Ray Sword - Drummer/Percussionist
Ray Sword was born
in Washington, DC and raised in Frederick, MD. His
love of drumming started in elementary school and he's been at
it ever since. He was hooked when he saw a televised
performance of Buddy Rich and Ed Shaughnessy back in the 60's
Ray became an accomplished tympanist
and drummer during high school, making All County
and Regionals Honor Band in Western MD for several years.
He was fortunate to be taught by Dick Janes of Peabody and
of the DCA Corps Baltimore Yankee-Rebels. He also was a bassist
and percussionist in his high school's Jazz Band for 3
years under the direction of John Slezak.
After his time in the Army he went
back to his hometown and got musically active again. He joined
a country band at the time and played throughout the MD., VA.,
W. VA. area for a while. Ray got his big break when he met
Jeff "Cherokee" Bunn from Parliament/P-Funk.
Get 50 FREE MP3s from eMusic
In the latter 90's Ray formed a house
band, Total Eclipse, to run an Open Mic Blues Night Show in
Richmond, VA for several years, while playing with numerous
other bands. Ray was also teaching high school drumlines in VA
at this time. One of those bands was touring through the
casinos in the U.S. and Ray ended up moving to El Paso, TX in 2000.
It wasn't long
before Sword got a teaching gig at Ysleta High School
for the All-Girls Drum Corps. He got active in playing with
groups like Dr. Groove and Fuego Latino, a member of the Friends of
Jazz in El Paso and a percussion student at UTEP.
"Going to UTEP to study drumming was
the best thing I ever did for my career. Professor Larry
White and Dr. Don Wilkenson really helped me understand
more the importance of well rounded studies of
all drumming styles." stated Sword.
Sword's studies put him in the
spotlight while playing with UTEP's Pep Band. He was offered a teaching position with the
David L Carrasco Job Corps Center in El Paso, TX when
a director of the center was attending a UTEP basketball
game and the Pep Band was playing. There's much, much more to his background
so be sure to ask him about it.
John Wooten and Ray Sword
- UTEP's Day of Percussion 2003
Ray, after 17 years, has returned to his hometown in Frederick, MD.
His current projects include The Spires
Brass Band (North America Brass Band Association Challenge
Champions 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2008), The Blues
Vultures and is onboard teaching at Music & Arts
Center. He is writing and publishing drumming ebooks in .pdf
format and can be ordered online here at BadAssDrumming.
com.
Spires Brass Band -
Frederick,
MD
Address
& Phone:
Cellular One Plaza
1170 W. Patrick
St.
(Rt. 40 West)
Frederick, MD 21703
(301)
694-0007
Manager:
Patrick
Dougherty
Regular
Store Hours:
- Mon. 10am - 9pm
- Tues. 10am - 9pm
-
Wed. 10am - 9pm
- Thurs. 10am - 9pm
- Fri. 10am -
9pm
- Sat. 10am - 6pm
- Sun. 12pm - 5pm
Call
to set up your lessons with Ray Sword TODAY!!!
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