Jerry Nitzberg (drums) was once a ‘Committee’ member of the Buddy Deane Show around 1962-63.
He went on to play drums in many local bands of the 1960s-1970s including The Madhatters, Offcetz Groop, Connotation of 8AM, Cinnamon Cloud, Uncertain Things, Ames Oakes, Blackfoot Smoke, Fragile, Nightingale, Lee Shane’s Spring Fever.
While a member of Nightingale, Jerry entered the WAYE radio sponsored drum solo contest. He won first place for the longest vigorous drum solo with a 20-hour performance!
Jerry was involved in an unfortunate accident while returning home from a Spring Fever gig. The equipment van overturned on the highway and luckily no one was injured. Juggling family responsibilities, a day job and the band became too much, although he did continue to experiment with drum techniques. Using the five years of tap dance lessons he received as a child, his dance experience as a former member of the Buddy Deane Show Committee, along with many years of drumming expertise, Jerry devised an electronic pick-up device that mounts to a drummer’s heel. The action of heel tapping creates any percussion sound that is possible to program into modern electronic equipment. The device allows the drummer to finally get out from sitting behind a standard drum kit. Modern Drummer magazine published an article about Jerry’s new device in the July 2005 issue. The article was well received and has prompted inquiries from drummers around the world.
