It's not unusual for an especially dazzling drum solo to be punctuated by a growing swell of cheers and shouts of encouragement from enthusiastic fans. But Marco Minnemann's solo last summer at San Diego's Birch North Park Theatre was so masterfully performed — and such a marvel of musical creativity, pinpoint dynamic control and wit — that the audience listened mostly in hushed silence, if not outright astonishment, until its conclusion.

That concert featured him playing with ex-Frank Zappa guitarist Mike Keneally's group as the opening act for English guitar icon Allan Holdsworth and his band. The show coincided with the June 2007 issue of Modern Drummer magazine, whose cover featured his photo and the headline: "Drum Phenom Marco Minnemann, Maximum Interdependence."

Such praise is nothing new for this German percussion marvel, who since 2006 has quietly resided in a nondescript seaside condo in Imperial Beach, in between San Diego and the Mexican border city of Tijuana.

"Marco is an amazing individual; he can play things that seem impossible on the drum kit," said Holdsworth band drummer Chad Wackerman, who rose to fame playing in Zappa's band. "He is also very driven, has a great sense of humor, and has endless energy to practice, play and write music."

Fellow drum great Terry Bozzio, who in 2005 and 2006 did North American drum clinic tours with Minnemann and Wackerman, is also a fan.

"Marco is doing some of the most technically advanced coordination on the planet; his speed and accuracy are amazing and he is an innovative, unique and dedicated artist," said fellow Zappa band alum Bozzio, who plans to film a drum DVD with Minnemann and Wackerman. "In spite of Marco's ability to blow away drummers with his prowess, he has never been less than exceptionally musical when we have played together."

That sensitivity is a key to Minnemann's success.

Able to shine in almost any stylistic setting, from envelope-shredding avant-rock and big-band jazz to heavy metal and electronica, he always strives to serve the music at hand. The fact that he is also a talented composer and a skilled guitarist, bassist and keyboardist further increases his artistic range and depth.

Minnemann's resume includes work with everyone from German rock stars Udo Lindenberg and Nena to the Buddy Rich Orchestra, death metal band Necrophagist and UKZ, a new group led by ex-Zappa/Roxy Music violinist-keyboardist Eddie Jobson. Minnemann has more recently teamed with Keneally and bassist Bryan Beller, whose budding band, KMB, makes its European debut Aug. 3 at Austria's Outreach Festival.

"From the age of 12 to 14, I was a metal-head listening to Iron Maiden and Judas Priest," said Minnemann, 37, who began playing organ when he was 5 and guitar at 9.

"I got into Frank Zappa and jazz at 16. That's when I started to transcribe the music and get into more detailed syncopated playing — attitude combined with craftsmanship — and trying to move forward with technical finesse. Then I started writing (instructional drum) books.

"You have to prove yourself and show what you can do, then you can relax and have this ultimate freedom."

Minnemann is a native of Hanover, which is also the hometown of top German hard-rock band The Scorpions. He took up drums at 11 and had such an immediate aptitude for the instrument that, at his first lesson, he could play "Take Five," the Dave Brubeck Quartet jazz classic that's in 5/4 time. For his second lesson, he sat in with his drum teacher's jazz band at a local club.

"I was so nervous," Minnemann recalled. "But then I played a little solo and people applauded. I thought: 'I never want to lose this feeling.'"

During a recent interview at his home recording studio, Minnemann used his Roland electronic drum kit to demonstrate a 13/16 time signature, then created a spontaneous orchestral composition that saw him triggering an array of instruments with both his hands and feet.

After laying down a brisk hip-hop beat and a taut jazz vamp, he used his sticks to trigger ethereal electronic keyboard washes while playing a bass line with his left foot. Then he cued up his laptop computer for excerpts from his 52-minute drum solo, "Normalizer 2." He and four other musicians are each orchestrating different versions of the solo for a CD box set due out this fall.

"All I need now," Minnemann joked, "are some tattoos."

LATEST ALBUM: "A Mouth of God" (out in late August)

WEBSITES: marcominnemann.com; myspace.com/marcominnemann

KEY QUOTE: "Music is like food, basically. I need it, but it has to be good, so I can live happily and healthily."

To find out more about George Varga and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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