Andrea
Cliff Almond is a native of San Diego, California. He was born and raised in a musical family. He comes from a classical foundation, where his mother was a piano teacher and his father a conductor in a choral choir. It’s therefore easy to see why his passion and talents are rooted in music. Cliff was a violist first, and by the age of five, he was already playing the piano. He was enrolled in the Suzuki methods too.
However, it seemed that he now found where wanted to set his foot as he found himself drawn to drums. Even though his parents may have wanted him to follow their path, they had no option but to give in and get him a drum set. Cliff was, from a young age, those people you can call sharp-minded. Cliff Almond spent many hours playing along with different records. It did not matter what he was playing to them, as long as it was something with drums. Anything he could lay his hands on became the right tool for his practice sessions.
Cliff grew up in a musical environment all his life. When he reached ninth grade, his parents enrolled in the School of Creative and Performing Arts in San Diego. He got an opportunity to perform in Orchestra, Pit Orchestras, and Jazz Ensembles. As time went by, the drummer continued progressing steadily into the professional industry while still young.
Many drummers took a long time to perfect their skills and join the professional environment. But to Cliff, it was as though he was called to perform. He started performing three to five nights every week in weddings, jingles, and many other situations. He was a reliable drummer for several bands across San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Cliff attended the PIT in Hollywood, California, when he was only 18 years old. A year later, he was teaching at PIT as a substitute teacher. This was a great chance for him to study with great minds like Steve Houghton, Casey Scheurell, and Joe Picaro.
He was seen as a young man who was born with a talent for music, and he put that talent to good use throughout his career. After that, the then Chick Corea drummer Dave Weckl spotted his talent, recommending him to Pianist Michel Camilo. Cliff was already an incredible drummer with an eye for new things that would impact the music industry.
He was 21 years old when he landed the Camilo gig. He soon relocated to New City, where the star of his future began to shine. He used every available opportunity to make a name for himself, working on different projects with many great artists.
Among the traits that make Cliff, a good drummer is his ability to innovate. He is currently a New York City resident, where he takes part in different styles and genres. He takes every project as an opportunity to learn new skills and develop the art of drumming. It’s the same mind that he impacts on others who want to be great someday.
