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Drum Fantasy Camp Instructors
2011 Staff
Dave
Weckl
For more than 20 years, Dave Weckl has developed and maintained a
reputation among fans, peers, and the international music community
as one of the great living drummers. For this, he has received
numerous accolades and honors; Modern Drummer inducted Dave into
their Hall of Fame and named him "one of the 25 best drummers of all
time."
At age 16, Weckl began to work professionally with local pop and
jazz groups. In 1979, he moved to the East coast to study music at
the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut. At just 19
years-of-age, he was getting recognized.
While playing the club scene in New York City with a band called
Nite Sprite, Weckl started to receive accolades from established
studio musicians such as Steve Kahn, Michael Brecker, and especially
drumming great Peter Erskine. It was Erskine who recommended Weckl
for his first 'big gig' in town with a group called French Toast,
forerunner to the Michel Camilo band, which has been recorded quite
extensively over the years.
From this group, legendary bassist Anthony Jackson recommended Weckl
for the prestigious Simon and Garfunkel reunion tour in 1983. After
this tour, it was not long before he was regularly being called for
radio and TV jingles, sound track sessions, and top recording dates
with such artists as George Benson, Peabo Bryson, Diana Ross, and
Robert Plant, to name a few.
In 1985, Michael Brecker suggested to Chick Corea that he look into
Dave's services for his new Elektric Band. That was the beginning of
a seven year relationship with both the Elektric and Akoustic Bands,
where nine recordings and three videos were produced. The Akoustic
Band release earned the group a Grammy.
The Elektric Band showcased Weckl’s cutting-edge drumming and
innovative use of electronic and acoustic drums, bringing him
world-wide recognition. Though the Elektric Band went on a 10-year
hiatus in the early '90s, the band is once again touring from time
to time. It released a 17-part conceptual album entitled "To The
Stars" in mid-2004.
As a solo artist, Weckl has recorded and produced nine recordings to
date, including GRP/MCA solo releases Masterplan, Heads Up, and
Hardwired. In 1998, Weckl realized his long-time goal of forming a
world-touring band. To date, the Dave Weckl Band has released five
studio records, including: Rhythm Of The Soul, Synergy,
Transition,
Perpetual Motion, and Multiplicity. The band has also released a hot
live album, entitled LIVE (and very plugged in), and a compilation
that includes songs and instructional videos, entitled The Zone.
When off the road, Weckl keeps busy with session and production work
at his homestudio in Los Angeles. He also accepts a limited number
of private students - and offers classes through the Virtual Drummer
School. Additionally, Weckl has many instructional video/DVDs and
play-along packages on the market.
A constant student of the art of drumming and music, Weckl gives
back every chance he gets through clinics and classes all over the
world. Learn more
at
www.daveweckl.com.
Peter Erskine
Peter Erskine began playing the drums at
the age of four, and has been at the forefront
of world-class jazz ensembles for thirty-five years.
His first major professional work was
with the Stan Kenton Orchestra, which he joined in 1972.
After a three year stint with Kenton and a two year stay with
Maynard Ferguson, he joined Weather Report in 1978. The
excellence of the partnership between Erskine and bassist Jaco
Pastorius was an integral part of that group's success.
Following his four years in Weather Report (having recorded
five albums with them including the Grammy Award winning "8:30"), he
began to play with Mike Brecker, Mike Mainieri, Don
Grolnick and Eddie Gomez in the group Steps Ahead
. His other touring and recording credits (500 albums & film scores)
include: Steely Dan, Diana Krall, Chick Corea,
Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Gary Burton &
Pat Metheny, Joni Mitchell, Kurt Elling,
Mike Stern, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Berlin
Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles
Philharmonic, Ensemble Modern, the ASKO, Avanti,
Remix & Absolute Ensembles; "Bass Desires " (with John
Scofield, Bill Frisell, and Marc Johnson), the
John Abercrombie Trio, the Kenny Wheeler Quintet & Big Band,
the Yellowjackets and the Bob Mintzer Big Band, as
well as his own groups, including trios with John Taylor, Palle
Danielsson, Rita Marcotulli, and his current bands with
guitarist Nguyen Le and bassist Michel Benita ("Trio
E_L_B"), pianist Alan Pasqua and bassist Dave Carpenter,
and saxophonist Bob Sheppard and Dave Carpenter ("The
Lounge Art Ensemble").
