For Immediate Release

Asheville Percussion Festival To Take Place June 8th-10th, 2012 at the Creative Technology and Art Center –
Odyssey School in Asheville, NC

5/29/2012 – Asheville, NC – The first annual Asheville Percussion Festival will take place June 8th-10th, 2012 at the Creative Technology and Arts Center – Odyssey School in Asheville, NC. The theme is ‘Tradition to Innovation’. The festival will be hosted by Asheville’s ambassador to rhythm River Guerguerian. There will be workshops with Master teachers such as Jamey Haddad (Paul Simons percussionist), David Cossin (who tours with STING) and many other local and regional teachers. They will be covering topics such as performing, improvising and composing. There will be a concert with the Master Teachers for the community on Saturday June 9th at 8pm.

The mission of the Asheville Percussion Festival is to provide a creative environment where percussionists of all traditions gather to explore, create and innovate. World-class percussionists will exchange ideas about performing, improvising and educating. Over the course of the weekend there will be workshops for drummers of all levels and concerts for the community.

Teachers/Performers:

Jamey Haddad is highly regarded as one of the foremost world and jazz percussionists in the US. For the past nine years Haddad has performed as Paul Simon’s percussionist and played with countless others including Yo Yo Ma and Esperanza Spalding. He teaches at Berklee College of Music and the Oberlin Conservatory. http://www.jameyhaddadmusic.com

David Cossin can play just about any percussion instrument. A leading specialist and composer in new and experimental music, he preformed this last year with STING on his world tour and currently plays with Steve Reich and Bang on a Can All-Stars. http://www.davidcossin.com

River Guerguerian is the Artistic Director of the Festival and is known all over the globe for his unique hybrid set-ups that include frame drums, hand drums and drumsets that can be applied to many styles of music. He plays with Omar Faruk Tekbilek, his world jazz trio Free Planet Radio and is an active touring, recording and teaching artist. http://www.guerguerian.com

Raquy Danziger is one of the most popular performers, teachers and composers of Middle Eastern Drumming today. Her band Raquy and the Cavemen, a duo with Liron Peled, tours all over the world. She now lives in Istanbul and New York. http://www.raquy.com
Rohan Krishnamurthy has been acclaimed as a “percussion prodigy” will teach and demonstrate Indian classical percussion. He plays Tabla, Mridangam, and Kanjira, and teaches at the Eastman School of Music. http://www.rohanrhythm.com

Jeff Sipe AKA “The Apartment Q-258” has an amazing touch and feel on the drumset. He is well known on the touring circuit and has performed with Trey Anastasio, Bela Fleck, Steve Vai, John Medeski, Joan Osborn and his own group the Aquarium Rescue Unit. http://www.jeffsipemusic.com

Adama Dembele is a master 33rd generation Djembe player from Ivory Coast, Africa.
He has traveled internationally and leads his own group Zansa, and is a frequent guest with afro-surf-rock outfit Toubab Krewe. http://www.adamadembele.com

Michael Lipsey is an incredible educator and plays everything from Afro-Cuban percussion to Balinese Gamelan. He is the Director of the Percussion program and the New Music Ensemble at the Aaron Copland School of Music as well as the City University of New York.
http://www.lipseypercussion.com

Matthew Richmond is an accomplished Jazz Vibraphonist and is well known in the WNC community. He is currently a member of the Asheville Symphony, Stephanie’s Id, and is a Percussion instructor at UNC-Asheville. http://www.matthewrichmond.net

Rohan Krishnamurthy is a leading, young musical ambassador of Indian music and percussion. A specialist in South Indian percussion, Rohan has performed in hundreds of concerts, presented Indian percussion summer camps, workshops, and academic lecture-/ at eminent institutions Rohan founded and directs an Indian percussion ensemble at the Eastman School of Music. Rohan will offer lessons in Indian drumming and vocal percussion techniques. http://www.rohanrhythm.com. http://www.rohanrhythm.com

Workshops
There will be workshops for beginners and advanced players that will focus on the following styles:

Middle Eastern, West African, Indian, Drumset, Jazz Vibes, South American, Performance Techniques, Improvising, Composing, Electronics, Microphone Techniques, Multiple hand drum set-ups, Hybrid set-ups.

Friday 3-6pm
Saturday 10am-5pm
Sunday 11am-5pm

Instruments
Frame Drums, Riq Tambourine, Kanjira, Doumbek, Djembe, Talking Drum, Ashiko, Conga, Gongs, Pandeiro, Cajon, Drumset, Tabla, Mridangam, Singing Bowls, Shakers, Vibes

*Bring you own drums, but some will be available (please RSVP Adam if you need one)
Concerts – June 8th & 9th 8:00pm
Friday night concert will include performances from the teachers and local talent from Brazilian and African troupes, as well as Jazz and Middle Eastern music.

