All levels welcome. Jazz, rock, and beyond. In-person in Richmond, CA.
Custom arrangements for ensembles of any size — from small combos to full big band.
Clean, professional scores and parts. Accurate, readable, and ready for the stand.
Accurate transcriptions of solos, charts, and full arrangements for study or performance.
Rick Vena is a professional drummer, educator, arranger, and music copyist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has performed with Big Bands, circus bands, klezmer orchestras, musical theater productions, and jazz ensembles of every size.
He holds a BM from San Francisco State University and an MM from the USC Thornton School of Music, where he studied with Peter Erskine, Ndugu Chancler, Roy McCurdy, Aaron Serfaty, and Bob Mintzer.
Whether you're picking up sticks for the first time or refining your approach as a working musician, lessons are tailored to where you are and where you want to go. All styles, all levels.
Solid foundation in rhythm, coordination, and reading. Building real skills from day one.
Groove, independence, and style. Expanding your vocabulary and musical awareness.
Jazz language, improvisation, and professional development for serious players.
An Alan Dawson variation on the Ted Reed Syncopation book — bass drum centered exercises that encourage a neutral foot position. All the voices as one line.
Read More →A transcription of Ulysses with Christian McBride and Christian Sands on Horace Silver's Juicy Lucy. Those single and unison 16th note ideas — wow.
Read More →Brian's playing resides in that unique territory that appeals to both drummers and non-drummers. Bop, Funk, and New Orleans all inform his vocabulary.
Read More →Call or text to book a lesson or inquire about services
(415) 370-6971Richmond, CA · rickvenajazz@gmail.com