When describing Josh’s playing:  “The drummer sometimes shifts tempos, alters beats, and varies the emphasis of certain drums, all in the same song.  The refreshingly interesting percussion is one of the great things about his style…” says Amanda Narvaes of the Urban Tulsa Newspaper.  Catch a live performance and you’ll know what she means. 

 "Center is the real deal." - DRUM! Magazine #97 April/ May 2004            

Through his formal training in both music performance and music theory at the University of Tulsa , Josh Center has become a dependable drummer whose solid backbeat can switch from jazz to funk to rock and back again at any given time. Playing each beat for the moment, Josh puts his heart and soul into the music to create the ultimate mental and physical connection.  Closing your eyes and listening brings out the true sense of melody that Josh extracts from every beat. Opening your eyes and viewing his performance shows the physical intensity through which Josh plays and makes you realize how he is one with his instrument.  Because of this, he has been fortunate enough to create music on stage and in the studio with some of the regions hottest musicians. 

  “…extremely efficient and accurate in the studio, while being flexible with all styles of music.  A real team player and a joy to work with.” – Paul Johnson (sound engineer)

Since the spring of 2000, Josh has been constantly working in the studio and performing live for artists all around the globe.  When not behind the kit, he spends his time engineering, producing, and developing new artists.  As of late, Josh is in the process of writing an instructional drum book that will be released in the near future. 

“Josh is a wizard…with burning chops and hypnotic grooves.  I’ve mixed a satchel full of tunes featuring Josh on the kit and always find myself entranced by his tasty beats!” – Derek Taylor (mixing/mastering engineer – Milo Studio)

Information Overload:

1991-1994 – Private instructor specializing in Snare, Mallet, and Timpani instruction. 

1992-1995 - Selected for Oklahoma ’s All-state band

1993-1994 – Selected for Oklahoma ’s All-state Jazz band.

1995-1999 – Attended the University of Tulsa for a degree in Performance Music while performing with the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, Jazz band, and Marching Drum line. (Marching drum line captain from 1997-1999.)

1998 - Guest performer with the Tulsa Philharmonic.

1997-1999 – Played live with music group Entropy while traveling regionally, and recorded two cd,s.

2000-2003 – Played live and recorded three cd’s with nationally touring music group Mad Verb.  MV’s exciting live performances led them to play with groups such as Fuel, Godsmack, Weezer, Collective Soul, Cypress Hill, and The Cult, among others.               

2003-Present – Contracted drummer/percussionist for both studio and live performances by local and regional artists, while privately instructing students in the local area.  In 2005 Josh recorded an album at the famous Abbey Road Studio in London with recording artist Phil Marshall and followed it up with a tour throughout England and the United States .  Some of Josh’s studio credits include Bowling For Soup, Zac Maloy , Rob Palmer, Jimmy Newquist, Phil Marshall , The Vanished, Mad Verb, The Pearls, Midwest Kings, Christy Romano, Jive Records, Sony Music Group, Universal Studios, and Abbey Road/EMI.

“Impeccable meter, confident feel with brilliant ideas... yet easy to get along with and very considerate of the artist's and producer's vision.  Josh Center is an extraordinary musician, both in session and on stage.  He's definitely at the top of my short list.” 

– David Percefull (Owner of Yellow Dog Studio)

 References:

  Mat Donaldson (Owner) Drum World   

Tulsa, OK 918-270-3786  

  Jason Gilardi (DW, Sabian, Attack Endorser)   

Tulsa, OK 918-409-6420

  Marc Nelson (Agent, Producer, Recording Artist)   

Tulsa, OK 918-409-4540