Profile:
I have had a professional drumming career for twenty-three
years including tours across the United States, Canada,
and Europe. I have drummed for: Howard
Tate (2004 Grammy Nominee), William Bell, Chuck Rainey (Steely
Dan), Solomon Burke,The Soul
Stirrers (Sam Cook), Speech and Arrested Development, Pat
Travers, Mothers Finest, Leo Nocentelli (The Meters), The
Aquarium Rescue Unit, Derek Trucks, Oteil & The Peace Makers
(The Allman Brothers), Francine Reed, Eric Essex, Sean Costello,
Chick Willis (The Stoop down Man), Snooky
Pryor and David "Honeyboy" Edwards to mention
a few. I have performed at such high profile shows as: The
Jacksonville Jazz Festival, New Orleans Jazz Festival, several
Midtown Music Festivals in Atlanta, Ga., Groove Quake Festival
in Weisen,Austria, New Years Eve at the Henry J Kaiser Arena
in Oakland, California with Phil Lesh and Friends, The Yoddler
Festival with Bela Fleck and The Flecktones at Mammoth Mountain,
California and others.
It
has been my privilege to work with great Producers: Jerry
Ragavoy (Writer/Producer for Janis Joplin, The Rolling Stones
and owner/manager of The Hit Factory), Tom Allom (Producer
of Judas Priest), Rodney Mills (Producer for Lynyrd Skynyrd,
38 Special, The Atlanta Rhythm Section, Journey), Eddie
Horst (Composer/Producer for TBS, REM, Collective Soul...
), Bryan Cole (Drummer/Producer for Ichiban Records)...
My
involvement with Music for Film and Television, both national
and international, has included The Discovery Channel, CNN,
TBS, Turner South, Turner Classic Movies, Cartoon Network,
NBA, NASCAR, Sportstown, CTC Russian Television, Movie City
for LAP (Latin American Pay Television) and more.
I was born
in Kearny, N.J. on 7-24-63. Drumming came early in my life.
My Grandfather was a working drummer and it was his legacy
I inherited. When I was three, he gave me my first snare drum.
I haven't stopped hitting that drum since…except to hit the
Round Label Gretschs he left to me. Family lore states that
my Grandfather, Jim O'Rourke, had a radio show back in the
thirties. It was the kind where "the crooner" stood off to
the side and sang while the band played live. What's even
more interesting is the fan letter stating, "how much we love
the show and how we envision the singer having dark hair and
blue eyes". That same family lore says "the crooner" was a
young Frank. The dance cards from the shows, "Jimmy O'Rourke
and his Coconut Grove Orchestra", are also very cool. I was
introduced to the road early in my childhood because I moved
once a year (record business brat). My professional career
started on the road directly out of high school. It looked
much more interesting than the botany courses I was taking
at the local college. I'm not suggesting foregoing a formal
education; that's just the route I chose. I have been drumming
for a living in one form or another since then. As you will
see, my experiences included the jazz world, the rock (record
deal wanna get) world, and percussion-land. I not only consider
my career a legacy but a life's calling as well.
Until
next time
S
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