http://www.youtube.com/user/BrianAbrahams47?feature=mhee
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.184285964993740.49019.182718991817104&type=3#!/pages/Brian-Abrahams/182718991817104
http://www.grandunion.org.uk/musicians/brian-abrahams.html

Guildhall

School of Music & Drama

REFERENCE- BRIAN ABRAHAMS

Brian Abrahams is a highly respected South African musician and educator who has been an inspirational figure on the London Jazz Scene for over thirty years. I have been fortunate to have studied, performed and taught with him on many occasions.

He has a vast experience of leading music workshops for all ages and ability ranges, and covers a wide range of musical genres, with specific expertise in jazz and ‘world’ music. As well as being a fine drummer and percussionist, he is also a first class singer and composer and is ideal for leading large workshop groups and disparate forces. He can include percussionists, instrumentalists and singers with ease. I have worked with him many times in both schools projects and adult education, and he consistently proves to be a charismatic and informative imparter of knowledge.

I have no hesitation in recommending Brian Abrahams as an educator. He is a inspirational character, excellent communicator and motivator, and is extremely well organised in his approach

MARTIN HATHAWAY

HEAD OF JAZZ STUDIES

GUILDHALL SCHOOL OF MUSIC AND DRAMA

LONDON EC2Y 8DT

Brian Abrahams (born 26 June 1947 in Cape Town, South Africa) is a jazz drummer and vocalist who started out working as a singer with local bands in South Africa. In the 1970s Abrahams participated in a gig in Swaziland as drummer for Sarah Vaughan and Nancy Wilson. In 1975 he moved to the United Kingdom, where he gained his recognition. Abrahams has worked with groups and artists such as Abdullah Ibrahim, Dudu Pukwana, Ronnie Scott, John Taylor, Johnny Dyani, Brotherhood of Breath, Jim Pepper, Dewey Redman, Mal Waldron, Archie Shepp, and Courtney Pine. During the 1980s Abrahams founded his own group, District Six. In 1988 he joined the band Ekaya, which was founded by Abdullah Ibrahim. More recently he has been working in projects led by Tony Haynes from the Grand Union Orchestra
Brian Abrahams has been a tutor and educator in London institutes of music for the past 30 years. (see references)
Brian has recently re-formed District 6 in Melbourne 2009 Australia, first performance at Dizzys Jazz club. Players are: Tony Hicks ts, Nick Lester ts, Eugene Ball tpt, Cameron McAlister tpt, John McAll pno, Zvi Belling bs, Brian Abrahams drs
Brian Abrahams and his new band DISTRICT SIX has performed at Wangaratta Jazz Festival, Stonnington Jazz Festival, Melbourne Jazz Festival, Commonwealth Games, Bennetts Lane Jazz Club etc…

Name:                          Brian Abrahams

Address:                       21 Hawksburn Crescent

                                    Wantirna South

                                    VIC 3152

Telephone:        (03) 9887 1319 (h)

             0433 266 922   (m)

Email:                           badrum1@hotmail.com

Nationality:                    British

Health:                          Good

Languages:                   English (Fluent) Afrikaans (Fluent) Dutch, German, Spanish (Basic)

Personal Interests:         Contemporary, Jazz, Classical and Pop Music, History, Reading, Sport

                                    Nature

Education & Qualifications:

Athlone High School – Cape Town, South Africa

Music Qualifications  

Ø  Self Taught from age 12

Ø  Worked in South Africa until 1975

Ø  Moved to London and continued studies with masters like Philly Joe Jones – USA; Clifford Jarvis – USA

Ø  Continued personal development studies and technique improvement

Ø  40 years of Performance Experience in UK, USA, Japan, Europe, Africa and Scandinavia.

Key Strengths:

¨        Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, communicate well with musicians and students from beginners to advanced

¨        Excellent at establishing students needs and able to identify areas and aspects of development

¨        Experienced in all styles of drumming (i.e. jazz, fusion, rock, world music etc)

¨        Experienced in running rhythm workshops for Latin, African, Eastern European Rhythms

¨        Strong functional and technical knowledge of all styles of drumming

¨        Excellent at mentoring students as I take a personal interest in students development and technical progress

¨        Results oriented – accepting a high level of personal accountability

¨        Able to use sound judgment and make accurate assessments

¨        Thrive in a diverse and challenging environment

¨        Operate as a productive contributor in a team environment and capable of working as a well organised autonomous/solo operator.

MUSICAL EXPERIENCE HISTORY

I have played alongside some of the greatest musicians of all time. Some of these are:

USA -  Don Cherry, Dewey Redman, Jim Pepper, Jimmy Witherspoon, Abdullah Ebrahim, Buster Williams, Oscar Brown Junior

UK – London Philharmonic Orchestra, Grand Union Orchestra, London Jazz Orchestra, Ronnie Scott, Courtney Pine, Nigel Kennedy, Brotherhood of Breath, Grand Union Orchestra.

I was a visiting tutor at the following institutions in the UK

o    Guildhall School of Music and Drama

o    Trinity College of Music

o    Royal Academy of Music

o    Wigmore Hall of Music Education (Jazz) – London

I have been an endorsee for SONOR for 25 years

I am able to easily establish a rapport with students and am excellent at one-on-one tutoring and group instruction.

For more information on my musical prowess, please refer to the following websites

www.grandunion.org.uk (musicians)

www.wigmorehall.org.uk

www.gsmd.org.uk

                                                   

Referees:

Provided on request

Employment History

Brian Abrahams                     21 Hawksburn Crescent

                                                                                Wantirna South Vic 3152        

                                                                                 9887-1319/0433266922

                                                                                  Badrum47@gmail.com

Employment History

1975-1980:       Set up in London UK as an independent musician, working professionally as a recording artist, performing musician appearing at jazz festivals all over Europe and the UK with various jazz artists.

1980-1983:       Worked in collaboration with some of Europe’s most influential jazz musicians including, John Taylor, Don Weller, Bobby Wellins, Don Rendall, Michael Garrick, Performed at Bracknell jazz festival with Dudu Pukwana, Chris Mcgregor and many others.

1983-1988:       Toured Europe and USA with Abdullah Ebrahim, Dewey Redman, Don Cherry, amongst others. Also formed and led own group “DISTRICT SIX” extensively touring Europe and the UK with that unit and joined Grand Union Orchestra in 1986 as drummer and principal percussionist.

1988-1995:       Became a visiting tutor to the University of Southampton (UK), Drum tutor and Guildhall school of Music and Drama and did extensive community work in music education with the Grand Union Orchestra in all boroughs of London UK.

1995-2000:       Continued to be involved in community music education conducting workshops and rhythm classes with the Grand Union Orchestra. Became a permanent member of the Ronnie Scott Quintet, Performed at the grand opening of the Millennium Dome in 2000 performing alongside artists as Peter Gabriel and Simply Red and others.  

2000-2006:       Continued performing with Jimmy Witherspoon, Oscar Brown Junior, Worked extensively with a great educator Scott Stroman, did a project with London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Scott Stroman, Also worked with London Jazz Orchestra, Jazz summer school with Guildhalls school of Music and Drama and royal academy of music as a visiting tutor. Continued to tour with Archie Sheppard, Chris McGregor’s Orchestra “Brothered of Breath”

2006-2010:       In this period I started doing rhythm master classes and drum clinics in Europe. Still involved with the Grand Union Orchestra having toured Italy, Spain, Portugal, Bangladesh and the UK, and continued doing club dates and concert performances in the UK, Europe and Australia, also employed as an external examiner/assessor at Birmingham Conservatoire of Music, have also been conducting music seminars in Spain (La Caruna) since 2005