KevinSharpe + Musician in Springfield, MA

SEEKING

ABOUT

Music Director/multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Kevin Sharpe began his musical career at the age of seven singing gospel in his church choir. By age eleven he was playing drums for that same choir and eventually became one of the primary drummers for the Church of God in Christ in the region. Later in college he studied classical percussion, arranging and choral conducting. The Springfield, Massachusetts native also studied voice with Dr. Horace Clarence Boyer and improvisation with Yusef Lateef. Since graduating with degrees in Music Education and Jazz Performance he has performed with jazz artists Archie Shepp, Charles Greenlee, and Steve Turré. He's done recordings with John Blake, Fellowship, soul diva Betty Harris and others. He is the conductor of the Extended Family Choir and Orchestra and is a recurrent guest conductor of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. He toured Europe as a vocalist and instrumentalist. He's been a choral director for Dartmouth and Smith Colleges, Percussionist/vocalist with the show "Raisin' Cane" featuring Jasmine Guy, and he has also worked for several years as writer, music director and vocalist in the contemporary gospel group Fellowship.

Kevin Sharpe, winner of New England Urban Music Award, currently is leader of the modern Gospel ensemble The Kevin Sharpe Group, drummer / percussionist and arranger in the K. Sharpe Project a jazz based instrumental group, adjunct professor of music at Springfield Technical Community College, workshop leader for and producer and engineer at SwingHigh Productions. Mr. Sharpe uses Vic Firth sticks, DSSP Keyboard Pedals, and La Bella strings.

Contact email:infoatkevinsharpedotnet or infoatkevinsharpegroupdotcom

Screen name:

KevinSharpe

Member since:

Mar 07 2010

Active within 24 hours

Level of commitment:

Touring

Years playing music:

35

Gigs played:

Over 100

Tend to practice:

2-3 times per week

Available to gig:

4-5 nights a week

Influences

My mother Evelyn Sharpe, Max Roach, the Hawkins family, Duke Ellington, Led Zepplin, Yes, Teddy Reilly, Commissioned, The Who, Michael W. Smith, The Winans, The Police, Be Be & Ce Ce, the SOS Band, Rush, that Latin radio show I'd listen to in the afternoons, Igor Stravinsky, Chick Corea, Gap Band, Genesis, Fred Hammond, Prince, Elvin Jones, Avery Sharpe, Tito Puente, John Kee, Flyte Tyme, Van Halen, Ludwig Beethoven, Amy Grant, Phil Collins, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Cameo, all those old choir records from the 50's thru the 80's my mother had whose titles I don't know.

Instrument experience:

Keyboard:

Expert

Piano:

Expert

Background Singer:

Expert

Vocalist:

Expert

Vocalist - Bass:

Expert

Vocalist - Baritone:

Expert

Vocalist - Tenor:

Expert

Bass Guitar:

Expert

Drums:

Expert

Other Percussion:

Expert

Acoustic Guitar:

Moderate

Rhythm Guitar:

Intermediate

Violin:

Beginner

Trumpet:

Beginner

EQUIPMENT

Drums: 8 piece Noble & Cooley, 5 piece Mapex, 7 piece "mongrel" , Percussion: Toca timbales, bongos and djembe, LP congas, bells, and chimes, Roland SPD-11 octopad, various other percussion, Ludwig/Musser vibraphone, Keyboards: Korg Triton Studio and X3, Roland U20 and R5, Yamaha Clavinova (88) and Motif 7, Kawai K3, M-Audio 49 key controller, Hammond BV organ w/Leslie, 1914 Krakauer Bros upright piano, 1853-64 Woodward & Brown square grand piano, Guitars:Ovation/Applause acoustic, Fender, Epiphone and Ibanez electrics, Basses: Alvarez 5 string, G&L 4 string, Ovation acoustic, Recording:Pro Tools LE, Tascam digital 24 trk, Event 20/20 monitors, M-Audio Studiophile monitors, various Sennheiser, Shure, Audio Technica mics

MUSIC