Drummer Gary Barratt

Born in Blackburn Lancashire England during the 60's Beatles era, Gary Barratt was first inspired by hearing drummers like Ringo Starr, and was soon tapping on everything from dinner plates to pots and pans and still vividly remembers destroying a cousin's kiddie drumset while visiting Germany at age four. After emmigrating to Canada in 1968 he began formal drum lessons in 1972 with Dick Baldwin who at the time was the principal drummer with the Canadian Forces Vimy Band. It was with Dick Baldwin where he learned the basics of drumming, drum set notation, and the appreciation of all styles of music including Jazz. Gary gigged in his first high school rock bands at age 14 playing cover tunes by various bands popular at the time, including the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin. In 1978 at age 16 he joined the Kingston Musician's Union Local 518 and started playing steadily in clubs with various local country bands. In these bands he learned to lay back and play in a way that would authentically fit the given style of music. A memorable highlight of that time was meeting Buddy Rich in 1979 at The Rideau Ferry Inn. During the late 70's and into the mid 80's Gary went on to play a number of seasons drumming variety shows for Rick Fondell on Kingston's famous Island Queen Tourist Show Boat. This period was also filled with regular country - rock gigs. In 1983 Gary spent a year studying percussion at Queens University with Jim Petercsak, the award winning professor and head of percussion at the Crane School Of Music in Potsdam New York. Around this time Gary taught drum lessons for two years at Sharp And Flat Music in Kingston Ontario. Later that year he formed a drums and piano duo Doctor Drums And The Ragtime Kidd with Ross Maclachlan. This popular duo lasted steadily until 1990 when Gary moved to Ealing London in England to check out the live music scene there. It was at the Ealing Jazz Festival where he regularly met some of Britains top drummers including Ronnie Verrel of Muppets / Ted Heath Orchestra fame, and one of Britains most innovative freestyle Jazz drummers, John Stevens. While in London Gary played and recorded with original bands playing everything from Indie Rock to Heavy Grunge, Pop, Improvised Jazz Funk, and Celtic Folk. This included occasional tours to places such as Wales, Ireland and France. Since returning to Canada in 1995 due to a family illness Gary continues to be an active performing musician, playing and recording in numerous bands of varirous styles. After a nine month stint in 2007 instructing the drums at Kingston's Xanadu Music School Gary has continued instructing the drum set at both Centre Stage Music in Kingston, and the Dreams In Motion Performing And Fine Arts School in Gananoque Ontario. Students have ranged in ages from 5 to 50, though most are between 10 and 25 years of age.

Links To CD Music Samples Featuring Gary On Drums / Percussion:

Not Just Ragtime - The Ragtime Kidd. (CBC Airplay and The Vinyl Cafe)

My Kind Of Play - Original Songs By Kingston Artist Michael K Myers.

Gary Also Appears On Recordings By Kingston Folk Rock Favorite TOM SAVAGE.

CD's "BRAND OF SYMPATHY" and "NEVER SHED NO TEARS"

Some of Gary's favourite drummers are:  ( Links Courtesy Of  Wikipedia - A Big Thanks )

Buddy Rich, Shelly Manne, Joe Morello, Louis Bellson, Max Roach, Art Blakey, Steve Gadd, Ringo Starr, John Bonham, Neil Peart, Gerry Conway,  Max Weinberg. - And Too Many Others To Mention.

Gary's all time favourite bassist is: -  Brian Bromberg.

Some favourite bands and musicians include: - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johann Strauss II, Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong, Al Hirt, The Beatles, Johnny Cash, George Jones, Cat Stevens, Frank Zappa, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Bob Marley, The Rolling Stones, Rush, Alan Holdsworth, Harry Nilsson, Tom Waits, Ozzy Osbourne, Bruce Springsteen, and Cold Play.

Click Here For A Link To Tim Hallman's Bio