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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 two critically acclaimed CDs: 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. 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. In addition to performing, Kennedy has been teaching drums and percussion for nearly two decades and maintains a busy private studio. He is also a secondary level instrumental music teacher for the School District of Upper Dublin, located in suburban Philadelphia, and 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 a new drumset method book with rock drumming legend Liberty DeVitto entitled Rock Solid - Drums (Carl Fischer Music Publishing). The 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. A follow-up DVD to Rock Solid – Drums and two brand new drumset method books by the Kennedy/DeVitto team are currently in production. 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 Bosphorus Cymbals, Vic Firth Drumsticks, and Evans Drumheads.  Check out four new drum lessons by Sean featured on DrummerCafe.com!! Transcription: New York State of Mind Rockin' The Waltz Ray's Triplets Do You Really Know it?
The SJK4 performing "Boogaloo Sub" on NBC 10!
 "All the guys in your group play great. Your drumming sounds like it should--it swings!" -Dave Brubeck |
Sean performing "Some Skunk Funk" with the legend Will Lee!!
Sean J. Kennedy and Liberty DeVitto's
Watch the ROCK SOLID DRUMS studio band (above) play live on NBC!!
Liberty and Sean featured on Mike Dolbear's Drum Channel talking about ROCK SOLID: DRUMS
Promo trip to NAMM 2010 for ROCK SOLID: DRUMS
The SJK4's CD "Queen Anne's Revenge" recent review at the U.K's top drum website:  Bob Mintzer sitting in with The Sean J. Kennedy Quartet, playing one of Sean's originals: Boogaloo Sub!
Sean J. Kennedy is proud Artist Endorser for the following companies, please click the logos to visit their websites!
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