Richie Barshay | Lou Grassi | Vanderlei Pereira | Aaron Scott | Pete (La Roca) Sims |
Richie Barshay - Drums/Percussion
Listen to Richie:
"Solo"
Neighborhood: Flatbush/Ditmas Park, Brooklyn (will travel)
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Ages taught: ages 8-adult
Levels taught: beg-adv
Send us an email letting us know that you want to study with Richie.
Drummer and percussionist Richie Barshay, most noted as a member of the Herbie Hancock Quartet since 2003, has established himself as a prominent musical voice of his generation. Regarded as "a player to watch" by JazzTimes magazine, he maintains a busy international schedule with some of today's top artists including Hancock, The Klezmatics, Kenny Werner and Chick Corea among others. In September of 2004 he was named an American Musical Envoy by the U.S. State Department, along with the renowned Latin-Jazz ensemble Insight. Now based in New York City after 5 years on the Boston music scene, Richie began playing Jazz and Afro-Latin music during his youth and has expanded his focus to Indian rhythmic concepts and tabla, inspiring his 2005 recording debut "Homework" and the launching of his new band, The Richie Barshay Project. For more about Richie, visit www.RichieBarshay.com.
Lou Grassi - Drums/Percussion
Listen to Lou:
"Chichi Rides the Tiger"
Neighborhood: Harlem, Manhattan (will travel)
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Ages taught: ages 8-adult
Levels taught: beg-adv
Send us an email letting us know that you want to study with Lou.
Drummer and percussionist Lou Grassi is internationally known for his work in both the traditional and the avant-garde jazz worlds. He has literally played from Ragtime to No-Time - he toured with Ragtime pianist Max Morath and is the leader of the Dixie Peppers. He has performed and/or recorded with a wide range of outstanding artists including Marshall Allen, Billy Bang, Borah Bergman, Rob Brown, Roy Campbell, The Copascetics, James Garrison, Charles Gayle, Burton Greene, Urbie Green, Gunter Hampel, Johnny Hartman, Fred van Hove, Joseph Jarman, Sheila Jordan, William Parker, Perry Robinson, Roswell Rudd, John Tchicai, and Mark Whitecage. Lou has toured extensively, performing throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Central America. He has been a featured artist at numerous international festivals including The Stork Music Festival, NYC; The Vision Festival, NYC; The Texaco New York Jazz Festival, NYC; The Rochester Jazz Festival, Rochester, NY; Summer's End Music Festival, Middletown, CT; Rive de Gier International Jazz Festival, France; Festas Lisboa, Portugal; CAMP 99, Tubingen, Germany; The Guelph Jazz Festival, Canada, Festival Frei Improvisierter Music, Dresden, Germany and the WIM Festival in Antwerp, Belgium. He has also performed at Banlieues Bleues Festival, Paris, France; Luneburg Jazz Nights, Germany; The Bell Atlantic Jazz Festival, NYC and The International Dixieland Festival of Dresden, Germany. Since 1978, He has been on the staff of New Jersey City University as a dance accompanist, and he has been a teaching artist for New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) since 2001. He continues to teach privately and is available for workshops and clinics. For more about Lou, visit www.LouGrassi.com.
Vanderlei Pereira - Drums/Percussion
Neighborhood: Washington Heights, Manhattan (will travel)
Ages taught: ages 8-adult
Levels taught: beg-adv
Send us an email letting us know that you want to study with Vanderlei.
Drummer and Rio de Janeiro native Vanderlei Pereira is one of the most sought-after musicians on the contemporary Brazilian jazz scene.Ê Combining a prodigious knowledge of Brazilian rhythms with dazzling technique and a distinctive touch, Vanderlei has captivated audiences around the world with his unique and electrifying performances.Ê In addition to leading his own acclaimed Brazilian jazz group, Blindfold Test, he has appeared with numerous outstanding artists and ensembles, including Toots Thielemans, Airto Moreira and Flora Purim, Leny Andrade, Tito Puente, Arturo OÕFarrillÕs Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, Claudio Roditi, Romero Lubambo, Bebel Gilberto, Sivuca and Rio de JaneiroÕs Orquestra Sinf™nica Brasileira, among many others. A respected educator, VanderleiÕs knowledge of harmony and theory has enabled him to teach Brazilian music to all musicians, regardless of their primary instrument. He is an adjunct faculty member at the City College of New York (CUNY) and the New School, and has taught master classes at several universities and music conservatories.
Watch a video of Vanderlei and his band, Blindfold Test:
Aaron Scott - Drums/Percussion
Neighborhood: Downtown Manhattan (will travel)
Ages taught: ages 14-adult
Levels taught: beg-adv
Send us an email letting us know that you want to study with Aaron Scott.
