After many jam sessions on the weekend and during school holidays, I stepped aside to allow college student Daniel Johnson (Drums) pieced together a band of musicians. They came from different parts of London: Bow. Islington. Hackney. Poplar. Wood Green. This was Daniel's very first composition as bandleader (The Khameloids). Daniel had total freedom to express himself creatively as a musician and proved his planning & development skills and combining interdisciplinary art forms paid off really well. Practicing regularly on a drum pad, one-to-one, group sessions and punctuality. Daniel did not study key stage 4 music, instead he had the willingness to listen, watch and learn as a drama student. What he achieved herer, he transferred disciplines from two previous collaborative projects at school into The Khameloids producing a high standard working progress album. It was recorded at Berry Street Studio in 2007 with recording engineer Malcolm Dixon. As project Manager, I collaborated on the album, which features different band members performing a solos. The piano solo in this case is Conrad and Daniel on drums. 
They were all given the opportunity to have full creative control and the album does not centre around just one person. (1): Create A Blank Canvas. (2): Lateral Thinking Processes, Supportive-Discipline. It was noticeable between each teenager a bond and willingness to work together. The band, Laurence Hiller (Guitar/Drums/Vocals).Conrad Clayton (Keyboards). Stephaine Levi-John (Vocals), and additional musician Daniel Tissingh (Bass/Peripatetic.

The Khameloids

K.E.M

Ex-pupil Fysh'Key (key stage 4 Music) from Tower Hamlets fused three musical genres at Bishop Chanoller Collegic School during his evenings, weekends and school holidays, and together we decided to look around for a musician from another location. Liam was 16 at the time when I was Supply Teaching at Lister Community School. There an instant mutual respect between Fysh'key and Liam. We all jammed together on weekends/school holidays. So I took what they had between and gave them (1): Create A Blank Canvas/Creative Space For Freedom Of Expression With Own Ingredients. (2) Aim For A Professional Sound/Standard. This collaborations involved background singer Sandy Chi, Liam Cloud on guitars/vocals and rapper, Emdii and myself on keyboard. Managing this project was an absolute thrill. It was recorded at Berry Street Studio in the summer 2012.

Burning Kingdom

Fysh'Key reaching his late teens fused three musical genres Jazz, Rock and Rap after school hours at Bishop Chanoller Collegic School during his evenings, weekends and school holidays. It began as a one to one session and evolved over time. Fysh'key requested guidance and so I introduce him the Alesis SR18 (drum machine) and we began rehearsing with it. This collaboration with Liam Cloud aged 16 at the time, he played purely guitar for this track, myself on Keyboards/vocals and later came Emdii. Fysh'key's longtime friend/rapper to add a second verse, Supply Teaching/Managing this project was an absolute thrill watching/performing with these students develop their creative ideas using (1): Look to play with people better than yourself (2): Make Use Of What You Have. The end result was recorded at Berry Street Studio in the summer 2012. It was achieved by: Consistency. Commitment. Challenge. Confidence.

Keep Rising

Ex-pupil Daniel Johnson pieced together a band of musicians. They came from different parts of London: Bow. Islington. Hackney. Poplar. Wood Green. One-to-one, this was Daniel's very first composition on his own without his peers at the time, and before he became bandleader in 2006.  Daniel did not go onto complete key stage 4 music. During his college hours and weekends/college holidays I gave Daniel total freedom to express himself creatively as a drummer. (1) Create A Blank Canvas. (2): Make Better Use of What You Have and Aim for A Professional Sound. It was recorded at Berry Street Studio in 2007 with recording engineer Malcolm Dixon. As Project Manager/Supply Teacher I produced and collaborated on this track (Percussion/Keyboards). However the musicianship ideas from Laurence Hiller aged 17 (Acoustic Guitar), Daniel Tissingh (Bass/Lead Guitar), Daniel on Drums proved to be the right ingredients to push the learning.. I had conditioned my students to practiced and rehearsed!!!

Opportunities Moving On

This project was created on the weekend at school. The student who composed this track was heavily influenced by solo soft classical piano music/ballads, but lacked confidence. One-to-one, he was open to fuse his light-sound to make it more upbeat and merge different instrumental development. I helped him come up with the drum beat and played the drums on this track and introduced different instrumentation and provided/encouraged (1): Work with other ingredients (Lateral Thinking). (2): Taking the learning out of the classroom into a professional recording studio as part of year 11 key stage 4 work experience. Pride & Joy was recorded during school half-term June 2006 at Berry Street Studio with Engineer Kevin Poree and the band.

Pride & Joy

Pride And Joy 2006

This demo is a bonus track for teaching purposes only above key stage 4 Music adapting an instrumental. Mixing different vocal registers and vocal stylings. A good exercise for singers applying their full range into a piece of music that suits their voice. The instrumentation is over 10 years old, however it was time for a change and needed updating.. All vocals by Gary Thomas KYPA and music instrumentation ©️ Gary Thomas KYPA 2023. Gary plays piano/keyboards, vocalist and percussionist. The music was recorded back in 2014 and lately I was compelled to revisit the tune and add vocals to it on 29/12/2023.

