Joe Abbatantuono began studying drums and percussion at the age of ten. He took private lessons under the education of local drummer, Lou Varuzzo, in 1988. Throughout high school, Joe was involved in all music activities, including Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, Jazz Band, Marching Band, and Chorus. He attended the NYSSMA Solo Festival five years in a row, scoring in the top percentile every time. In the summer of 1992, Joe attended the New York State Summer School of the Arts’ School of Orchestral Studies and studied with the percussionists of the Philadelphia Orchestra. The following year, he attended NYSSSA’s School of Jazz Studies, and studied with the likes of Ed Shaughnessy, Frank Mantooth and Milt Hinton. It was during this experience that Joe realized that the musician’s life was truly for him. After graduating high school, Joe attended The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam and studied jazz and classical music, while attaining a B.M. in Music Education. In May of 2000, he attended and completed a Master of Arts program at New York University in the performance (Jazz Studies) program. Joe has studied with musicians of many genres, including jazz greats John Riley, Adam Nussbaum, Billy Hart, Joe Morello, Tony Moreno, Pete Magadini, Ed Shaughnessy, and percussionists James Petercsak, Michael Bookspan (Philadelphia Orchestra), Paul Hostetter (Julliard School), and Rick Barbour (Metropolitan Opera). Joe’s performing career has certainly not been limited to jazz. He’s played pop (most notably in a regular stint as drummer for Jessica Simpson); rock and roll (in a number of New York groups including his own band, sonaBLAST! recording artists Collider); avant-garde (in Thelonious Monk tribute band Brilliant Coroners); folk; latin; bluegrass; R & B; and hip-hop. This path has led Joe to work with such legendary figures as Mike Richmond, Tommy and CJ Ramone and Ted Nash, major-label artists like Maverick’s Deuce Project, and as a studio drummer on numerous other projects. One of his most recent projects has been the critically-acclaimed Bjorkestra, which performs big-band arrangements of Bjork's music. Joe Abbatantuono also has over ten years of teaching experience, giving private lessons, as well as clinics and master classes, across much of New York State. He was a counselor at the 1999 KOSA Percussion workshop. Joseph is currently employed by the Paul Effman Music Service, which provides band programs in Catholic and Private schools across the country. He has served as adjunct faculty at The Crane School of Music as well as NYU, and continues to maintain a regular teaching schedule, not to mention his very busy performing career.