As we get ready to wind the clocks back an hour again….I am winding back over 2009…and I have to say it is the best year I have had in LA.  I have been Blessed with so many wonderful music making experiences and the fun and sun that is LA.  I still have several wonderful things on the books for the rest of the year….but it is nice to reflect on such a great year here in paradise.

So with twitter and all the other online information, I realize I haven’t updated the blog here at Slammin Sammy K in a while.  2009 has been an interesting journey full of challenge and triumph, and it isn’t slowing down now.  I have played some great gigs this year, Amy Cook’s movie opened with me playing….well…ME!  I have ridden some great roller coasters, played golf with friends, and enjoyed Drumming as much as I ever have.  Levi Kreis and Travis Howard have been active playing and recording, and I have enjoyed making music with those guys.  I taught at the International Music Camp and the Miami Valley Jazz Camp, and had 41 wonderful students between the two.  I had a great time teaching and learning during those weeks, and I look forward to continuing to teach there in the future.

I have a busy weekend ahead again….so time to run for now.

SK

January was a very busy and fun month for me. I got to play some great gigs with Rumble King and on the road with the Winter Dance Party. The Lakers are playing well, and I was playing at many of those games here in LA. The NAMM show is always a balance of fun and business, and Yamaha, Remo and Zildjian all have some great new stuff coming for 2009…..I can’t wait to get my hands on some of it!

This is going to be the best February I can remember. I will be playing and recording with Travis Howard in Nashville. Performing with Levi in Florida on my way to the “La Batterie” concert in Michigan. Levi is a dynamic performer who always manages to find some magic on stage. “La Batterie” is a 25 Drum Set concert with ensemble pieces performed by wonderful Drummers from all over Michigan. I wrote a piece that will debut at this show, and I am excited to see how it will go. Also, February means NASCAR is back, so I can’t wait to fire up the TV and watch.
Rumble King is playing better than ever, and we have some great shows coming up in early 2009. It is nice to be in a band with a group of people that LOVE music and treat each other with respect. It just makes performing so much more fun when you are all laughing together before and after you play.

Hello from LA…..livin’ the dream! I was just part of Band Fest 08…a pre Rose Parade event featuring the marching bands that participate in the Rose Parade. I was there with the REMO Drum Circle All-Stars performing on the one of a kind REMO Drum Tower. We were also live on KTLA during the morning news…so it was an exciting couple of days.

The Lakers are on a tear again and I have been playing at the games recently…including the Christmas Day win over boston….I then flew to Vegas to perform with Imelda…so it was quite a busy week for me.

Hope to see you in line for the next great coaster ride

I am the Drummer on the Song and Album of the Year for the 2008 Unity Awards. Ted Perlman Produced and recorded Valimar Jansen in his usual brilliant manner, and the awards followed. I am so Blessed to know people like Ted and have the opportunity to work with him and the Artists he works with.

August was a great month for me and the boys of Rumble King. We played and laughed a bunch…and the band has never sounded better. “One More For The Road” is selling well and I still enjoy listening to it….that is RARE for me as I usually get uber critical of myself and want to move forward. Drew Schnurr did a great job tracking and mixing this CD…buy one NOW! lol

I will be on the road a ton in September with the Winter Dance Party….look for us in a town near you…it is a very entertaining show.

Well…they said it never WOULD happen….never SHOULD happen…never COULD happen…but IT DID! I went to Nashville TN and recorded ten songs with TRAVIS HOWARD Producing! It was the answer to a lot of prayer, and a wonderful week. For those of you who don’t know….Travis has written and co-written some of Miranda Lambert’s hits…including cuts on the Country Music Association Record of the Year this year. Dave Roe of Johnny Cash and Dwight Yokam (to just scratch the surface) fame, Charlie Crowe of Brooks&Dunn plus a ton more, Tony Bowles of Hank Jr and other serious stuff, and the immortal Keith Gattis (long time Dwight dude and solo Artist) made up the band….and they were NAILS. It was wonderful to walk in and be surrounded by such great players…AND they were very nice and funny! We laughed a lot over the course of the week, and I am humbled by the musicality and spirt of each and every one of them.

Thanks to Dave, I also got to go Sony and watch some of the top players in town record. Eddie Bayers was there, and it was amazing to sit and watch him work. I got the chance to sit and chat with him a bit, and he turned out to be a super nice and funny guy. He and I laughed and had some fun, then of course I had to get a pic with him at his Drums! What a treat to be able to do that….thanks DAVE!

Rumble King has been playing some gigs at Disneyland, and it has been very fun to be there with them. Unlike many of the gigs there, we are allowed to play many original songs in our sets, and don’t have to pretend to be a deceased singer either. It is fun to play where the crew does such a great job on sound and lights…..and where I can just ride my motorcycle because the Drums are supplied….that is such a treat!

Well……roller coasters, golf and recording this week….I love my job!

So I have added a few links to some fan filmed video from the Lucy Lawless concert at CityWalk here in LA. She has VERY loyal fans, and they seem to document all things LUCY!

I returned as the Jazz Drum Instructor at the International Music Camp again…and it was a great week. This year’s students really stepped it up and performed so well that I just had to sit back and smile. I hope to return for many summers at IMC and continue to develop the Jazz Drum Set Program.

I taught my Groove Boot Camp Program again at IMC, and it was a great experience for all who attended. My companion CD to that program is now available too….so get yours now! lol

I played two nights at Disneyland with Rumble King on the Tomorrowland Terrace stage. It is a lot of fun for me to return to Disneyland where I performed in the All American College Band years ago…and decided to move to LA…the rest is history…or something like that.

I am headed to Nashville TN to record with Producer Travis Howard. He has had some very good success as a songwriter for Miranda Lambert, and now he is running the whole show. I am very excited about making music with Travis.

I have had a busy few weeks and they have been fun. I had the great pleasure of playing for Lucy Lawless at Universal Studios City Walk. She really entertains the crowd and is so much fun to work with! Michael Orland of American Idol fame…and SO much more was the MD of the gig and called me…THANK YOU Michael! I played another great show in Las Vegas with Imelda Pappin under the direction of Ted Perlman. THANKS Ted! It was another well run Perlman show, and we had a ton of fun. I taught my Groove Bood Camp program at the Miami Valley Jazz Camp, then stayed on as an Artist in residence. I had the great pleasure of playing with Don Braden a great player and wonderful person. What a joy to make music with someone like Don…hope it happens again soon.

I am now headed off to the International Music Camp to teach my Groove Boot Camp program, and be an Artist in Residence..very excited to be going back. I also managed to get in a TON of roller coaster rides over the last couple of weeks, and I look forward to some more.