The Biography of Ken Loomer

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Ken Loomer hails from Hartford, Connecticut and has been playing drums for over 40 years. His first professional job was working with the great trumpet artist Clark Terry. Ken has performed on many of the theatre shows in New Haven, before they moved onto Broadway in New York. Ken moved down to Florida in the mid 70’s and attended HCC and USF to get his degree in business. He was also the first drummer to receive the outstanding soloist award at the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF JAZZ EDUCATORS JAZZ FESTIVAL for college division players. Ken has performed with many of the top jazz and variety bands in the state of Florida. Some of the artists that Ken has worked with include the Tommy Dorsey Big Band with leader Warren Covington, Connie Haines, Ira Sullivan, Mose Allison, Richie Cole, Don Menza, Nick Brignola, Kenny Drew Jr., and Leon Marian. Ken was also the house drummer for 8 years at the Jazz Cellar in Ybor City backing up many of the top jazz artists who played this club. Currently, Ken is working with many of the top local jazz bands in the Tampa Bay area as well as touring with national acts. After years of professional musicianship, primarliy in a "sideman" role, Ken has decided to step out front and become the leader of his own band: The Ken Loomer Big Band! The KLBB is a concert only hard swinging group of fifteen great musicians. The idea behind this band as Ken states is to “first keep jazz alive, which is America’s greatest art form,” and having the music performed by the best jazz musicians in the country. The music will consist of original arrangements written just for his band, and the music from the Great American Songbook including charts from jazz icons such as Woody Herman, Buddy Rich, Count Basie, and Maynard Ferguson

Ken Speaks out… “What I am proud of is the identity of my Band and the following of enthusiastic jazz lovers of all ages. The Ken Loomer Big Band continues to play the concert music of Count Basie, Buddy Rich, Woody Herman, etc. and your favorite “standard tunes” with a Big Band jazz approach. Arrangers such as Phillips, Mintzer, Schamber, Harris, etc. are mostly responsible for this identity. It is the sound and personality that distinguish this Band from the other swing/society/jazz bands in the area.” “In addition to my great and unique arrangements, it is the collection of musicians that also determines the personality of the Band. I have been very lucky to have a core of musicians from the area that have been with me for years. These people are my close friends who are considered to be some of the best musicians in the Bay area. I am proud to have each and every one of them on the bandstand every time we play”. “The original idea behind my Big Band was to create a style that touches all people of all generations. Unique to my Band is the fact that I feature very strong soloists who know how to lift the sound of the Band to a much higher level. The performance of my Big Band is strong; it is happy; it is the music of today reaching for tomorrow. Most important to me is the fact that the people have always reacted very positively to this music and the sound of this Big Band”. “I think the greatest thing about my Big Band is that here is a collection of players who “get it”. Not only do they get all the basics of, and have passion for jazz, but they also get the concept that they are individual voices that work with all the other individual voices to create a single, cohesive sound of the fabulous "KEN LOOMER BIG BAND.” - Ken Loomer 2010