Robert C Kelly's home page

Robert C. Kelly has an extensive and diverse career as a drummer/percussionist. His musical scope spans the genres of Latin jazz, orchestral, liturgical music, spoken word-poetry, musical healing and modern dance. He has collaborated and performed with prominent choreographers, directors, such as Ann Reinking of Fosse and Chicago, Michael Grife of Rent, Baba Chuck Davis, Stanley Berke, actors Blythe Danner, Bill Irwin, Stephen Collins, and Jack Gilpin.

Other stellar ensembles and musicians he has performed with are the Royal Swedish Ballet, Gil Shaham, Navah Perlman, David Jolley, Eduardus Halim - Conductors Gunther Shuller, Tania Leon, Richard Fletcher, Joseph Church. Jazz and Pop personnel - Jerry Dodgeon, Lenny Pickett, Jim Pugh, Hans Glauschwanig, Javier Diez, Calvin Jones, Daniel Sadownick, Mike Richmond, Carol Woods, Marilyn McCoo, and Billy Davis Jr. Worldbeat and ethnic ensembles such as Doce no Pires, Caciques, Pyramid dance ensemble, Robert Levin's 'the Rhythm Monsters' performing music from Ghana, and also
'K' ensemble which uniquely and elegantly combines folkloric Japanese music with Jazz - in which Mr. Kelly is a founding member

He has World Premiered Re-Collections by Harold Farberman, and 'The Charm' as soloist and Producer, by Michael Udow. He has toured the United States, Canada, Europe and performed in Japan. His Broadway and Off Broadway credits include 'Les Miserables', 'Aint Misbehavin', 'Infertility...the Musical That's Hard to Conceive', Duke Ellington 'Song Book', 'Fame', and 'A Good Swift Kick'.

Mr. Kelly has received his formal training with Ronald Gould, the Principal Percussionist of the New York City Ballet Orchestra. He received his Bachelor of Music from The Hartt School of Music while studying with Alexander Lepak, and holds a Master of Arts from New York University while studying with Jonathan Haas. Mr. Kelly has also served as Percussion faculty at New York University.

Robert C Kelly drums~percussion