Zach Nazar was born and raised in the suburbs outside of Chicago, Illinois. At the age of 8 yrs old, he got his first drum-set for Christmas and began to play.
Zach continued playing the drum-set all throughout grade school and high school, taking weekly private lessons, and in 2004 Zach applied, was accepted, and moved to Berklee College of Music in Boston, Ma.
So captivated by all of the hand percussion instruments from around the world placed neatly around the professional drumming studios, he decided to switch his principal instrument from drum-set to hand percussion.
While at Berklee, Zach studied under instructors such as Euggie Castrillo, Ricardo Monzone, Jamey Haddad, Ernesto Diaz, Bertram Lehman, Jerry Leake, and Sa Davis.
In 2007, Zach and his African percussion professors, Mohammed Kalifa Camarra and Joe Galeota, planned a trip that led him on a two-and-a-half month long, drum and dance-filled, journey through Guinea and Ghana West Africa.
Since graduating from Berklee in 2008, Zach has been playing hand drums professionally in and around Boston, Ma. seven days a week – performing (All of the Animals, Bloco Afro-Brazil, The Macrotones), teaching classes (3yrs old – Seniors), facilitating drum circles/events (sometimes with 200+ participants!) and accompanying dance classes (Emerson College, martial arts, meditations, fire/poi performances, DJ collaborations).
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Zach remembers the stagnant, closed-mindedness that he once had toward other cultures and peoples, and is very grateful for the awareness that he has today. He strongly believes that the love of rhythm has allowed him to have love for the world of culture which he does not know. He is convinced that this is the kind of love, no matter which way you find it, that will cultivate peace.
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