Joe Sinai

Joe Sinai did not graduate from a university or conservatory; his education came from the pits of vaudeville houses and the backstage areas of countless concert halls. His associations with people such as Billy Gladstone, Billy Ludwig, George and Roland Wagner, Eddie Nolting, Alfred Friese, Benjamin Podemski, Tommy Thomson and Walter LaRue contributed immeasurably to his wealth of knowledge about music and percussion. Joe had the opportunity to exercise that knowledge through a lifetime of practical experience as a performer.

He played in many famous theaters during the fabulous vaudeville era, and he was one of the first drummers to use brushes and machine timpani. His career as a symphonic performer began in 1915 and continued for a record number of 55 years with the San Francisco Symphony.

At the time of the original publication of this book, Joe was 82 years old and still a very active performer continuing to impart the riches of his seasoned knowledge to percussion students.