Martie Cordaro, president of both the Omaha Storm Chasers and Union Omaha Soccer Club, is tasked with running the day-to-day operations of two professional sports franchises. This includes management of those teams’ community endeavors, corporate relationships, and all manner of business. That’s a lot of responsibility, and it’s important he doesn’t miss a beat. 

That’s OK, though, because missing beats is something Cordaro doesn’t do. Especially in his career as a drummer.

Aside from being a high-profile member of the business community in Omaha, Cordaro also has been known to play drums around town, currently playing in the local jam band Strange Pleasures. 

Cordaro’s love of music came early, but his affinity for drums developed in a roundabout way. 

“Music came a little different for me,” Cordaro explained. “I started listening more closely to music around [age] 10. I remember I wanted to play piano, and the lady across the street from us, Mrs. Barron, taught piano lessons.  I asked my mom over and over again if I could take piano lessons, and she kept saying no. Then one day, we were in the car and we passed a music store. There was a drum in the window, and for some reason, my mom just said yes.” 

Cordaro started playing in bands when he was 13, and by high school, his band Stonybridge was booking some high-profile gigs. They opened for Blind Melon, and later Ween, and even signed with an independent record label. 

For Cordaro, a highlight of that period was opening for Kool & the Gang at a music festival. “It was so fun being able to sit backstage and see them play. It was incredible seeing the continuity they played with for such a huge band.”

Among his influences, Cordaro cited Jimmy Chamberlin from Smashing Pumpkins and Troy Luccketta from (the band) Tesla—both drummers whose talent has really impacted his passion. How would he describe his own drumming style? “Very heavy and hard–kind of bombastic to a degree,” Cordaro said with a grin.

 In 1998, at the age of 25, drums took a backseat to Cordaro’s career in sports management. He didn’t really pick up the sticks again until 2009 when he moved to Omaha.  Cordaro said the band that got him back into music was the Foo Fighters. He was inspired by their drummer, Taylor Hawkins, from a style perspective.

“So, I befriended a guy here in town named Tony Lamar, and [we] did some local stuff and loved it.” Cordaro played in a band called Summer Camp. In 2019, he joined the local band The Drawing Board, made up of three surgeons with Nebraska Medicine. He currently drums for Strange Pleasures, a popular local band with rock, blues, and funk influences. 

Strange Pleasures frontman Greg Beebe said Cordaro is fantastic to work with. “[He] adds energy, he adds passion, not to mention, he’s a hell of a drummer,” Beebe said. “Since Martie joined the band, we’ve been a tighter band musically, and as friends. I love the guy to death.” 

For a man with a hectic schedule, Cordaro makes time for drumming. Aside from a demanding job, he has three sons, ages 26, 18, and 14. “I kind of have to force [drumming] in,” Cordaro said, “but I just love playing music, and I love providing an outlet to listen.”

To find out where Strange Pleasures is playing next, check out their Facebook page: facebook.com/Strange-Pleasures-110460747897016/

This article originally appeared in the October 2022 issue of B2B Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.  

Photo by Bill Sitzmann