Sean J. Kennedy

Last updated

Sean J. Kennedy
Sean J. Kennedy Drummer.jpg
Sean J. Kennedy (2018)
Background information
Born (1971-09-20) September 20, 1971 (age 52)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Genres Jazz, rock, classical
Occupation(s)Musician, percussionist, author, educator
Instrument(s) Drumset, percussion, piano
Years active1980s-present
Website seanjkennedy.com

Sean J. Kennedy (born September 20, 1971 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American drum set player, percussionist, recording artist, author and educator. [1] Kennedy's drumset method book Camp Jam: Rock Solid Drums was nominated as Educational Drum Book of the Year in the 2011 Modern Drummer magazine reader's poll. Kennedy's release Sixty Second Solos won 2nd Runner Up [2] in the 2015 DRUMMIES, [3] DRUM! Magazine 's an annual readers poll award. [4] Kennedy has been officially recognized by Guinness World Records for participating in "most people performing a drum roll online simultaneously", with Legacy 150 Celebrations Society, Vancouver, Canada. [5]

Contents

"Kaku, kupala| Fear in Neutral Buoyancy" an original orchestral composition by Sean J. Kennedy - premiered at Carnegie Hall, September 27, 2015, performed by Youth Philharmonic International Orchestra, conducted by Jose Luis Gomez. [6]

Since April 2016, Sean J. Kennedy has produced and hosted the music-industry podcast Backstage At The Enharmonic. Guests have included many musical innovators and legends including, Dame Evelyn Glennie, Hal Blaine, Gordon Goodwin, Harold Jones (drummer), Nitzan Haroz, Donald Nally, Richie Cannata, Jerry Weldon, Julian Bliss and many others. [7]

Kennedy's "Lux Contritum (Broken Light)" an original choral piece with orchestral accompaniment commissioned by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia had its debut performance on April 17, 2018, at the Kimmel Center's Verizon Hall, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was conducted by Kennedy. [8]

September 2018, Kennedy presented a TedX Talk called Happy Accidents: Drumming Up Serendipity, which explores how serendipity, or happy accidents, can influence and change our lives. The talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxWilmington. [9]

In 2020 Kennedy founded The Rolling Buzzards Brigade, an American chamber ensemble that is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The ensemble creates virtual performances of arrangements of 18th Century military/patriotic music. [10]

The group has received widespread press coverage in Modern Drummer, [11] International Musician, the official journal of The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada., [12] Irish Philadelphia, [13] and Make Music Magazine. [13]

The group's recordings have also been premiered on US classical musical radio stations. Including WWFM, The Classical Network's show Cadenza with David Osenberg, [14] and on WLRH 89.3 FM/HD Huntsville's 2020 4 July celebration, "Benjamin Franklin's Favorite Protest Song of the Revolutionary War" [15]

Reception within the drumming community has been overwhelmingly positive, culminating in an online interview at DrummerNation.com, [16] hosted by Michael Vosbein, featuring Sean J. Kennedy, Bernie Dresel, Clayton Cameron and audio engineer Andrew Torre.

Members of The Rolling Buzzards Brigade include: Sean J. Kennedy, Bernie Dresel, Clayton Cameron, Chris Colaneri, Chris Coletti, David Earll, Evelyn Glennie, Neil Grover, Nitzan Haroz, Heather High-Kennedy, Tawnee Lynn, David Lu, Sherrie Maricle, Dave Nelson, Chihiro Shibayama, Gabriel Staznik, and John Wooton.

Sean J. Kennedy is a member of the Percussive Arts Society Drum Set Committee. [17]

Discography

With The Sean J. Kennedy Quartet

With The KAV Trio

With Ramblin' Ant & The Locust Street Band

With Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale

With Allentown Band

With The Frank DiBussolo Quartet

With Olesia Gordynsky

With The Bob Wagner Quartet

With The Rolling Buzzards Brigade

With Gardyn Jazz Orchestra

Publications

"Camp Jam: Rock Solid Drums" Carl Fischer Music co-author Liberty DeVitto [27]
"I Used to Play Drums" Carl Fischer Music co-author Liberty DeVitto [27]
"Improvising and Soloing In The Pocket" Carl Fischer Music co-author Richie Cannata [28]
"Sixty Second Solos" Alfred Music [29] [30]
"Help! I'm Not a Drummer!... but I have some in my ensemble" Carl Fischer Music [31]
June 2021 edition of Modern Drummer Magazine, featured article, "Mentor | Sean J. Kennedy Salutes Ray Deeley" [32]

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