Starting with John Cage, there have been quite a few composers who have worked with junk and found objects to create their music. However, nobody does it with quite as much finesse as Donald Knaack.

A mind-blowing experience!

…a virtuoso percussionist.

It really cooked!

…the legendary percussion virtuoso.

The Junkman’s music and his instruments are provocative and entirely innovative.

It’s Stomp on acid!

…virtuoso playing worth hearing.

Music of tremendous power and wide-ranging temperaments.

The Junkman totally captivated the Kansas City International Jazz Festival audience…

As usual, high-spirited, ever-present and a wonderful asset to the festival.

…unusual, completely independent and wholly cool!

The workshops are stimulating and unique. Exposing students to the recycling message that a discarded object can be reborn into a completely new function and using this method to create music is an educational approach that is worthwhile.

Not only does Knaack bring out the music in an object, he does the same with people. With his friendly support and cooperation, this event was planned by the Cultural Center and Knaack as a Family Day of conservation-related crafts and music workshops. The Junkman’s unpretentious humanitarianism, talents, and simple love for playing percussion provided all at once a great concert, a musically educational experience and a happy day for our Staten Island community.