Episode Transcript
Intro
Welcome back to Sharkbelly Nation. We've met Jackson Wetherbee, Nick Asta, John Alves, Matt Link, and Greg Nectow. Today we finish the lineup with percussionist Derrick Cabral.
In a band built on rhythm, percussion is a big part of the sound.
There from the Start
According to a Top Shelf Music interview from 2014, Derrick was part of The Elovaters from the start. That makes him one of the people who was in the room when the band took shape in the Boston and South Shore scene.
So the story isn't just two founders, Jackson and Nick. Derrick's name belongs in that first chapter too, according to that interview.
A Boston Percussionist
Derrick's artist profile on TOCA Percussion describes him as a Boston-based percussionist with more than 10 years of live performance experience. The same bio says he studied with Johnny Conga. That's a detail from his profile, so it's his own account of his training.
The Elovaters' official site lists him as the band's percussionist, and the album page for Shark Belly Motel credits him in that role. That album came out on May 15, 2026, according to the band's Bandcamp page.
In reggae rock, a percussionist adds texture on top of what the drummer and bassist lay down. Think hand percussion, shakers, and the small accents that make a groove feel alive. With Nick on drums and Matt on bass, Derrick fills in that extra layer.
I couldn't find a reliable source on Derrick's childhood or his personal influences, so I'm leaving those out.
Let's listen. Try to pick out the percussion layer under the main groove.
Song break: "Boston" by The Elovaters
Beyond the Band
Welcome back. Derrick also shows up on a track outside the main Elovaters catalog. "Runaway Lover (Dub Mix)" is credited to Joey Calderaio and Derrick Cabral of The Elovaters. I don't have background on how it came together, but a dub mix is a good fit for a percussionist, since dub puts the rhythm up front.
Derrick has his own artist profile on Spotify, which you can play on his page at sharkbellynation.com.
Song break: "Runaway Lover (Dub Mix)" by Joey Calderaio and Derrick Cabral of The Elovaters
When it's done, head back to the Sharkbelly Nation playlist for more.
Outro
Welcome back. For tour dates, merch, band news, the Label page, and our band member pages, head to sharkbellynation.com, and join the Sharkbelly Nation newsletter while you're there.
That's Derrick Cabral, the percussionist who, according to an early interview, has been with The Elovaters from day one. That's all six members of the band. Thanks for listening to Sharkbelly Nation.