THE LATEST SCOOP

FEATURE ARTICLE ABOUT SAM IN

“MODERN DRUMMER” MAGAZINE

Veteran music and audio writer Ken Micallef interviewed Sam for the September 2011 issue of “Modern Drummer,” on newsstands August 1.  Check out the “What Do You Know About ?” feature story on pages 90-91.

In the article Sam expounds on his disdain for traditional drum rudiments, his secret to career success for young drummers and his own longevity in the music business.  There’s lots of biographical material on Sam and interesting stories about his fitness routines and his optimistic life philosophy.

Click here to read the article

Subscribe to “Modern Drummer”: http://moderndrummer.com

SAM’S 91ST BIRTHDAY PARTY

ON AUGUST 12TH IN NEW YORK CITY

Friends, family, students, former students, drum teachers, drummers and fans of Sam are invited to drop in to celebrate his 91st birthday on Sunday August 14th at Limerick House, a rollicking Irish pub on West 23rd Street (between 6th and 5th Avenues) near the Flatiron Building.

The party is casual, an open-house of sorts, with Sam on hand to regale guests with riffs, rhythms and reminiscences from

2:30 - 5:30 PM. 

The Limerick House serves good pub food and beer, is kid-friendly and is an authentic Irish pub with all the usual character and characters.

Limerick House 

69 W 23 Street,

New York City

212 243-8898

If you’d like to send birthday greetings to Sam, you can mail them to

Sam Ulano

127 W 43rd Street  Apt. 1026

NYC, NY 10036-6565

or call him at 212-977-5209

Sam doesn’t do e-mail, but if you write him at  sam@samulano.com

we can forward your correspondence to him.

PIN UP GUY

Sam is Mr. June in ProjectFIND’s 2011 Calendar.  (ProjectFIND is a New York City-based organization that provides services to senior citizens that help them maintain their independence.)  Each month features a different portrait and a short story about each senior. Here’s Sam’s:

" ‘You only have 24 hours in the day, and you don't know if you've got tomorrow.  If you do, it's a plus.’

“These wise words belong to drumming legend Sam Ulano, age 90.  Sam has been in the music business for 75 years and has lived in Woodstock (apartments) for the past 27 of them.  Sam grew up in the Bronx during the Depression, but, thanks to the New Deal, was able to learn drumming for 6 cents a lesson.  This unlocked Sam's huge talent, and gave a great gift of music to audiences.  Sam has played jazz in the top clubs in the city, including the Gaslight Club, the Metropole, and the famed Garage in Greenwich Village.”

In July of 2010 Sam competed in a senior talent contest at the Woodstock Hotel, a senior housing apartment near Times Square.  There were 9 competitors - six vocalists, a ventriloquist holding two dummies, a blues guitar player and a jazz drummer - Sam!   All the seniors showed their unique talents and skills, and Sam was voted the winner and took home first prize!

At first Sam thought he shouldn't enter the contest - after all, he's a professional musician - it wouldn't be fair.  But the show organizers told Sam that if he included another talent along with his drumming, he could compete.

So Sam's drumming was accompanied by sexy jokes --

about senior citizens!   He couldn't believe it when he won.

See a semi-G-rated clip of Sam's prize-winning performance:

SENIOR TALENT SHOW WINNER