Billy Ward is from Cincinnati Ohio. When he was nine, he began formal drum lessons with well-known local drummer, Jack Volk. "Mr. Volk was a stickler for holding the sticks properly, reading music and independence. He was a great teacher." While in the fifth grade, Billy began playing with local bands. Billy listened to, and tried to play, all kinds of music; from James Brown to Miles Davis; The Who to Charles Mingus.

At the age of fifteen, Billy got his first studio experience when he became the house drummer for a local Cincinnati gospel recording studio/label. While attending The Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, Billy says: "I had a technical gig mixing the sound at a Thad Jones/ Mel Lewis concert in Cincinnati and I met Mel Lewis, who said I needed to go to New York (to Frank Ippolito's Drum Shop) to get a set of K. Zildjian (Istanbul) cymbals. This was during the early 70's. In New York, I selected a set of K's with assistance from Papa Jo Jones, who was just hangin' out at the shop that
day!!!"

"I also got an extremely influencial drum lesson with Elvin Jones that, due to his generosity, lasted six hours! I will always be indebted to Mr. Jones for the many gifts he shared that day." Billy quit the conservatory in the second year when he realized that he wanted to play jazz and rock. "Counting two hundred and ten measures to play a two measure chime part wasn't my thing." His symphonic career ended, it was off to North Texas State University; a jazz school that emphasized playing ...

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Welcome to the site of Theo Brown. Theo is highly regarded as a very talented drummer and is well respected by those who have had the pleasure of working alongside him.
Theo Brown was Born in Philadelphia,Pennsylvania "The City of Brotherly Love" and grew up in South Jersey 20 minutes across the Ben Franklin Bridge.
At an early age Drum and music became an early passion.
Along the journey of learning the craft of drumming Theo would be befriended by jazz master drummer Sherman Ferguson, who is to this day Theo's number one most major influence and also master drum instructor Russ Moy. Between the two they provided a much needed introduction to the foundation of drumming and music.
Theo's musical influences include Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Hampton Hawes, Pat Martino, John Scofield, Mike Stern, McCoy Tyner, MeshellNdegeocello, Winter Consort, to Joni Mitchell , Alicia Keys, Jill Scott to gospel artists such as Kim Burrell, Fred Hammond, Tye Tribbett and Yolanda Adams to name a few and everything in between.
Theo has performed with guitarist Bernard Allison, W.C.Handy award winner blues guitar virtuoso Luther Allison, jazz trumpeter Randy Brecker and jazz pianist/composer/singer Eliane Elias , singer Edie Brickell, musician extraordinaire on keyboards and guitar Mel Brown, Chicago blues guitar great Michael Coleman, guitar phenom Jordan Cook, blues great Johnny "Clyde"Copeland, W.C. Handy award winning blues singer Shemekia Copeland, award winning r&b/blues musician Lowell Folsom, blues singer Sandra Hall, contemporary blues guitar great Michael Hill, Russell Jackson bassist extraordinaire formerly with B.B. King, Grammy award winning musician/producer Dan Lanois, world class bassist Dig Lewis, blues legend Robert Lockwood Jr., singer Janiva Magness, award winning musician/singer and historian of roots music Taj Mahal, R&B singer Jimmy McCracklin, jazz organist Jimmy McGriff, blues musician/singer Big Dave McLean, guitarist Bobby Murray, pianist Mark Naftalin an original member of The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Kenny Neal, piano playerJohnny Neel (Allman Bros. Govt. Mule), jazz flautist James Newton, ...

The website of drummer Scott Amendola. View his biography, discography, performance schedule, photos, download MP3s, and other fun stuff.

New York based drummer, Gary Weiss' home page. Jazz,rock,funk,latin,RealAudio,gig schedule.
Gary Weiss' dynamic drumming style has earned him the reputation of being one of the nation's finest and most respected musicians. He is a creative player who allows the sharp precision of his style to emerge without overshadowing the music. His energy and versatility intoxicate the listener.

He has entertained audiences for the past two decades in various clubs, as well as major venues, such as Madison Square Garden and the PNC Bank Arts Center. His intensity at a young age earned him a first place victory in the Louis Bellson/Slingerland Regional Drum Contest in 1979.

Gary is well versed in all genres of music and is a proficient chart reader. His talent, professionalism and reliabilty makes him number one on the list for any drumming situation.

