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Sean J. Kennedy

Sean J. Kennedy is equally at home on the concert stage or in the teaching studio. His drumset playing has been described as, “…very soulful,” by renowned bassist Will Lee, and jazz legend Dave Brubeck stated that Sean’s drumming, “… sounds like it should— it swings!” To date, The Sean J. Kennedy Quartet has released three critically acclaimed CDs: Hey! Where's My Tux?!, Road to Wailea, and Queen Anne's Revenge. Due to the success of these recordings the quartet has performed on NBC television and was invited to open for Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia. Because of his versatility, Kennedy has also been able to record and perform with some of the world’s top jazz, classical and rock musicians, including Will Lee, Bob Mintzer, Liberty DeVitto, Richie Cannata, Ricky Byrd, Frank DiBussolo, Donald Nally and the late Dr. Frederick Fennell.

When not recording and performing with his own group, Kennedy is a busy freelance drumset and percussion artist. He has been the principal drumset player with The Philadelphia Boys Choir and Chorale since 2005, and can be heard on their new CD Celebrate the Sounds of the Season and seen performing with them on Good Morning America. In the fall of 2009 Kennedy was invited to perform with the critically acclaimed Video Games Live Orchestra, making stops in Philadelphia at The Kimmel Center’s Verizon Hall and in New York City, on Broadway, at the legendary Beacon Street Theatre. Other prestigious venues which Kennedy has performed at include The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C, Avery Fischer Hall at Lincoln Center, in New York City, The Music Center at Strathmore in Bethesda, Maryland, World Café Live, Chris Jazz Café, and The Academy of Music in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. And since June 2011 one of Sean's side groups, The KAV Trio, has been the official band of The Philadelphia Phillies pre-game show "Behind the Pinstripes" with Scott Palmer, with frequent performances at Citizen's Bank Park. (They always swing, even if the ball players don't!)

In addition to performing, Kennedy has been teaching drums and percussion for nearly two decades and maintains a busy private studio. At home in the Philadelphia area, he is a secondary level instrumental music teacher, as well as a college-level music instructor. As a sought-after composer, he has also been commissioned on numerous occasions to create regional and state-level audition pieces. As an active clinician he has presented master classes for students in elementary through the university level. Recent clinic stops have included the Berks Jazz Festival in Reading, Pennsylvania and Fairfield-Ludlow High School’s Jazz Night Festival in Fairfield, Connecticut.

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Album Review

Sean J Kennedy Quartet: Queen Anne's Revenge

Read "Queen Anne's Revenge" reviewed by Larry Geiger


Queen Anne's Revenge, according to the well-written liner notes, refers to the stolen ship that Blackbeard used to plunder the Caribbean in the early eighteenth century. It was eventually consumed by the sea, showing that good can triumph over evil. Like those epic battles for survival on the high seas of yore, the title track pits drummers Liberty DeVito and Sean Kennedy against each other in a modern musical re-creation of battle.

Kennedy's energy and talent as a ...

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"I really enjoyed drummer and composer Sean Kennedy's new CD "Road to Wailea" His compositions are highly enjoyable! The compositions Sean wrote for members of his family I found most enjoyable and being a family man myself can identify with the sentiment found in each of the compositions. Whether it's a straight ahead rhythm, Latin beat or Funk groove, drummer and composer Sean Kennedy and the fine musicians on this CD take you on a great musical journey as they travel down the "Road to Wailea!"

-Eric Mintel, The Eric Mintel Quartet

"...got the CD and it sounds great. Love the compositions, your playing and its always great to hear Larry. Some people say you are judged by the company you keep and you keep great company. Congrats on a great project!!"

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Primary Instrument

Drums

Location

Philadelphia

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Credentials/Background

In addition to an active performance schedule, Kennedy has been teaching drums and percussion for nearly two decades and maintains a busy private studio. At home in the Philadelphia area, he is a secondary level instrumental music teacher, as well as a college-level music instructor. As a sought-after composer, he has also been commissioned on numerous occasions to create regional and state-level audition pieces. As an active clinician he has presented master classes for students in elementary through the university level. Recent clinic stops have included the Berks Jazz Festival in Reading, Pennsylvania and Fairfield-Ludlow High School’s Jazz Night Festival in Fairfield, Connecticut. Kennedy’s pedagogical pursuits include writing two new drumset method books with rock drumming legend Liberty DeVitto entitled Rock Solid - Drums (Carl Fischer Music Publishing). This book is being used nationwide and has received glowing endorsements from Dame Evelyn Glennie, Bernard Purdie, and the Camp Jam and Little Kids Rock summer music programs. Modern Drummer Magazine awarded the book a coveted four star rating. The second book is for former drummers who miss jamming on the kit, entitled I Used to Play Drums: An Innovative Method for Adults Returning to Play. Kennedy has also been commissioned on multiple occasions by PMEA to compose regional and state-level percussion audition compositions for unaccompanied snare drum, mallet percussion and timpani. Kennedy has a B.S. in Music Education and an M.M. in Percussion Performance from West Chester University, and is an Artist Endorser for Zildjian Cymbals, Vic Firth Drumsticks, Casio Keyboards and Evans Drumheads. Some schools and venues that Sean J. Kennedy has taught, presented clinics/master classes and/or adjudicated: The Berks Jazz Fest, Reading, PA Perkiomen Valley Middle School West & East, Perkiomen Valley, PA Lower Gwynedd Elementary School, Ambler, PA Tamanend Middle School, Warrington, PA Ludlowe-Fairfield High School, Fairfield, CT West Chester University, West Chester, PA Williamsport Area High School, Williamsport, PA St. Catherine's of Siena School, Horsham, PA Schnecksville Elementary School, Schnecksville, PA Springfield Township High School/Middle School, Erdenheim, PA Upper Moreland High School, Willow Grove, PA Upper Moreland Middle School, Hatboro, PA Keith Valley Middle School, Horsham, PA Lower Moreland High School, Huntingdon Valley, PA Murray Avenue Middle School, Huntingdon Valley, PA Sandy Run Middle School, Dresher, PA Upper Dublin High School, Ft. Washington, PA C.B. West High School, Doylestown, PA Downingtown Area High School, Downingtown, PA Bishop McDevitt High School, Glenside, PA Archbishop Wood High School, Warminster, PA Reading High School, Reading, PA Great Valley High School/Middle School, Devault, PA Pennsbury Middle School, Levittown, PA Caln Elementary School, Coatsville, PA Colonial Middle School, Plymouth Meeting, PA Abington Junior High School, Abington, PA Springside School, Philadelphia, PA Hatboro-Horsham High School, Horsham, PA Spring-Ford High School, Royersford, PA Calvert Hall College High School, Baltimore, MD The NAMM Show in Anaheim California Montgomery County Community College Hershey Convention Center and Lodge, PMEA State Convention

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