'Living Colour' Drummer To Teach Class At Brooklyn Music School

FORT GREENE, BROOKLYN — A new generation of students will get their chance to learn from 1980s rock drummer Will Calhoun next weekend when the "Living Colour" drummer visits Brooklyn Music School.

Calhoun, a Bronx native, will join an event at the school to teach a master class before hearing BMS student's annual drum recital on Saturday, May 4. The event will start at 5 p.m. and is free with a $5 suggested donation.

“We are thrilled and honored to have Mr. Calhoun at BMS," BMS Executive Director Piruz Partow said. "This is yet another monumental occasion for BMS’ students to learn from, perform for, and interact with a world class musician. I am so excited for our drum students, families, faculty, and community.”

The Living Colour drummer isn't the first celebrity musician that has come to the school, Partow added. BMS has also hosted jazz greats Victor Lewis and Mickey Roker and Steve Shelley from Sonic Youth.

The recital that follows the master class will feature students from the drum department, which is led by Brian Woodruff, who also co-chairs BMS’s thriving Jazz department.

(Photo by: Jaznina Santiago)

Both will be held at the landmarked Playhouse Theater located at 126 St. Felix Street.

After growing up in the Bronx, Will Calhoun went to from the Berklee School of Music in Boston, where he received a Bachelor's degree in Music Production and engineering. He was a recipient of the Buddy Rich Jazz Masters Award for outstanding performance by a drummer.

Calhoun has co-written many Living Colour compositions and, with the group, received a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance by a group and another Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance. Living Colour also won an International Rock Award for Best Rock Band.

"Not many artists have the vision and artistic energy to be Grammy winners and contribute to so many genres: jazz, rock, hip-hop, ambient, et al, while concurrently producing, touring, creating new projects, working on films, and continually pushing the envelope," the school said. "Will Calhoun has this creative vision, and he is doing an extraordinary job keeping music a spiritual and motivating force in his life."

(Photo by: Jaznina Santiago).