The Official Website of Keith Carlock, drummer for Donald Fagen, Walter Becker, Sting, Steely Dan, Wayne Krantz, David Johansen and more.
In 2003's Modern Drummer cover story on Keith, Ken Micallef writes, "Since his arrival in New York City from Clinton via North Texas State University, Keith Carlock has scurried up the drumming food chain with an inventive style that is equal parts Zigaboo Modeliste fire, Jon Christensen finesse, and Bernard Purdie funk.... Keith Carlock's achievements prove that talent, skill, and determination is no respecter of locales."

Clinton, Mississippi is is where Keith Carlock was born and raised and where he started playing the drums at age 5. In High School, he joined the jazz band, show choir and drum corps. During that period he would also listen to a lot of rock, R&B and soul music - artists including Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind & Fire, and Tower of Power.

He would spend countless hours playing along to records from John Scofield, Michel Camilo and The Meters, to name a few. Keith also joined several top-40 bands. "I practiced all the time, so much that my parents built me a soundproof room in the garage. I began taking lessons with George Lawrence and later Quinous Johnson in Jackson, Mississippi. And they both turned me on to jazz and fusion."

After receiving music scholarships to Berklee, University of Miami and North Texas State, Keith chose to attend North Texas State University in Denton, Texas because he wanted to study with Ed Soph (pictured left). Of his experience with Ed, Keith says, "He completely changed my approach to the drums; thinking of the drums in a musical way instead of only being a timekeeper for songs. He's able to find your weaknesses. He teaches you how to play jazz standards on the drums, soloing concepts, and ways to get different sounds out of the drums. My technique changed drastically. I came from a drum corps background. I was in a really good high school band, but I wasn't loose. Soph helped me to loosen up by teaching me the 'Moeller' technique. Depending on the style and feel of music being played, I learned to change my technique to make the music hopefully feel better and have a flow" ...

Jack Mouse: Chicago Jazz drummer's website include endorsements, biography, CDs, Clinics, Articles, Jazz Education, Lyrics and itinerary, etc ...
Drummer Jack Mouse's extensive background began when, upon graduating from college, he spent three years as featured soloist with the "Falconaires," the official jazz ensemble of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has since performed with such outstanding jazz artists as Stan Kenton, Clark Terry, Herb Ellis, Joe Williams, Carl Fontana, James Moody, Randy Brecker, Billy Taylor, Steve Erquiaga, Frank Wess, Kai Winding, Kenny Burrell, Bill Evans, Jon Faddis, Bob Mintzer, Red Norvo, Sammy Nestico, Marc Johnson, Chuck Israels, James Williams, Gary Bartz, Bobby Watson, Matt Harris, Steve Rodby, Dianne Reeves, Sheila Jordan, Janice Borla, Jay Clayton, Karrin Allyson, Judy Niemack, Roseanna Vitro, Kitty Margolis, Madeline Eastman, Judi Silvano, Suzanne Pittson, Joshua Breakstone, Fareed Haque, Bobby Broom, Rufus Reid, Lou Marini, Mike Wofford, Holly Hoffman, Jack Reilly, Buddy Childers, Claire Daly, Pete Malinverni, Matteson/Phillips TubaJazz Consort, Johnny Smith, Peanuts Hucko, Phil Wilson, Roger Pemberton Big Band, Bobby Shew, Norris Turney, Chicago Jazz Quintet, John LaPorta, Jerry Hahn, Chris Woods, Buster Cooper, Ashley Alexander, Michael Mossman, Floyd Standifer, Dan Haerle, Bob Bowman, Dave Tofani, Jeanfrancois Prins, Ted Dunbar, Jack Petersen, Buddy Baker, Claude Williams, Jack Six, John Fedchock, Jay Andersen, Johnny Frigo, Willie Pickens, Rich Fudoli, Mark Colby, Frank Caruso, Art Davis and John McLean ...

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” ...

Roxy Music Drummer Paul Thompson official Home Page - including - Biography, discography ,equipment and influences, plus guestbook.
Paul was born in Newcastle on 13th May 1951 and went to live in Jarrow at the age of six months .He attended West Simonside infants and junior school, "I remember the music lessons in the infants,there were drums ,triangles,bells ,tambourines etc, I always wanted to try the drum, but never got picked , so one day I waited until everyone left the classroom ,I slung the drum over my shoulder and rattled out a tune, thats when I knew I could play !".

"A meccano set,cardboard boxes,and biscuit tins,along with an aptitude for making things, developed into my first drum kit. I used to play along to records,The Beatles,The Stones and the Tornado's,I hadn't yet developed enough mechanical skill to make a bass drum pedal , so I used to stamp on the floor!".

"At the tender age of eleven I persuaded my parents to let me buy a drum, I'd spotted it in a neighbours catalogue, it was called a Kat-Kit, a 14"x3" snare with calf heads and a 10" cymbal on an arm attached to the stand, still no bass drum , still stamping on the floor,but I did manage to join a band " Johnny Blue & The Blue Boys" they were called".

School days :- "sometimes ended up going round to a friends house( Bryan Luke) to play on his old antiquated kit, he did have a bass drum though, and I did learn a lot, playing along to Bobby Elliot and the Hollies ...

Drummer Sylvia Cuenca's website features sound bites, itinerary, projects, biography equipment and drum set-up.
SYLVIA CUENCA is an active young drummer on the New York jazz scene who is contributing outstanding performances in a variety of situations. Recently, she has been performing extensively with trumpet legend Clark Terry as part of his quintet. This group performs annually at the Village Vanguard and the Blue Note in New York City, on the Royal Caribbean and the S.S. Norway jazz cruises as well as many clubs, concerts and jazz festivals. In addition to working with Clark Terry, Ms. Cuenca has performed with artists such as trombonist Al Grey, saxophonists Red Halloway, Jimmy Heath and Frank Wess, to name a few.

Other achievements include several tours of Europe and the United States with saxophonist Joe Henderson. Since 1987, this quartet performed at the Taxi International Jazz Festival in Milano, Italy, the Brecon Jazz Festival in England, the Viersen Jazz Festival and the Burghausen Jazz Festival in Germany, as well as many concerts in Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, England, Switzerland and France. In a trio setting, she performed with Joe Henderson and Charlie Haden in 1989 and also with Joe Henderson and George Mraz in 1994.

As a sideman, Ms. Cuenca has performed and toured with such jazz luminaries as Eddie Henderson, Gary Bartz, Kenny Drew, Jr., John Hicks, George Cables, Marian McPartland, Jon Faddis, Frank Foster's Loud Minority Big Band, Ed Cherry, Bootsie Barnes Kenny Barron, Hilton Ruiz, Dave Valentin, Michael Brecker, Ray Drummond, Ralph Moore, Regina Carter, Richie Cole, Billy Taylor, James Spaulding, Emily Remler, Valery Ponomarov, Houston Person, Mulgrew Miller, Lew Tabackin, Lou Soloff, Jon Hendricks, Etta Jones, Helen Merrill, Dianne Reeves, Dave Stryker, Stan Getz, Nicholas Payton, Joshua Redman, Vincent Herring, Jesse Davis, Mingus Big Band, The Boys Choir of Harlem and the European based Vienna Art Orchestra, as well as her recordings as a leader, The Crossing and Exit 13 ...