playing drums? Did you take lessons, and what was your first kit like?

MT: One day, when I was about 12 years old, MTV started. That sparked my interest in drums. I started out by trying to mimic what I saw. My parents were very supportive. I started taking private lessons. After a year or so, I got my first kit. It was very cheap and very old. I was very happy.

RRX: Do you come from a musical family?

MT: My maternal grandparents were musically inclined. My grandfather played sax. He had his own jazz combo during the swing era. And my grandmother played piano, albeit for her own amusement. My mother sang around the house a lot if that counts. Music was a total constant throughout my life.

RRX: Do you play any other instruments?

MT: I played violin in grade school for about two years. Despite my best efforts, my instructor suggested I stop.

RRX: When did drumming really take off for you?

MT: At 17, when I began gigging. My first decent kit was a Tama Imperialstar.

RRX: Tell me about your first gig.

MT: I really couldn’t tell you my first gig; that was so long ago. My first professional gig was with Jenny Lynn and the Combinations, a Country band I joined when I was 17. It was run by a woman who sang and played keyboards. I was with them for four years. We toured extensively, appearing at various VFWs and Moose Lodges in Central Pennsylvania. She really liked me as a drummer, despite the fact she always yelled at me for being too loud. I remember being ribbed by my peers for being in a country band, but for someone that age it was good money. I’ve never been an elitist when it comes to any musical genre.

RRX: Tell me about some of your other experiences.

MT: In my early twenties, I played up and down the East Coast in a few alternative bands. I was a member of the April Skies, a Hershey, PA-based original band.
We recorded six albums/EPs. One recording, the “Drive-In” EP, was produced by Mitch Easter, known for his work with REM. I also toured with a well-known ska band, Regatta 69.
Since moving to the Capital District, I’ve worked with several bands, as a member and a sub. I’ve done a lot of session work locally. About five years ago, my wife Donna and I put together the Donna Tritico Band. I think it’s really important to understand that there are lessons to be learned from every situation. I take note of how I could have handled things differently. So I feel that with DTB, I am applying that knowledge. Keeping a band going requires a lot of patience and compromise. I am always humbled by the fact that we have such amazing people on this journey with us.

RRX: Tell me a gig horror story.

MT: Here’s one. The band I was in at the time had just arrived in Pennsylvania after an 8-hour drive from South Carolina. We were traveling in a van that had no heat, during some seriously arctic weather conditions. I was very sick when we got to our show that evening. The next day, I went to the hospital and was diagnosed with pneumonia. There are many more that could qualify.

RRX: Yikes! That’s awful. How about a good gig story?

MT: There were a few great ones. When Donna and I were in Blue Hand Luke, we performed at Troy’s “Rockin’ on the River.” There were a few thousand people there, a beautiful night, and a very positive vibe. Joe Lowry played before us. I never would have thought we’d be in a band together.
As a member of various local bands, I’ve performed at Albany’s “Alive at Five” and the Egg’s Hart Theatre as part of the opening act for Robin Trower. We’ve opened for Blues Traveler, Burton Cummings ( The Guess Who), the Commodores, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd.

RRX: Nice! Where can we see you playing?

MT: Donna Tritico Band has enjoyed sharing the bill with some very talented touring tribute bands such as the Ultimate Doors and Philadelphia Freedom: A Tribute to Elton John. We will be opening for Philadelphia Freedom at Frog Alley on April 12th.
We are looking forward to performing at Ophelia’s on Broadway on May 18th. Please check our Facebook page for the current schedule.

RRX: What is your current setup? What do you like to play for drums?

MT: My Mapex Saturns are my favorites. I also use a Natal kit, because it’s got a stunning finish. If in a very tight space, I will bring my Gretsch bop kit. My cymbals are all Zildjian K series.

RRX: Excellent. Last question—put together your dream band.

MT: My dream band would be some sort of shoegaze-funk hybrid. Throw in some elements of hip-hop. If anyone’s interested, hit me up.
You heard him. Hit him up!

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