Vibing with Pat Petrillo

Smooth Jazz Network
3 hours ago
2 min read

Brilliant drummer, Pat Petrillo, is bringing positive vibes to airwaves all over the world. His last two singles, "Aura" and "Summer in Philly" were each named "Pick of the Week" on our website and featured an impressive lineup of very talented artists.

Pat Petrillo is world-renowned in the drumming world and the uplifting vibes in Aura, his latest single, were inspired by global modalities. “You can’t come from somewhere unless you’ve been there, musically speaking,” Petrillo states. “It’s important to create music from a place of honesty and conviction. I am what I’ve listened to and studied all my life. All this musical variety is embedded in my DNA, and I try to bring all that influence into my music now… Contemporaneously.”

"Aura" features Nelson Rangell alongside other Smooth Jazz A-listers, each infusing their own "aura" into the performance:

Written & Produced by Pat Petrillo

Mixed by Greg Manning

Pat Petrillo - Drums

Nelson Rangell - Alto Sax: Nelson Rangell

Chris Fischer (of Spyro Gyra) - Keyboards

Chieli Minucci - Guitar

The tune was a Smooth Jazz Network "Pick of the Week" and celebrated 11,000+ Spotify listens shortly after release.

"Aura" followed Petrillo's 2025 single "Summer in Philly" featuring Will Donato.

“"This sizzling tune was inspired by the classic "Summer Madness," taking you back to 1975, chilling on the stoop with a cool drink in hand." - Pat Petrillo

"Summer in Philly" was heavily played on the Smooth Jazz Network and reached #1 in Spain and incorporated a lot of the same musicians:

Written, Produced & Mixed by - Pat Petrillo

Featuring:

Pat Petrillo - Drums

Will Donato - Tenor Sax

Chieli Minucci - Guitar

Gary Grainger - Bass

Chris Fischer - Fender Rhodes

Mastered by - Steve Hall at Futuredisc

Working with the best is nothing new to Pat Petrillo. He has backed and/or recorded with a wide array of artists including Patti LaBelle, Gloria Gaynor, Oz Noy, Chieli Minucci, Nile Rodgers (photographed below), Debbie Gibson, Blake Aaron, Will Donato, Glen Burtnick, and numerous Broadway shows.