Saturday Night will feature a ‘Masters Concert’ with the collaborative efforts from all the teachers. They will create new and innovative percussion pieces through an Artist Retreat that will take place the week before.

Asheville will become a creative hub for innovative and traditional percussion music by inviting international artists for outstanding collaborations. There will be opportunities for participants to jam with each other and the teachers.

Who: Asheville Percussion Festival

When: June 8th-10th 2012

Where: All Concerts and Workshops will be held at:
Creative Technology & Arts Center
Odyssey Community School
90 Zillicoa St.
Asheville, NC 28801

Registration: ashevillepercussionfestival.com

For interviews/ KaChina Davine 828-225-3232;
photos: kdavine@earthlink.net

More info: http://www.ashevillepercussionfestival.com

For any inquiries contact:
River Guerguerian (Artistic Director) – riverhumm@yahoo.com (828)-301-6605
Adam Maalouf (Technical Director) – adammaalouf@yahoo.com (864)-420-0145
KaChina Davine (Media Director) – kdavine@earthlink.net

Visit http://www.ashevillepercussionfestival.com for more details, registration, and latest workshop and concert schedule

*scholarships will be available
*teachers and schedules subject to change (see website for latest info)

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@cs.com

For Immediate Release

Percussion Virtuoso River Guerguerian To Release Highly Anticipated New Solo CD
‘Grooves for Odd Times’

1/19/2012 – Asheville, NC – The percussion community is buzzing with excitement about the highly anticipated forthcoming solo CD by virtuosic Multi-Percussionist/Composer/Educator River Guerguerian titled ‘Grooves for Odd Times’. River has been inspiring audiences with his ecstatic and versatile percussion for over 30 years, and has performed and recorded with such groups as the BBC Concert Orchestra, Omar Faruk Tekbilek, Tan Dun, Tibetan Singing Bowl Ensemble, Paul Winter Consort, Chuck Berry, Sophie B. Hawkins, The Billy Sea and Ziggy Marley/Gipsy Kings. He also co-founded the world jazz group Free Planet Radio and Talujon Percussion Ensemble. The music on his new CD ‘Grooves for Odd Times’ represents a body of work that spans five years. This time period includes: 1) composing music for solo and mixed ensembles, 2) performing with inspiring artists, 3) recording/archiving the process of these creative cells.

“The inspiration for ‘Grooves for Odd Times’ was to create a sonic palette in the same way a painter might approach canvas,” River explains. “The album’s roots are heavy grooves mixed in with the lyrical side of percussion. There is a dance in the odd time rhythmic structures.”

River has performed in many prestigious venues and places worldwide including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Sydney Opera House, Madrid International Jazz Festival, Barbican Hall (London), World Music Sufi Festival (New Delhi), Jerusalem Hall (Jerusalem), Edinburgh International Festival (Scotland) and even the White House! River received his Bachelor of Music from the Manhattan School of Music Conservatory, and has recorded on over 150 albums and film soundtracks. He also creates music for the purpose of meditation. His passion is researching the scientific effects of sound on the mind and body. River travels the world conducting Sound Exploration and Rhythm Workshops for people of all ages, and is Director of Music at the Creative Technology and Arts Center in Asheville, North Carolina.

Here’s what the press has raved about River Guerguerian:

“Guerguerian made magical sounds…” – New York Times

“Superb drumming!” – Savannah Morning News

“Creative and spectacular! Asheville is truly fortunate to have world class musicians.” – Asheville Citizen Times

“Guerguerian’s composition, sensationally performed, devoted itself even more religiously to the possibilities of pure sound.” – New York Times

Whether playing with world-class symphonies or studio musicians, partnering with Grammy-award winning composers, or creating dynamic plays of rhythm for his own projects, River’s passion and attention to the vibrant life off the drum reverberates throughout the crowd. “I will be doing many performances in the southeast area, some in NYC collaborating with composers from the Aaron Copeland School of Music at the City University in New York, and a tour of Spain,” says River.

In closing River instills a message to his listeners, “Try to listen to the music with your whole body and not just your mind. There is a message in the sound.”

For more information visit http://www.sharethedrum.com

To Purchase River Gurguerian – ‘Grooves for Odd Times’ CD:
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/riverguerguerian
http://www.amazon.com/Grooves-for-Odd-Times/dp/B006LYYB8G
http://itunes.apple.com/album/grooves-for-odd-times/id488957170?v0=9988&ign-mpt=uo%3D1

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@cs.com