It was 13 years ago when drummer Wally Schnalle decided to chuck his day job in the Silicone Valley to pursue his dream of becoming a jazz drummer. He was 28 then, entering San Jose State to study jazz performance and graduating summa cum laude. Today, he’s the proud leader on two CDs, he has his own record label, plays major jazz festivals, is busy most nights with club dates, he gives private drum lessons, and he still finds time to teach percussion at an arts magnet school through his California Arts Council artist-in-residence grant while also working as music editor for Drum! magazine.
That’s the resumé for a pretty unique guy-and his name even rhymes.
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