Cape Breton International Drum Festival

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The organizers of the 7th Annual Cape Breton International Drum Festival, Bruce and Gloria Jean Aitken, today announced the Festival lineup to date at a Gala evening held at the Delta Hotel in Sydney, Cape Breton. The world premiere of the documentary covering the first six years of the Festival, entitled "When Cape Breton Rocks….The World Rocks" also got its first viewing, followed by a drum clinic by the Detroit "Hit Man", Mr. Uriel Jones of the Funk Brothers, and award-winning drummer/educator Bruce Aitken.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg. We also have a performer that has worked with Frank Zappa on over fifty cds, another with death metal group Hate Eternal, and another, the groove behind Cryptopsy. There's an amazing female vocal / drum group from the Cree First Nations. This lineup is so diverse. The Festival is being staged at The Savoy Theatre in Glace Bay, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada on Saturday April 28th and Sunday April 29th, 2007.

"We are very proud to announce this amazing lineup of artists who have performed with everyone from Elton John to Mick Jagger, from Tina Turner to Bonnie Raitt, from Jeff Beck to Sir Paul McCartney and so much more", beamed a very excited Gloria Jean Aitken.

Bruce Aitken added, "And that's just the tip of the iceberg. We also have a performer that has worked with Frank Zappa on over fifty cds, another with death metal group Hate Eternal, and another, the groove behind Cryptopsy. There's an amazing female vocal / drum group from the Cree First Nations. This lineup is so diverse."

Festival director Mike Megaffin commented, "It is with great pleasure we are able to announce that the Legends Award will be presented to two living legends, Steve Gadd and Denny Seiwell. It's fitting that we honor these drummers for their major contributions to the history of drumming. The Legends Award is designed and created by outstanding artist/blacksmith/drummer, John Little of East Dover, Nova Scotia."

The lineup as follows: John Favicchia: John is one of the hot, new young artists from the New York jazz fusion scene. His band, the Dharma All Stars are in great demand and "Fav" is also an in-demand clinician and teacher.

Derek Roddy: Derek is most widely known as a phenomenal drummer in the death metal community having performed with such bands as, Hate Eternal, Malevolent Creation, Nile, Divine Empire, Aurora Borealis and Council Of The Fallen, but this only touches on the abilities of this up and comer. His love of drums and all things drumming drives him to the top. He is an educator and a very well-versed drummer. A must-see act.

Phil Maturano: Phil is a Latin giant on the brink of global recognition. He was born in Argentina but now resides in New York. He is at the hub of the busy NYC recording and live scene and is also a teacher and clinician.

Pete Lockett: Pete Lockett from London, England is a world-renowned percussionist who has studied all over the planet. He's performed and recorded with many of the world's greatest artists including, Bjork, Peter Gabriel, Robert Plant, Jeff Beck, and countless others.

Ed Mann: Ed worked on over fifty Frank Zappa recordings. This alone puts him in a class of his own. Winner of top awards in Modern Drummer Magazine Readers Polls, Ed has released five critically acclaimed cds of original music. Ed composes music and sound for interactive media and film, and is active internationally as a performer, sound artist, consultant and workshop facilitator.

Flo Mounier: French-born (Now resides in Canada) drummer for the band Cryptopsy. Flo has toured the world and created a name for himself as one of the leading new breed of extreme metal drummers.

Asani: Hailing from Edmonton, this three-piece Cree First Nations female drum and vocal group will knock your socks off with originality and rhythm.

Denny Seiwell: What can you say? This legendary musician has done it all. From New York's famed Half Note jazz club playing with the Zoot Sims/Al Cohn Quintet to a string of studio credits which established him as the Big Apple's premier session drummer. Having played with the crème de la crème of the Jazz elite, he was then invited to join a band with Sir Paul McCartney, the post Beatles phenomena, Wings. He has recorded with James Brown, The Who, Donovan, Janis Joplin, Billy Joel, as well as on many major movie sound tracks and TV themes. Denny was recently cast in the blockbuster movie "Bobby", about the life of Bobby Kennedy, where he not only leads the big band but also has a speaking part, sharing the spotlight with such actors as Anthony Hopkins, Lawrence Fishbourne, Emilio Estevez, Martin Sheen, Sharon Stone and Demi Moore.

Curt Bisquera: When you need groove on the drums you call Curt Bisquera! With a client list that reads like the who's who of modern music, Curt Bisquera has done it all. Curt is a first call drummer to the stars, like Mick Jagger, Elton John, Tina Turner, Nelly Furtado, Bonnie Raitt, Billy Joel, kd lang, Tom Petty and Boz Scaggs.

Rich Mangicaro: Rich is the first call percussionist for superstars such as Glen Frey (Eagles), Joe Walsh, The Tubes, the Bisquera Brothers and many others. Rich is an in-demand session percussionist and a clinician. Rich and Curt will perform at the CBIDF as a duet.

Bill Bruford (see photo): A founding member of prog-rock supergroup Yes, Bill Bruford is one of the world's true drumming superstars. After Yes, he joined King Crimson where he developed the drumming style that has made him known worldwide. He spent several years observing and participating in the music-making processes of, among others, Gong, National Health, Genesis and U.K. In 1990, the readers of Modern Drummer voted him into that magazine's Hall of Fame. Bill's own band, Earthworks, live double CD from London, called "Footloose and Fancy Free", was awarded the coveted "5 Stars" in Downbeat magazine.

Dom Famularo: Dom is dubbed "The Global Drumming Ambassador", not just for drums but for the Cape Breton International Drum Festival. Famularo is all visions that drumming conjures up - speed, power, technique, dynamics, musicality, and sensitivity and that's after he has you eating out of his hands as a world-renowned motivator. Dom Famularo…need we say more.

This year, the Cape Breton International Drum Festival Legends Award will be presented to the following drummers: Steve Gadd and Denny Seiwell.

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