While Rodney Holmes is probably known to most for his brilliant work drumming for the Steve Kimock Band, his resume is impressive beyond that. Holmes has toured with Jazz legends Wayne Shorter and The Brecker Brothers, and done two separate stints with Santana (he appears on the band’s hugely successful _Supernatural _CD). His performance at last May’s Modern Drummer Festival in New York garnered him a thunderous standing ovation. Now, it has earned him a cover story on the esteemed periodical this coming December.

Holmes, who recently switched from Zildjian to Meinl cymbals, will release The Twelve Months of October in the coming weeks, a solo CD which will also feature Steve Kimock, Mitch Stein, and according to Holmes, ‘a bunch of musicians you’ve never heard of.’ DJ Shadow is among the artists that Holmes cites as influences on this adventurous disc, ‘It’s got a little more of an edge than SKB material. It also has more electronic elements and I’m anxious to get it out there.’ Holmes is beginning to assemble a band with an eye toward touring, ‘I would definitely like to tour in support of it.’
The Steve Kimock Band, Rodney’s main gig, has just released Eudemonic, a brilliant and uncategorizeable album which features two songs penned by Holmes, and two co-written by him with Kimock. SKB is currently touring with Robert Walter and Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey bassist Reed Mathis. The quartet has been lighting up rooms, performing mostly Kimock songs and a handful of Walter tunes. The group will perform a series of shows in Virginia later this month including stops at Virginia Beach’s Jewish Mother (October 19), Charlottesville’s Starr Hill Music Hall (October 20) and Falls Church, VA’s (October 21). Reporting by Rob Turner.