Click an instructor's portrait to learn more about him.
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Dennis Chambers
Irrefutably one of the world’s funkiest drummers, Dennis Chambers has recorded and performed with Santana, Parliament/Funkadelic, John Scofield, Carl Filipiak, Steely Dan, John McLaughlin, Mike Stern, Niacin, and many others. A child prodigy, Dennis started playing drums at the age of four and was performing in nightclubs at the age of six. Although Dennis has no formal training, he received an Honorary Doctorate from Berkelee College of Music in Boston. Well-known among drummers for his explosive technique and speed, Dennis exhibits a powerful style that is technically proficient yet highly musical and groove-oriented. He can play in a wide variety of musical genres, but is most known for his contributions to jazz, funk, and Latin music.
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Giovanni Hidalgo
Giovanni Hidalgo is a legendary Puerto Rican percussionist. The sounds of his childhood were dominated by drums, bongos, congas, and timbales, with much of his early education coming from his father, a renowned conga player in his own right. In the 1980s, Giovanni travelled to Cuba to work with the Batacumbele Band. Through this experience he formed a partnership with the musician Changuito, and together they were able to create a unique style of rhythm, ushering in a new musical era in Latin music. Giovanni has also played and recorded with the likes of Eddie Palmieri and jazz legend Dizzie Gillespie. From 1992 to 1996 Giovanni held a teaching position at the Berklee College of Music, where he taught all types of rhythms, including Puerto Rican, Cuban, reggae, African, and jazz. He continues to tour today and is widely regarded as the greatest living conga player.
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Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez
Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez is a Grammy Award-winning Cuban drummer and percussionist who plays on the cutting edge of today's music. “El Negro” first gained international recognition playing drums for the extraordinary pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba. Since leaving Cuba in 1990, Hernandez made a name for himself in the US as Afro-Cuban’s most visible drummer. A true master of Latin rhythm, his command of the clave leaves even the best drummers in amazement. Whether playing with jazz legends like McCoy Tyner or Michel Camilo, rock stars like Carlos Santana or Steve Winwood, or as a member of renowned Latin ensembles like Tito Puente's Tropi-Jazz All Stars, “El Negro” has earned a strong reputation as one of the most powerful and versatile players in the current musical scene.
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Mike Mangini
Drumming since the age of five, Mike Mangini first gained notoriety as the drummer for the rock band Extreme, where he quickly established his reputation as a rock-drumming virtuoso. His style is an amalgamation of speed, power, dexterity, and pure musicality. Mike's list of credits includes artists such as Steve Vai, Mike Keneally, Nuno Bettencourt, and Annihilator. Mike is also notorious for having held the record for three out of four World's Fastest Drummer records. Today, Mike is a teacher at the Berklee College of Music in Boston and has written two books on drumming technique. These books, titled Rhythm Knowledge are a practice method for deconstructing and simplifying complex polyrhythms and time signatures. |
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Kenwood Dennard
Kenwood Dennard is a world-class drummer, composer, teacher, and philosopher. Having been classically trained in both piano and drums since he was a child, Kenwood graduated Magna Cum Laude from Berklee College of Music in 1976. His impressive resume includes performances and recordings with Miles Davis, Maceo Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, George Benson, Art Blakey, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Whitney Houston, Quincy Jones, Bobby McFerrin, John McLaughlin, Charles Mingus, Tito Puente, John Scofield, Sting, Luther Vandross, and many more. Today, Kenwood is a renowned Berklee professor who encourages his students to think (and groove) outside the box.
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Raul Rekow
Characterized as a “force of rhythmic nature”, Raul Rekow is a self-taught percussionist who has mastered the art of Afro-Cuban beats. Raul has played congas with Carlos Santana since 1976, participating in the groundbreaking melding of Latin, rock, and funk styles that characterizes the band's history. For over twenty years, Rekow has added his pulsating and colorful rhythms to the Santana sound that has captivated audiences worldwide. Over the years, Raul has also lent his talents to recording and performing artists, including Aretha Franklin, Patti Labelle, Whitney Houston, Tremaine Hawkins, and Herbie Hancock. He has a ‘Signature Series’ conga drum and bongo made by Latin Percussion and has developed an interactive DVD where students and fans can play along with his magical beats.
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Flo Mounier
Born in France in 1974, Flo Mounier moved to Chicago 7 years later, where at the age of 13 the ground work was laid and his drumming career started with drum teacher Tony Castelli. A year later, and now in Montreal, he continued to gather ammunition and to develop his skills. His hard work paid off as he soon became one of the most recognized drummers within the metal scene. Drummer for the band Cryptopsy (formerly known as Necrosis), he has toured Canada, Europe, Japan, and the United States as a headlining act over the last 3 years, and combined record sales have reached over 145,000 copies to date. |
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