Limbo Part 9  Demo (Gary's Vocals) © Gary Thomas KYPA 2014 - 29 12 2023, 17.03

Three local boys from Tower Hamlets decided to breakaway from the norm of Grime music and the nonsense happening in their area and challenged themselves to be different while they were in the last few months of year 11 schooling. They were open about adding four more teenagers to the project trying something completely new. As Project Manager/Teacher, I gave them my original tune and with a few tweaks here and there - adding real instrumentation instead a computer sound and complicated parts; together we came up with this piece of fun and energy to create their own sound: (1) Creative Space For Freedom of Expression. (2) Aim for a professional standard/sound. Music by Gary Thomas KYPA ©️ 2011. The track features: Gary Thomas KYPA (Keyboard),  Drummer Dude Ams (Drums), Anam (Vocals), Charlie Anosike (Guitars), MC Ric (Rapper)and Shah (Rapper). Recorded at Berry Street Studio 2011.

Highs And Lows

Sidney and I have jammed many times over the course of his learning at school Key Stage 4 Music. On this occasion, we jammed in Debden 2011 at a rehearsal studio and it proved to be more about (1) Stripping Away At The Layers. (2) A Creative Space for Freedom of Expression. Be Bold. Let Go. Be uninhibited. Push one-self. Sidney was 16 at the time. He demonstrated an aspect of his drumming skills and love for Rock music. The demo has been part of my current project Collaboration and serves as a way to demonstrate "Make use of what you have and not what you do not have" and metaphorically speaking, "There is more than one way to make a cup of tea" - The music can be a duet or trio and so on and lend itself to different styles. Be versatile. I enjoy moments like this which exemplifies using my life experiences and putting them back into the learning environment..

04 Highs & Lows Demo 04 Live 2011 Gary (Keyboard) & Sidney Young (Ex - Pupil Drummer)

This project featured a number students (mixed ability students key stage 3 and 4) and gave them a taster of a recording session, collaborating out of their comfort zone back in 2008/9. This process welcomed (1): Lateral Thinking Processes and (2): Supportive Discipline. It was recorded at Berry Street Studio in 2009 by a group of year 11s and one in year 9 student. This features: Myself on piano, Daniel Tissingh (Guitars/Peripatetic), Laurence Hiller (Drums), Bass (Sidney Young/yr 11), Anam Uddin (Vocals/yr 9), Kat Reyes (vocals/yr 11), Rafid Arman (Vocals/yr 11) and special guest Lindon Alexander (Voiceover)
*Daniel Tissingh additional musician.

Searching Full Demo 2009

This is a bonus track demo for teaching purposes only. I cannot read music. I play by ear. I severely fractured my left-hand ring finger at the knuckle back in 2009 and play with 8 fingers. (1): Make Use Of What You Have. (2) Consistency. Commitment. Challenge. Confidence.

Amazing Grace Demo KYPA 2023 - 30 12 2023, 23.57

This is a bonus track for teaching purposes only. This project is about another aspect of musical development and widening ones musical taste outside of ones comfort zone and to appreciate different styles and genres.

Just Tell Me Demo © Gary Thomas KYPA 2014 - 28 12 2023, 22.15

Laurence had total freedom to express himself creatively as a musician and proved his planning & development skills and combining interdisciplinary art forms paid off really well mixing congas and bongos into a section to make an ethereal sound. Laurence did study key stage 4 music, he had the willingness to listen, watch and learn and any moment throughout the recording session he would resort to the drums practicing. What he achieved here, he transferred disciplines from singing, arranging and playing guitar producing a high standard working progress track. Giving weekends/school holidays made the difference. It was recorded at Berry Street Studio in 2007 with recording engineer Malcolm Dixon. As project Manager/teacher I stepped aside to allow different band members to perform a solos. The piano  in this case is Quincy and Daniel on percussion.
They were all given the opportunity to have full creative control and the album does not centre around just one person. (1): Create A Blank Canvas. (2): Lateral Thinking Processes, Supportive-Discipline. It was noticeable between each teenager a bond and willingness to work together. Laurence Hiller (Guitar/Drums/Vocals). Conrad Clayden (Keyboards). Quincy Roberts (Keyboards/Percussion). Daniel Johnson (percussion/drums)

Summer

Two 16 year old students - Daniel Savage (piano) & Daniel Johnson (drums) Jiluwar (bass) decided to do things differently and on the weekend I heard it for myself the growth and maturity in their playing. This track in particular showcases both Daniels' abilities as creatives and as young musicians who took control to move things up a notch. An example of a teacher/student collaboration raised to a professional standard. Lyrics ©️ APPL JUIC

Puttin Ur Pipe N Smoke It No Drama 2006

Weekend rehearsal with Daniel Johnson and myself. The first tune on The Khameloids album 2006. As Dan and I practice and correct mistakes the fun and energy was there is the band practice room. Dan on drums. Gary on keyboard/congas.

The Making of Opportunities Movin On (Drums/Congas/Keyboard)

When the band line-up changed after the first album, we kept the rhythm section going and this is the first example which demonstrates that with these talented students.

Buzz Infectious (Daniel/Gary/Daniel) 2006

Stephanie takes full control and this is her chance to shine as a vocalist.

Here. There and Everywhere

Reminiscene

Back in 2014 KYPA's GROOVE was just an idea. 10 years on this demo has been developed with the help of ex-pupils and band members from The Khameloids (Quincy Roberts, Steel Pan) and (Laurence Hiller, Drums).  

Introducing On Lead Vocals, Sandy Chi (Performing Beyond 40) and Charlie Anosike, Guitar. All vocals and other instrumentation, Gary Thomas KYPA. Mixed and Mastered by James Harrison from THE STEREOTYPES.

KYPA's GROOVE (DEMO) 2024

A passionate practising Teacher specialising in the Creative Arts with over 20 years experience sharing collaborative student orientated projects.

Gary Thomas KYPA

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