Erskine is a graduate of the Interlochen Arts Academy in
Michigan, and studied percussion with George Gaber at Indiana
University. His own pedagogical efforts include 4 instructional
videos as well as 6 books, including "Drumset Essentials, Vols. 1, 2
& 3 " (a trilogy of instructional methods), plus the "Erskine
Method" book and DVD, and "Time Awareness for All Musicians"
(published by Alfred Music Publishing).
His other books include "Drum Concepts &
Techniques" and "The Drum Perspective", both published by the Hal
Leonard Corp. Peter conducts clinics, classes and seminars
world-wide. Peter is the Director of Drumset Studies at USC
Thornton School of Music, and is the "Jazz Drumming Consultant"
to the Royal Academy of Music in London.
He has won the Modern Drummer
magazine Readers' Poll in the "Jazz Drummer" category nine times,
and was awarded an honorary Doctorate degree from the Berklee
College of Music. Peter was the soloist along with Evelyn
Glennie at the world premiere of a new Double Concerto for
Percussion, titled "Fractured Lines," composed by Mark-Anthony
Turnage, in London at the Proms in July 2000 with Sir Andrew
Davis conducting the BBC Symphony Orchestra. That work
was recorded for the Chandos label.
Peter is 53 years old and makes his home in Southern California.
Learn more at
www.petererskine.com and
www.fuzzymusic.com
Steve Smith
Steve Smith's drumming, while always decidedly
modern, can best be described as a
style that embodies the history of U.S. music. His
original love of rudimental parade drumming is
evident in his intricate solos. Likewise, his
command of jazz, from New Orleans music, swing,
bebop, avant-garde to fusion, is applied with his
powerful rock drumming sensibilities and allows him
to push the boundaries of all styles to new heights.
His musical focus is committed to the exploration of
improvised music incorporating styles as diverse as
Blues, Jazz, R&B, Funk, Cajun and South Indian
Carnatic.
In 1974 Smith's professional
career began in full, at 19 years old, with his
tenure in the Lin Biviano Big Band, which he toured
and recorded with for the next two years. At that
same time he also performed with bebopper Buddy
DeFranco and was a member of free-jazz group The
Fringe featuring George Garzone. In 1976, Smith
began his association with jazz/fusion by joining
violinist Jean Luc Ponty’s group and recording the
album "Enigmatic Ocean," which also featured
guitarist Allan Holdsworth. It was while touring
with rocker Ronnie Montrose a year later that Smith
was asked to join the popular rock band Journey
which brought his playing to the attention of a
young rock audience.
With Journey, Smith toured
around the world and recorded many successful albums
including the immensely popular "Escape" (Columbia
1981) and "Frontiers" (Columbia 1983), both of which
garnered the band many Top 40 hits. In 1985 Smith
left Journey to pursue his original passion, jazz,
and to continue his developing career as a session
player. Over the past 30+ years, Smith has played on
many hits with such diverse artists as Mariah Carey,
Bryan Adams, Zucchero, Claudio Baglioni, Andrea
Bocelli, Y&T, Dweezil Zappa, Ray Price, Corrado
Rustici and Savage Garden.
Smith began leading his own
fusion band Steve Smith and Vital Information in
1983 while still a member of Journey. Vital
Information's release, "Where We Come From," was
voted Best Contemporary Jazz Recording Of 1998 by
the Association For Independent Music. The band’s
2007 Hudson Music release, “Vitalization,” has
gathered critical acclaim around the world. The
album features Steve’s interest and abilities with
rhythms from India including the South Indian
rhythmic vocal art-form: Konnakol.
Steve is also the bandleader of Steve Smith’s Jazz
Legacy, a group carrying on the
tradition of many of the great drummer-led jazz
bands; communicating with music lovers of all
generations, striving for excellence and playing
non-compromising, burning, straight-ahead jazz. In
2008 Jazz Legacy released two albums: “Live On Tour
Vol. 1” and “Live On Tour Vol. 2.” Steve also tours
with a group that is made of up members of both
Vital Information and Jazz Legacy. This band is
called Steve Smith’s Vital Legacy and plays the
music of both groups.
