Now in its 17th year, Drum Fantasy Camp is owned and managed by Steven Orkin of Orkin Marketing & Management. Among other artists, Steven manages marketing for my buddies Dave Weckl and Steve Smith. The idea originated when Orkin started working with them; fans were writing in through their web sites asking how they could get lessons, etc. Orkin presented an idea to Weckl and Smith individually – suggesting that some kind of master class tour happen. Both were skeptical of the logistics, but both offered the idea of a centralized camp. They told the same story: they had both attended the Stan Kenton summer jazz camp when they were younger, hoping to work with Peter Erskine! I mentored Steve in 1973 but had left the band by the time Dave attended – he enjoyed working with Gary Hobbs, however.  The first Drum Fantasy Camp ran in South Orange, NJ, in […]

September 2025 Issue