He can switch personalities almost on cue to create a new sound and feel behind a drum kit. That’s because, since 2008, he’s played in 65 different bands and ensembles. “All I wanted to do was play drums in a band,” he says.
"Sorensen studied drum performance at the Berklee College of Music and in Boston. ... Carl studied directly with Paul Simon's percussionist Jamey Haddad. ... (Carl has) played here the most of any musician since (our program) launched in 2011."
We caught up with Carl Sorensen, one of Denver's busiest drummers, and asked him how his past few months of drumming have been during the pandemic and transitioning into 2021.
As a professional drummer, I found myself craving the crazy, hectic chaos that surrounds running from one gig to the next. It’s a fun life, but COVID gave me the time I needed to slow down, recenter, and focus my time and energy on furthering my career in ways that don’t burn me out. …
I taught group percussion classes in Boulder. I’m also writing a curriculum to present to other schools/groups/communities that could benefit from such a program (when that time comes). … One of the best pieces of professional advice I received was: “you make work for yourself.”
As an artist, the work never stops, even when the gigs dry up. But don’t worry, they’ll be back.
