Gabriel Delmas
Renarde
At 2 years old, Gabriel was already creating rhythm on his grandmother's pots and pans. He started taking drum lessons at the age of 4 and played in rock'n'roll bands. A few years later, he continued his learning at the Dante Agostini School in Toulouse, France, and launched his professional career. As a versatile musician, Gabriel is home in many styles, performing shows with Jazz, Funk, Blues, and Pop bands. In addition, to express his musical sensitivity, he created his own band, "Makafunk" in 2017 with singer Romain Mckenzie (who appeared in the TV show "The Voice" France). With Makafunk, Gabriel played at "Jazz in Marciac", one of the greatest French jazz festivals. More recently, Gabriel launched his own project called "Gabriel Delmas Trio" with his friends Florent Hortal (Guitar) and Nicolas Blancot (Keys). He released two EPs with his project: "Gabriel Delmas Trio Live" and "Try". Since 2020, he plays for Renarde (Pop/Rock). Gabriel won many drum contests, allowing him to become better known and to be more and more solicited for drum masterclasses and clinics. The success led him to participate in one of the greatest European drum festivals. He participated in several drum festivals, including Wikidrummer 2016 and 2017 (with Tony Royster, Benny Greb, Damien Schmitt and other fantastic drummers). In October 2017, he won the major drum contest organized by "La Baguetterie" and did a drum clinic at the renowned "Moulin Rouge" in Paris, earning a standing ovation. Using finesse in his drumming, he subtlety left his mark alongside the greatest artists such as Sonny Emory (Earth Wind and Fire), Aaron Spears (James Brown, Usher, Alicia Keys), Robert Sput (Snarky Puppy) and Benny Greb. Often described as one of the most promising drummers of his generation, Gabriel is also a great teacher, always enjoying passing on his knowledge. He released his first drum book titled "From Pad to Groove" in September 2021. His philosophy is simple: the technique serves the music, and not the other way around.
Gabriel Delmas's setup
1.14" K Constantinople HiHats – Pair
2.Stack: 8" A Custom Splash on 17" K Constantinople Crash *
* May be prototype or discontinued
Gabriel Delmas’S GO-TO’S
Gabriel Delmas
in 3
1
WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
Groove music! Playing something simple and making it beautiful and powerful. A simple groove can capture people and make them want to dance. I also enjoy improvisation, playing with nuances, and dynamics.
2
WORDS OF WISDOM FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF DRUMMERS
Don't become too obsessed by social media or a need for the recognition. Stay focused on your passion, work on your drumming every day, and play in a band as far as possible. Never forget that the most important thing is to play live music and that the technique serves the music, not the other way around.
3
FAVORITE ZILDJIAN CYMBAL/COMBO
My favorite cymbal ever is the K Constantinople Renaissance 20" Ride. This cymbal is so inspiring, very crashable but accurate, dark and complex – it makes my grooves better. That reflects what Zildjian cymbals are: elegant and historic.