BRATTLEBORO — The Open Music Collective in collaboration with Headroom Stages will be starting an all new “Week of Rock” camp that will run Aug. 6-10.
This is a camp for all ages and abilities; established groups are welcome. Spend the week playing rock music of different genres, getting coaching from professionals on performance and band development, including topics on gear, rehearsing, groove, soloing and accompanying.
Faculty will include Aaron Chesley (guitar, band coaching), Jamie MacDonald (bass and band coaching), Doug Raneri (drums), and Scott Lawson Pomeroy (vocals).
Chesley is the owner of Headroom Stages, manager at Maple Leaf Music, and a veteran of the area music scene. His experience is unique and invaluable, having taught guitar, bass, theory, and composition for 22 years. Since the ripe age of 6 he has played solo and in several bands in various genres for a total of 33 years. He lives music, playing, teaching, fixing and selling instruments, recording, and doing live sound.
MacDonald is artistic director of the Open Music Collective and has performed recently with Peter Eldridge of the New York Voices, Latin Jazz Evolution, Event in the Tent (orchestra), Jazz Demolition Project and others, but has roots in rock power trios and worked for many seasons on Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise lines backing up everything from Elvis impersonators, to Motown, funk groups, and everything in between.
Pomeroy has played with, recorded, and performed in support of a wide variety of well known performers over the years. The list of people connected to him is like a who's who of music history: Foreigner, Rick Derringer, David Lindley, Ricky Scaggs, Doc Watson, Tiny Tim, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Commander Cody, Peter Wolf, Marianne Faithfull and members of the Steve Miller, Johnny Winter, James Cotton and Muddy Waters Blues Bands.
Raneri is a drummer's drummer and has performed for almost 40 years in all genres. His roots (and his plexiglass set) are in 70's rock and fusion, but he is also an expert on Latin rhythms. Even with all his chops, his focus is always on the groove and he is a teacher with many years of experience.
From Monday through Friday, student will rock in an air conditioned and safe working environment. The week will culminate with a performance at Headroom Stages on Elliot Street. Classes held in handicapped accessible suite in the Cotton Mill, call 802-254-5054 or email [email protected] for more information, or register online at openmusiccollective.org.