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The Rudess Morgenstein Project Is: Rod
Morgenstein - Drums |
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The seed was planted for the Rudess/Morgenstein Project one evening at a sold out Dixie Dregs performance in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In the middle of the set, a power failure shut down the guitar, bass and violin rigs leaving only the keyboards and drums unaffected. Disaster seemed imminent. What followed instead was a blistering, ten minute drum/keyboard power-duo jam which brought down the house. This event marked the beginning of a unique musical collaboration between keyboard virtuoso Jordan Rudess and drumming legend Rod Morgenstein. |
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Best New Talent in 1994 by Keyboard Magazine's
readers and second to Keith Emerson as Overall Best Keyboardist,
Jordan Rudess is an inspiration among fellow musicians. Receiving
his classical training at the prestigious Juilliard School of Music
from the tender age of nine, Jordan has incorporated this background
into his playing and compositional style.
"It all began when I was seven years old and my second grade teacher called my mother to tell her how beautifully I was playing the piano. This was startling to my mother as our family didn't own a piano! After that phone call, the next week there was a baby grand in the living room. Weekly lessons followed and two years later I entered Juilliard." During his nine years of classical training, Jordan was being groomed for a career as a world class concert pianist. At the age of eighteen, to the astonishment of his teachers and parents, Jordan left Juilliard to immerse himself in the world of synthesizers, improvisation and rock music. With early influences such as the Beatles, ELP, Deep Purple, Genesis and Yes, Jordan's highly original musical concepts began to take shape. After recording and touring with guitarist Vinnie Moore, Jordan moved on to gigs with Jan Hammer, Tony Williams, Dream Theater and the Dixie Dregs where he met drummer Rod Morgenstein.
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Rod
Morgenstein is one of the most respected drummers in the world,
leading the way with a style of rock drumming that is all his own.
One moment he's creating subtle dynamic colors, while the next he
comes on like a powerhouse. RodÝs musical background also
includes playing keyboards which can be heard on his tune Odd Man
Out.
His unique and musical drumming style has led to Rod's winning the Best Progressive Rock Drummer award in Modern Drummer Magazine's Reader's Poll 5 years in a row (1986-1990), earning him prestigious placement in the magazine's Honor Roll. He is a founding member of the ground breaking jazz-rock-fusion band The Dixie Dregs, whose last 6 recordings each received Grammy nominations for Best Rock Instrumental Performance. The Philadelphia Inquirer noted; "The band is possibly the most important - and certainly the most technically advanced - instrumental group in progressive fusion." In 1983, Rod joined forces with Steve Morse to form the Steve Morse Band. Rod remembers, "One of our biggest breaks came when we toured with Rush on the Power Windows tour to sold out arenas packed with appreciative fans." He was also a member of the late eighties metal group Winger who sold in excess of four million albums and received an American Music Award nomination for Best New Heavy Metal Band (1989). His drumming can also be heard on Kip Winger's recently released solo album "This Conversation Seems Like a Dream." |
The following statement says it all; "Never before has so much music been created by so few people."
Let the Rudess/Morgenstein Project capture YOUR imagination and take you on a unique musical journey!