Smith has also maintained an
extensive touring and recording career, appearing
with many jazz luminaries such as Mike Mainieri's
group Steps Ahead. This band, which included
virtuosos such as Michael Brecker, Richard Bona and
Mike Stern, was one of the most successful of the
'80s electric jazz groups and Smith contributed
greatly to their tight, energetic sound for seven
years (1986-1993 and again from 2005-present). Other
high profile jazz touring and/or recording gigs that
have filled the drummer's schedule include such
artists as Ahmad Jamal, Michael Manring, Stanley
Clarke, Randy Brecker, Zakir Hussain, George Brooks’
Summit and the Buddy Rich Big Band, with whom he has
performed in many tribute concerts to the late
drumming idol. He also rejoined Journey in 1996 to
record the reunion album "Trial By Fire" (Columbia
1996). Smith's calendar often includes many drum
clinics in which he is able to display his
phenomenal techniques and concepts to drumming
students around the world.
In 1998, Smith began
producing and playing on a series of electric jazz
albums for the Tone Center label with a revolving
cast of talented players including Dave Liebman,
Frank Gambale, Stu Hamm, Tom Coster, Larry Coryell,
Jerry Goodman, Howard Levy, Steve Marcus, Scott
Henderson and Victor Wooten. In 2009 Tone Center
release a compilation music called: “The Best Of
Steve Smith – The Tone Center Collection.” In 2003
Steve Smith and Buddy's Buddies -- the Buddy Rich
alumni quintet -- released two CDs on the Tone
Center label that were record live at the famous
London jazz club Ronnie Scott's; "Very Live at
Ronnie Scott's Set One and Set Two." In 2004 Steve
toured with Soulbop, and all-star group featuring
Bill Evans, Randy Brecker, David Kikoski, Victor
Bailey and Hiram Bullock. In 2005 the group released
a live CD entitled “Soulbop Band Live.”
Smith’s explosive solos and intricate timekeeping
served to gain him much acclaim from sources such as
Modern Drummer magazine, whose readers voted him the
#1 All-Around Drummer five years in a row. In 2001,
Modern Drummer magazine named Steve as one of the
"Top 25 Drummer of All Time", in 2002 he was voted
into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame and in 2003 his
Hudson Music DVD "Steve Smith Drumset Technique -
History of the U.S. Beat" was voted #1 Educational
DVD of 2003. The 2008 and 2009 Drum! magazine
readers poll voted Smith #1 Jazz Drummer and in 2009
Drum! readers voted "Steve Smith Drum Legacy -
Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants" the #1
educational DVD.
As a drummer, Steve Smith
has worked for, and with, the best. He is
consistently pushing the boundaries of creative
drumming and constantly expanding his strong musical
voice at the top of the international drumming
community. As an educator, Smith is both the eternal
student and perpetual teacher of the drums. His
highly lauded, recently released educational DVDs,
“The Art Of Playing With Brushes” and “Drum Legacy –
Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants,” are state of
the art showcases of his playing and teaching
skills. He is one of the few drummer/bandleaders who
continues to bring world-class bands to all corners
of the globe with a tireless regime of live
performances.
Chris Coleman
Chris Coleman has been
playing drums since the ripe old age of 2, sitting
on his uncle's knee in church. He traveled with his
father and uncles who performed together in a gospel
ensemble. In his youth, he practiced relentlessly
with the aim of making it big as a drummer. In
Junior high school he earned numerous awards in band
competitions, including 1st place for instrumental
soloist three years running.
In 1999, Chris
graduated with honors from the Drummer's Collective.
He was offered a scholarship to the Berklee School
of Music, was accepted into the Manhattan School of
Music, and received a recommendation from Ed Soph to
attend North Texas State. He opted instead to return
to his hometown of Saginaw, Michigan, to start a
full-time ministry and ATW Global. He moved briefly
to Cleveland to join the instructional staff at
Christian Music Academy.
In December, 2001,
Chris was honored to win 1st place in the National
Drum Competition sponsored by Guitar Center, which
hosted 30,000+ drummers. He then wwent to Atlanta to
study Bass guitar at AIM, where he was pleased to
accept a position teaching drums. In addition to his
teaching, Chris keeps a busy schedule touring. He
has toured with Pastor Creflo A. Dollar Ministries
throughout the country since June, 2002, and has
traveled to over 40 cities in 3 countries with the
praise and worship band "Israel and New Breed" since
September 2003.
