Scott Kettner

SCOTT KETTNER (Artistic Director/Founder The Nation Beat / Maracatu New York) Drummer,Percussionist,Composer,Recording artist Scott Kettner is building a unique position for himself in the world of Jazz and Contemporary World Music. A graduate of The New School University Jazz and Contemporary Music program, Kettner has studied intensively in Brazil and in 2004 became a member of one of the oldest existing traditional Maracatu groups from Recife, Brazil, Maracatu Nação Estrela Brilhante (founded in 1906). In 2003 and 2005 Scott was awarded an artist grant from The Brooklyn Arts Council for his project Maracatu New York and The Nation Beat and was just elected a 2006 Latin Jazz Ambassador by the U.S. State Department. Scott is also a faculty member of The New School University’s Jazz and Contemporary Music Program where he conducts the Brazilian Maracatu Percussion class.

As a sideman, Kettner has become a performing member of "Beat The Donkey" led by world famous Brazilian percussionist Cyro Baptista, and has worked and recorded with the great Klezmer trumpeter Frank London and the Klezmer All Star Brass Band. He has also worked with the Latin jazz group "Annette Aguilar’s String Beans", African Drum and Dance group of NYC "Magbana", Finnish folkloric group Kaiku, and Forro For All”. Scott was awarded an artist grant by the Brazilian government in 2005 to bring his group The Nation Beat to Recife to record a CD together with the traditional Maracatu group Estrela Brilhante.

Scott’s passion for world music, particularly Brazilian music, recently led him to a very unique apprenticeship in Brazil. Upon graduating from The New School University Jazz and Contemporary music program Scott lived in Brazil and studied with percussion master Jorge Martins da Silva. It was here that Jorge introduced Scott to the rhythms and instruments from the northeastern region of Brazil, particularly Maracatu de Baque Virado.

Upon concluding his apprenticeship in Brazil Scott founded and is the acting artistic director of “The Nation Beat” and "Maracatu New York", a weekly percussion class/performance group dedicated mostly to the performance and knowledge of Northeastern Brazilian rhythms. Maracatu NY have been offering traditional Maracatu de Baque Virado percussion workshops and master classes since the summer of 2002 and have since installed a cultural exchange program between Recife, Brazil and New York.

Scott Kettner plays LP Percussion and Vic Firth Drumsticks exclusively.