Pocono Percussion

Long Time Comin' at the Speakeasy Pocono Manor, PA.

2010-12-20T16:42:00.001-08:00

PLAYING WITH THE ROBB TAYLOR BAND

2010-08-12T20:18:00.000-07:00

PLAYING DRUMS WITH THE ROBB TAYLOR BAND AT THE CROCODILE ROCK. WE WERE OPENING FOR TAYLOR HICKS, STAR OF AMERICAN IDOL.

Tobyhanna Day 7/10/2010

2010-07-19T20:51:00.000-07:00

Tobyhanna Day in the Poconos. Playing drums with Long Time Comin' and jammin' with the Surreal McCoys!!!

Slick's Blues Band at Beltville....

2010-04-24T14:04:00.001-07:00

Some photos from Slick's Blues Band playing at The Beltzville Inn, April 23rd, 2010.

Have to add this photo from Halloween 2009.

2010-03-30T10:30:00.000-07:00

Ok, just couldn't resist throwing this pic online. It is from 2009 at The Edelweiss Alpine Bar in Blakeslee. I was playing with the band, Long Time Comin'. The costumes were made by Meg the bass player/singer by hand!! Bet you didn't know that KISS had a percussionist, did you???

Fall 2009.

2009-10-04T17:14:00.000-07:00

Why, oh why do I not update this webpage?? I would like to be hard on myself but in all fairness once-upon-a-time there was only one site for me. But now there is MySpace, Facebook, Youtube, Pocono Music Exchange, Pocono Jazz and Poetry, etc... I spend more time uploading pics and vids than practicing paradiddles!! Anyhow, its great to be back on this site and posting pictures and info. First off, I would like to give thanks to my students for their hard work and dedication. Their interest and enjoyment of music is absolutely inspirational! Secondly to all of the bands and entertainers that I have had the pleasure of working with this year, I would like to offer a note of gratitude and appreciation for sharing the experience of making music together.
I will be posting some pics here from some different venues in the Poconos and sharing some memorable moments from the summer. There are a few other sites I would like to list here. Check out Long Time Comin' at Myspace by clicking http://www.myspace.com/ltcband. You can see us on Facebook by clicking: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Long-Time-Comin/122177875339?ref=search&sid=100000205292763.1050812779..1.
I know, I know. Facebook has ridiculously long URL's!! You can see read an interview by Deb Burke at: http://www.poconojazzandpoetry.com/music.html about lessons and teaching theories. Well, that's all for now. Take care.

Fall 2008

2008-10-22T19:34:00.001-07:00

What a magnificent Autumn we are having this year in the Poconos!! The best Fall Foliage in years! Well, musically things have been great this Fall. I had the opportunity to perform with the Rita Tucker Band at an open-air, Fall Festival at Arrowhead Lakes. The weather was great, the band sounded great, and best of all: I got to gig with my oldest son, Kenny!! The band consisted of Rita, a local singer with a great voice and covers tunes ranging from country to rock and roll. Her son Derek also sings lead and plays acoustic guitar. We performed some of his original songs at the event as well. Kenny played electric guitar and used his effects pedal to cover some of the bass parts for several songs. The wonders of technology!
Also this Fall, we had some special events at the church. Father Torpe celebrated his 25th Jubilee at Our Lady of The Lake and the timpani were beating out the sounds of celebration! A special prayer service ordered by the Bishop of the Scranton Diocese required an impromptu musical arrangement which was well handled by our resident music director and participating music ministry.
More music performance updates will be posted soon as well as some upcoming events!! Yes, a new alliance with a great local band is in the works....more to come!
As for DJ Krazy Kat Ken this Fall, there were several private parties that went very well. This Saturday October 25th is a Costume Party at the church hall for all ages. I'll be spinning dance tunes, 50's-60's, disco, and many, many Halloween songs for the kids.
Lessons are going well and I have been asked to give a percussion demonstration at the local school where my younger son attends.
That's all for now, cheers!

Yearly Update Summer 2008

2008-07-26T15:37:00.000-07:00

Yes, with time comes change and new and exciting events! Over the past year the bands that I have performed with have had some personnel changes--as bands usually do these days. However, the Robb Taylor Band is still rockin' on strong and the Jazz Band has changed to a smaller, more focused group designed for the more intimate settings of the local scene.
The teaching studio has had its first student recital with great success. The recital was performed at Shirley Futch Plaza in East Stroudsburg, PA in July to a very receptive and gracious crowd. The recital consisted of performances on Classical Guitar by my son, Kenny and his student: Michael Cavanaugh. Also performing were my students: Collin Bevan (snare drum solo and percussion solo) and Brandon DePerro (snare drum solo). Our special guest performer was Scott Pensack of Music Box Studios in Tannersville. Scott performed a variety of Classical, Jazz, and original tunes on guitar to the delight of the audience and was very much appreciated by all. We ended the recital with a Brazilian impromptu Jam Session and had a lot of fun!
Also new this year is the birth of Krazy Kat Ken also know as DJ Krazy Ken. My love of music and being involved with the community has opened up a door to the world of Mobile DJ'ing. Having a PA system around sitting dormant between gigs spawned the notion that there is another way to stay involved in the music scene and offer more entertainment choices. Volunteer events at the church have gone very well and bigger venues have been met with success as well.
Well, thanks for checking in to this blog. Stay tuned for more..........soon.
Ken.

