October 30th @ 9pm – Pete Sweeney Trio

Pete Sweeney is a full-time musician, teacher, and author. He began playing drums at age five and studied with Dave Calarco as a teenager. He later studied with Joe Morello and collaborated with him on Alfred’s “The Complete Drumset Method” book series. Pete also attended the Drummer’s Collective in New York City, where he studied with Mike Clark and Kim Plainfield.

Pete has performed in concert and on recordings with artists including Duke Robillard, Ronnie Earl, Johnny “Clyde” Copeland, Larry Coryell, Murali Coryell, John Abercrombie, Mick Goodrick, Frank Gambale, Steve Bailey, Robben Ford, Nick Brignola, Pete Levin, Andy Summers, Dan Toler, Laurel Masse, Lorne Lofsky, Ed Mann, Jay Traynor, Rick Emmitt, Scottie Pippen, Joe Bouchard, Vinnie Moore, Carey DeNigris, and Tony Kenny. He was a featured guest artist with the Glens Falls Symphony under conductor Charles Peltz and has toured and recorded with the Joey Thomas Big Band, Dan Toler, Matt Smith, and others. He currently leads a jazz trio with guitarist Mark Dzuiba and organist Pete Levin, and performs with the Latin/Jazz group Sensemaya.

Education is important to Pete. He has been on the faculty of the National Guitar Workshop since 1993 and the Berkshire Music School since 1999, and maintains a private teaching practice. He has taught clinics and seminars at Union College, Applebee College in Canada, Humber College in Toronto, and Berkshire Community College. He has written fourteen instructional books for Alfred Publishing, produced three DVDs, and presented lessons at www.workshoplive.com. He has also performed on instructional CDs and DVDs by Tom Dempsey, Matthew Liston, Raleigh Green, Kirby Kelley, and Joe Bouchard. He is a member of the Vic Firth Education program.

Pete has performed on dozens of recordings in a range of musical styles. Highlights include playing on two Grammy-nominated CDs with Jay Traynor, performing on the soundtrack of the Mirimax film “The Castle,” and winning the 1991 Tanqueray national songwriting contest with Matt Smith.

Pete endorses Mapex drums and hardware, Sabian cymbals, Vic Firth sticks, and Aquarian drumheads.