Billy Pod is the artist name of Greek born drummer musician Vasileios Podaras – currently based in London, UK. His album “Drums to Heal Society” that was released in 2019 has not just given Vasileios Podaras (aka Billy Pod) a prominent position among the new generation of drummers internationally, but has also demonstrated his compelling skills as a composer and music ensemble director.
Vasileios Podaras Bill Pod
Billy Pod started playing drums at the age of 11. His musical studies include 6 years of classical piano and violin lessons. At the age of 18 he was accepted at the jazz department of the Ionian university of Corfu and 5 years later he got his bachelor degree in jazz drumming performance. From 2009 he is one of the most active musicians in Greek jazz scene touring and performing in the most prestigious festivals and venues of the country. He has also worked with plenty of international jazz musicians including: Tivon Pennicott, Dean Bowman, J.D.Walter, Manfred Schoof, Olivier Temime, Olivier Gatto, Laurant Maur, Jean loup Longnon, Mikko Innanen, Shachar Elnatan etc.
Bill Podaras Jazz Fest
Festivals and touring around Europe
After attaining a well-rounded music education with BA and MA in jazz performance, he has been working internationally for more than ten years performing festivals and touring around Europe, USA and Asia. He has recorded more than 20 albums as a sideman and he has a long list of performances with acclaimed artists from award winning saxophonist Tivon Pennicott, New York acclaimed vocalist Jd Walter, to Greek music legend Dionisis Savopoulos.
He has been added in the list of ‘Top 10 new and upcoming drummers’ by French ‘Βatterie’ Μagazine and he has performed at the Tribeca Performing Arts Centre in New York as a finalist of the Made In New York International Jazz Competition.
Relocate in London in 2020
Ηe left Athens to relocate in London in 2020 and since then, he has already worked with a number of leading jazz artist in the London Jazz Scene: Jim Mullen (album recording in London), Rob Luft (BBC NGA recording session at Maida Vale Studios), Dave o’ Higgins, Mornington Lockett, Vasilis Xenopoulos, Gilad Atzmon among others.
Quintessence
Billy Pod second official album entitled ‘Quintessence’ is a reflection on the intellectual nature of humanity in the modern society and features his new quartet with some of the most upcoming musicians in the London jazz music scene : Tom Ollendorff on Guitar, Rupert Cox on Piano and Mirko Scarcia on bass.
Dynamic and lyrical contemporary jazz with haunting melodies and rich, complex moods. Billy supports R stick Drumsticks.