KMB at Emerald Grille

2007-08-23T21:22:00.001-07:00

New Jersey State Fair 2007

2007-08-23T21:18:00.000-07:00

Much has Changed

2007-08-02T22:03:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to the site. Much has changed since I first started this website. I am now involved in 2 bands. I have met a talented songwriter, Robb Taylor, and have been performing with Robb from the Poconos to West Virginia!!! I have also started my own band: the Ken Meyer Band as well. The KMB is a Jazz band first and foremost but we dabble in some light Funk and Fusion. I am blessed to have 3 great performers in the band. Gil Young is a talented bassist from California who has a work ethic beyond description. He now resides in Scranton and plays with a hard core blues band as well as KMB. Chris Moravek has been raised in Chicago and is a top notch session player in New York. He plays almost anything with a reed on it with superior talent and creativity. Lastly but not by any means leastly is our star: Barbara Little who is a singer beyond compare. Barbara is an upfront and personal singer who leaves the audience spellbound with her stark charm. She doesn't just sing a song, she presents the lyrics with feeling and emotion and leaves a lasting impression on all those witnessing the musical experience!
Please stay tuned as more is sure to follow!

the Robb Taylor Band

2007-08-02T22:00:00.000-07:00

2007-02-14T08:09:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Drumming
Intro
This posting will cover a few points for students and parents
regarding lessons, payments, practicing, and materials. If you have
any questions at any time, please email me at
yourdrumteacher@yahoo.com.

Lessons:

One half-hour lesson per week is suggested for basic drum lessons.
Students at an advanced level who wish to study additional
instruments such as Xylophone, bells, or Latin Percussion
Instruments may require longer sessions. Keeping consistent with
weekly lessons is of great benefit to the student and greatly increases
proficiency at the fastest rate. Lessons are provided for a fee of
$15.00 per half hour session or $25.00 for an hour. Basic drum
lessons start with learning proper techniques for the snare drum and
the drumset. The focus here will be on holding the sticks properly,
reading drum music, learning the rudiments on the snare drum,
developing coordination, timing, and learning basic music theory. On
the drumset, students will learn how to play rhythms in many
different styles such as Rock, Jazz, and Funk and learn how to read
music specifically for the drumset. The studies for Advanced
Students will contain learning scales, chords, mallet technique, sight
reading, and performance pieces such as sonatas and ragtime songs.
This is just a short list to provide for you a brief description of what
will be covered during lessons.

Practicing:

Yes, practice makes perfect and its effects will be obvious!! So
parents, please encourage your child to practice each night. A little
focused and purposeful practice session goes a long way. Each
student will always have an assignment to work on, possibly several
between lessons. Students should try to budget at least 15 to 20
minutes a day/night for practice time.

Materials:

Ok, before you go out and spend a fortune on a drumset first read
this.........Don’t! For the beginner it is not necessary. What a
beginning drum student should have is something called a Practice
Pad. It is a small, flat, round pad that looks like a drum but is not as
loud. Usually the pad is designed to mount on a stand but again,
that isn’t necessary although it’s handy. I would suggest the Remo
Practice Pad in an 8 inch or 10 inch size. There are many, many
different types and styles at prices from $8.95 to $89.95!! The Remo
is the cheapest and best bang for the buck at around $10.00 but feel
free to purchase whatever type you wish. Another necessity for the
drummer is drumsticks and lesson books. Drumsticks come in many
sizes and weights. Some sticks are designed only for the marching
snare drum and would be too big for the drumset. Some are very thin
and are too light for the beginner to develop good stick technique. So
to start, I would recommend a general type stick that is usable on
both the snare and drumset. Vic Firth is a brand that has a model
called the SD1 General for example which is pretty good for most
people . At the first lesson, we’ll try several different models to see
what’s best. As far as lesson books, the first snare drum book used is
called “Fundamental Studies For Snare Drum” by Garwood Whaley
and the first drumset book is “Realistic Rock” by Carmine Appice.
These books are not necessary for the first lesson but should be
purchased as soon as possible. Handouts will be given at the first
lesson covering the basics.

Where to Buy...

Locally, there are not many music stores to choose from so please
check your phone book to find a store convenient for you.
However, on the internet you can find a huge selection of competitive
stores with a large variety of gear. I would recommend highly:
www.steveweissmusic.com as your first stop. Steve Weiss specializes
in all things percussion!! Other good spots are:

The Guitar Center: www.guitarcenter.com (they also have a store
near the Whitehall Mall)

Dave Phillips Music and Sound: www.davephillipsmusic.com (retail
store in Bethlehem)

Music123: www.music123.com

The Musicians Friend: www.musiciansfriend.com

ZZounds: www.zzounds.com

Thanks and remember that you can contact me with any questions.

Ken Meyer