Charles Connor's (Little Richard's original Drummer) Official
Web page.
CHARLES “Keep-A-Knockin” CONNOR, original drummer for Little Richard, created the unique “Choo Choo Train” style of successive eighth notes with a loud backbeat used by nearly all subsequent Rock 'n' Roll drummers and, in fact, his drumsticks are on display at the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland, Ohio.


The son of a chief chef Merchant Marine seaman and father from Santo-Domingo and a Louisiana-born mother, CONNOR reveals, "I was born in New Orleans, in the heart of the French Quarter, the very hub of Cajun, Blues and down-island rhythms. My mother told me that whenever music was played, I kicked really hard in her womb.” He grins and exclaims, “I was born to be a drummer!” He winks and continues, “Probably 'cuz of that exotic Creole and Dominican blood coursing through my veins,” then laughs mischievously.


As a toddler, CONNOR was drawn to marching parades and the “second-line funeral bands” playing Dixieland jazz through the streets of New Orleans and loved to hear his father, home on a three-month leave, sing Calypso songs around the house. Imitating the drums, CONNOR banged on pots and pans all-day and cried hard when his mother had to take them away to cook family meals.


Although his parents had two other sons and a daughter and could not afford expensive gifts, they saved enough money to buy CONNOR his first drum set when he was five. When his drumming became “a loud nuisance” to the neighbors, he practiced with his drumsticks four to five hours a day on a practice pad.


Inspired by such notables as Bob Alden, Art Blakey, Charles Otis, Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich and Max Roach, CONNOR dreamed big and diligently spent all his spare time working towards his goal of becoming “a professional drummer.” His hard work paid off at age 12 when he began playing drums for local parties and wedding receptions, but his “professional” career began at 15 when Roy “Professor Longhair” Byrd hired him as a last-minute replacement for the 1950 Mardi Gras in New Orleans.


With family blessings and his mother's sage advice, “never use your skin color as an excuse; never doubt yourself; if you believe in yourself, everybody else will, too,” CONNOR went on to drum for Smiley Lewis, Guitar Slim, Jack Dupree then Shirley and Lee.


At 18, CONNOR joined flamboyant Little Richard's original road band, The Upsetters, his joy marred only by the deep racial intolerance the band had to endure. CONNOR says, “[Black] musicians back then didn't have Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr to motivate them. We had to find inspiration from our faith and within our hearts.”


CONNOR cocks his head and says, “Little Richard was an ingenious promoter. To draw attention to his band and ensure they could perform on stage, he had to show bigots that the band wouldn't threaten their way of life. Little Richard promoted the band and avoided racial prejudice by insisting the musicians wear thick pancake makeup and act effeminate!”


CONNOR pulls at his chin, and then smiles as he admits, “ I really had fun. I worked with artists like Lloyd Price during vacations from Little Richard and, since Little Richard and James Brown shared the same booking agent, on "off-nights" I appeared with “The Godfather of Soul,” who coined the phrase, “CONNOR was the first to put the funk in the rhythm!”


CONNOR continues: “I was 20 when Little Richard's band toured the United States in 1955. We played all the major theaters, including such prestigious venues as the Turner Arena and Howard Theater in Washington, D.C.; the Royal Theater in Baltimore, Maryland; the Apollo Theater in Harlem and the Paramount Theater with Alan Freed in Brooklyn.” He says in awe, “In New York, the white teenagers saw blacks having so much fun that they would dance in the aisles with them! Man, those were heady times,” and chuckles aloud.


While on a 1955 tour of Japan and the Philippines, a young girl approached CONNOR, and asked for an autograph, but he had no idea then that she would later influence his life. The years disappear as he grins and, in wonderment, says “[For some reason] I wrote: I hope you come to America someday. Keep Rock 'n' Roll in your life.”


Gaining momentum in 1956, Little Richard's band appeared in such popular feature films as “The Girl Can't Help It” with actress Jayne Mansfield; “Don't Knock the Rock” and “Mr. Rock 'n' Roll.” Then, as Rock 'n' Roll exploded on the music scene, the band recorded several hit songs like “Keep-A-Knockin',” featuring CONNOR'S first four-bar drum intro on a Rock 'n' Roll record; “ Ooh! My Soul,” also featuring CONNOR'S distinctive "Choo Choo Train" beat; and “She's Got It,” with a regular backbeat. CONNOR reminisces, “The Civil Rights Act may have been passed in 1964, but Rock 'n' Roll music brought young people and the world together a decade earlier.” He concludes proudly, “We got respect and power; our popularity cut across racial lines” ...