Aaron Scott is a composer and jazz drummer, born June 19, 1956 in Chicago, Illinois, United States. In 1989 he began a 14-year association and tenure with master jazz pianist McCoy Tyner as part of the McCoy Tyner Trio, winning three Grammy Awards and performing worldwide with artists such as Bobby Hutcherson, George Benson, Michael Brecker, Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson and many others. He lived in Paris a number of years, and currently resides in New York. While in Paris, he performed with the LÕOrchestre National de Jazz and studied conducting at the ƒcole Normale de Musique de Paris. He was later awarded Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by then Minister of Culture, Jack Lang.
Watch a classic video of Aaron Scott as part of the McCoy Tyner Trio:
Pete (La Roca) Sims - Drums
Neighborhood: UWS, Manhattan (will travel)
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Ages taught: ages 14-adult
Levels taught: int-adv
Send us an email letting us know that you want to study with Pete (La Roca) Sims.
A living legend, drummer Pete Sims started his career playing timbales in Latin bands, changing his name to Pete La Roca at the time. He played drums with Sonny Rollins (1957- early 1959) and had associations with Jackie McLean, Slide Hampton, the John Coltrane Quartet (where he was the original drummer in 1960) and Marian McPartland. La Roca led his own group (1961-62), was the house drummer at the Jazz Workshop in Boston (1963-64) and worked with Art Farmer (1964-65), Freddie Hubbard, Mose Allison, Charles Lloyd (1966), Paul Bley and Steve Kuhn among others. He led two impressive albums: the classic Blue Note record Basra with Joe Henderson and Bliss, a Douglas session (reissued on Muse) featuring Chick Corea and John Gilmore. For more about Pete, visit www.DrummerWorld.com.
Watch a classic video of Pete La Roca (external site).
Lorne Watson - Drums/Percussion
Listen to Lorne:
"The Return of Chickchi"
Neighborhood: Midtown, Manhattan (will travel)
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Ages taught: ages 8-adult
Levels taught: beg-adv
Secondary instruments taught: marimba
Send us an email letting us know that you want to study with Lorne.
Lorne Watson is an active performer with the percussion duo Loop 2.4.3 and a freelance percussionist in New York City. Past performances include appearances with the American Chorus at Carnegie Hall, Cate' at the Blue Note, Clogs at Brooklyn Academy of Music, and was a featured with Loop 2.4.3 as a guest artist with the Brooklyn Philharmonic. Currently Lorne is on the teaching roster for The Brooklyn Queens Conservatory of Music, The Brooklyn Arts Council, The Children's Museum of Art and Director of Education for The Lyric Chamber Music Society of New York. He has been an active teacher since 1991, and has published his own method book for beginners, "Three Dimensions". Lorne has been featured as a clinician performer at Cornell University, Michigan State University, Oklahoma City University, and Alma College. He relieved his Bachelor of Science in Percussion Performance and has a teaching certificate from Central Michigan University, where he studied with Robert Hohner. Lorne also studied privately with Jim Chapin, Joe Morello, and Alex Acuna. For more about Lorne, visit www.Loop243.com.
Pete Zimmer - Drums
Listen to Pete: "Down or Up"
(composed by Pete Zimmer)
Neighborhood: Astoria, Queens (will travel)
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Ages taught: ages 8-adult
Levels taught: beg-adv
Send us an email letting us know that you want to study with Pete Zimmer.
Pete Zimmer, a gifted and articulate drummer, composer, and educator, moved to Queens, New York in June of 2001 after his completion at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, MA. Upon his arrival in the Big Apple Mr. Zimmer quickly became recognized for his uncanny swing and propulsive authority; all while maintaining a very high sense of musicality when seated behind the drums. These attributes, along with his constant professionalism, brought Zimmer to perform or record with a fine array of artists including: George Garzone, Joel Frahm, Jeremy Pelt, Michael Rodriguez, David Wong, Dennis Irwin, Rick Germanson, Randy Napoleon, Michael Karn, Julius Tolentino, Gene Perla, Tom Kennedy, Wayne Escoffery, Jaleel Shaw, Dan Nimmer, among many others. In May of 2004, Pete Zimmer launched his record label, TippinÕ Records, and on September 7th, 2004 released his first album as a leader, "Common Man," which was declared "an impressive debut" by the Philadelphia Daily News. Since that time, Zimmer has released three additional leader recordings featuring many of his own compositions that has brought him much critical acclaim worldwide. In addition to being an active performer, Zimmer is dedicated to educating and developing the talents of students. Mr. Zimmer has conducted educational clinics at many Universities throughout the USA including Indiana University, Ohio State University, Northern Illinois University, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, in addition to private lessons of various ages and levels. For more about Pete, visit www.PeteZimmer.com.
