PLAYING EXPERIENCE
- trumpet from 5 to 10 years old
- joined a Sr Drum Corps and switched to Rudimental Snare Drum in 1960
- drumset lessons with two Drum Corps Instructors, both world open champions and drumset players of the highest caliber
- started playing rock, country and swing gigs at 11
- started to instruct the B line Snare Line in the Drum Corps
- from 12 years on I played a lot of Rock, Funk, R&B and started Bop gigs
- played a lot of Jazz gigs as a free lance player as well as Big Bands
- 18 years old studied with Henry Adler amongst others in New York
- Played a lot of musicals – Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Kismet and the Boy Friend among others
- Toured Europe, as a free lance player, playing mostly jazz trios and quartets from 3 week to 6 week tours
- Played with Red Rodney amongst others and with some experience in the loft scene in New York from 1969 to 1972
- played a fair amount of Studio work as a free lance player in Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa playing Rock, Funk, R & B and Jazz styles
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
- As mentioned, teaching Drum Lines, starting at 12
- Have written over 8 Drumset method books, being used in Asia, Europe the USA and Canada, with content of Rudimental, Hi-Hat, Polyrhythms etc
- Started at Carleton U in 2001 and all students are A+ and a few A’s
- Former students are now teaching at Berklee in Boston, Asia and Europe and most teachers in Ottawa have gone through my program
- the only full curriculum Drumset program in eastern Canada
- I also have a private teaching practice.
- also have held master classes in Europe and Canada
My program deals with all areas of playing in a professional situation including styles, equipment and cymbal choices, history, dealing with agents and Networking
I get students to professional level, players who can leave the University and move to Cruise Ships, Studio Work, Funk, Rock and Jazz.