Chris has participated in
several major gospel recordings, including Bishop
Eddie Long, William Murphy Ministries and others. He
plans to record with his band, "The Paradigm," in
the near future. Things have been on the up & up as
of June 2006. Chris is now playing for R&B artist
Rachelle Ferrell, as well as touring, promoting, &
performing with his band.
Chris also
participated in the 2005 & 2006 "Drummers 4 Jesus"
events. He is recognized in the Modern Drummer Mag
for the Sept'05' & June'06' issues.
Chris
has performed with Prince,
New Kids on the Block, Chaka Kahn,
Rachelle Ferrell, and many more. In
2010, Chris appeared at the Modern Drummer
Festival and PASIC.
Gavin Harrison
Gavin Harrison started to play the drums at age 6,
influenced by his father Bobby,
who was a well established jazz trumpet player and
part time drummer.
At 19-years-old, Gavin
joined prog rock band Renaissance
and toured America for the first time. He later
joined Iggy Pop in 1986 for a world
tour.
Around this time, Gavin
began working as a session drummer in London (where
he is based) and went on to record successful albums
for several artists. He also met local guitarist
Jakko M Jakszyk and together formed
the critically acclaimed Dizrhythmia
project.
He also started a long and
fruitful association with Dave Stewart
and Barbara Gaskin and has played
on all of their albums since the late 1980s.
By the early '90s Gavin, had
joined British funk group Incognito
and recorded their most successful album Inside Life
with the hit single "Always There," featuring
Jocelyn Brown.
In 1997, Gavin began to work
with the British soul diva Lisa Stansfield,
touring around the world. In 2000, Gavin became
musical director of UK garage legends Artful
Dodger and around this time started to work
with the highly acclaimed soul artist Lewis
Taylor. Afterwards, Gavin played tours with
Go West and Lisa Stansfield.
In early 2002 Gavin was
invited to join the art rock band Porcupine
Tree and has played with them ever since.
He has written several educational drum methods -
the award winning Rhythmic Illusions and
Rhythmic Perspectives, and two DVDs:
Rhythmic Visions and Rhythmic Horizons.
2010 Gavin Harrison won
again the Modern Drummer "Best Prog
Drummer" award.
Equipment, Logistics,
and Support
Drum Fantasy Camp wouldn't be the
same without the help and management of
three superstars: Chris Aleo,
Lea Butler, and Nick Aleo.
Chris is a high school honors physics teacher in
Hillsborough, New Jersey. A longtime drummer, Chris
joined the Drum Fantasy Camp team in 2007.
Chris is an avid music fan who has collected and
archived all major recordings that Dave Weckl
appears on. He is responsible for the official Dave
Weckl discography - available
here.
Each year, Chris
manages assembly and storage of the camps extensive
collection of drums and music equipment.
Lea
Butler is the general manager of Cleveland's Sam Ash
music store. Lea and the incredible Sam Ash team
lend support to the camp in terms of equipment and
expertise. Sam Ash is the official sponsor of the
camp's three Jam Nights.
Nick Aleo is a
student and drummer from Hillsborough, New Jersey.
Nick lends support at the camp's jam nights and load
in/out phases.
Drum Fantasy Camp thanks this
incredible team! We couldn't run the camp without
you!
Steven Orkin
Camp Director
Steven Orkin is the owner and
executive director of Drum Fantasy Camp. He also runs
Orkin Marketing Consultants, LLC, a marketing
communications firm in Cleveland, Ohio.
Orkin started his working career in 1993 behind
the news desk of television stations in Cincinnati and
Cleveland. He wrote and co-produced hundreds of stories for
broadcast news programs.
After nearly two years in television, Orkin
accepted a marketing position at MBNA Corporation, then
the world's largest independent issuer of credit cards. It was
at MBNA where Orkin gained expertise in direct response
and customer relationship marketing.
After four years with MBNA, Orkin wanted
to expand his knowledge of marketing and accepted an account
management position at Wyse Advertising, in Cleveland.
He spent the next five years in the ad agency world before
starting his own marketing communications firm.
Orkin met Dave Weckl
and his longtime collaborator Jay Oliver at the
NAMM show in 2004. Since then, he has added several
world-class clients including drummers Steve Smith,
Tommy Igoe, Peter Erskine, and more.
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