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” ...

Jazz drummer Terri Lyne Carrington's website includes bio, itinerary, reviews, drum set-up, cds, etc ...
World-renowned drummer, composer, producer and clinician, Terri Lyne Carrington, has maintained her status in the industry as a person to watch for over 20 years.

Born in Medford, Massachusetts in 1965, Terri developed a reputation as a child prodigy, jamming with jazz veterans Dizzy Gillespie, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Oscar Peterson, Joe Williams, and many more. At 7, she was given her first set of drums, which had belonged to her grandfather, Matt Carrington, who had played with Fats Waller and Chu Berry. After studying privately for three years, she played her first major performance at the Wichita Jazz Festival with Clark Terry. Shortly afterward she received a full scholarship at age 11 to Berklee College of Music where she started playing with such people as Kevin Eubanks, Mike Stern, Greg Osby and others. She also studied under master drum instructor Alan Dawson and made a private recording entitled, TLC and Friends, with Kenny Barron, Buster Williams, George Coleman and her dad, Sonny Carrington, before turning 17 ...

Robert Rachelli - pro drummer available for recording sessions, touring and sub work. Playing the drums is not just a hobby, or a way to bring in income to support my family; drumming is the central rhythm in how I live my life, and it has been for nearly 20 years.
Throughout my drumming career I have been in a number of bands, touring primarily with Ventura and Santa Barbara groups. Additionally, I have also toured with Steel Pulse and opened for many well-known national acts.

My musical background experience is rich and varied. I am able to put in a groove or make up a part on-the-fly when I am recording in studio sessions, which is one of the reasons why Ed Kowalczyk (founding member/lead singer of Live) and John Locke (keyboardist for Nazareth and founding member/keyboardist of Spirit) love to record with me.

David Oromaner, information, music, photos, bio, equipment, discography.
Known for his versatility, vibrant live energy, and musical malleability, David Oromaner has entered the realm of New York City's in-demand drummers. His diverse background as a musician ranges from live performances, studio sessions and recording dates, to Carnegie-Hall neighborhood clinics, Cabarets, and finally to teaching his craft.

Growing up in the suburbs of Long Island, David was constantly surrounded by music. "My earliest musical memories are of my older cousin Richard playing drums in his basement for hours. There was just something about being surrounded by sound—a raw, primal energy that instantly got me hooked." Adding to the fire was David's musically obsessed older brother, who would blast Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, and Pink Floyd from his boom box, which was set at no less than an "11." In addition to influences seeping in from his bedroom wall, David was also discovering classical and jazz on his own. The objects of his admiration included Basie, Roach, Bonham, Bruford, Peart, and John Williams. The combination of all these influences helped shape David as a drummer, which he became at the early age of eleven, when he inherited his cousin's drums.

However, from ages 10 to 17, David's main instrument was trumpet. David attented Wantagh High School, where he studied theory and jazz improvisation under the tutelage of Rolann Masciarelli. As a senior he was awarded the prestigious' Louis Armstrong Jazz Award.' In addition to trumpet studies, David pursued private drum lessons at the Long Island Drum Center with a great teacher and fusion drummer named Dave Stark. David then went on to pursue both business and music at SUNY Albany, where he studied with percussionist Richard Abagli and jazz drummer Dave Calarco.

After college, David relocated to Atlanta, Georgia. One of the first musicians he met was guitarist Dan Marshall, who had recently opened the doors to his studio in Little Five Points, called 'Levelheads.' David began laying down live,' pre-produced' drum tracks at the studio in order to develop recording techniques and sounds. Eventually, he garnered the attention of various Atlanta based singer/songwriters who needed drum tracks for their LPs and demos ...

Jim Walent's Official Web Site.
drummer:
I've been playing drums for about 23 years.
I've studied privately for about 3/4 of that time. But not always
in that time signature. (musician humor)

Over the years,
I've studied privately with John Smith (Really), Tim Egan, Charlie
Blanchette, Ed Kaspic, Steve Wilkes, and Dave DiCenso.

I played in various bands in and out of school from elementary through
High school including a big band orchestra called Swing Teens.

I attended Berklee College of Music from the Fall of 92' through the
Spring of 93' At Berklee I studied with Steve Wilkes, Larry Finn, Alan Hall,
and Ed Kaspic.

I am versed in most styles of music and can adapt to
almost any situation musically and personally ...