Shaolin Kempo Karate in Kentucky

[ackenpo]

As a martial artist and a student of Mr. Brassard I feel the need to comment on the slanderous allegations made by a member a short while back. The first point I would like to address is the calling into question of Mr. Brassard’s rank. Mr. Brassard did not ask for this recognition it was awarded to him by the president of the sokieship council, Dr. Thomas, and a council of 17- 10th degree grandmaster's from around the world. If anyone would like to contact Dr. Thomas and check on Mr. Brassard’s standing his number is 365-939-0780. At the present time Dr. Thomas’s website is down but it will be up and running soon. Where Mr. Brassard will also be listed as the Grandmaster of the year, for 2006.
The second point I would like to make is this member called into question Mr. Brassard’s ranking but had no problem presenting himself as a 4th degree that which Mr Brassard granted him. In my book this is an extremely hypocritical thing to do.
My third point has to do with the longevity of Mr Brassard’s students. On this point fnorfurfoot is simply lying. Master Wright in Kentucky has been a student of Mr. Brassard for 26 years!! Some people reading this or practicing martial arts haven’t been involved in them for 26 years never mind being a student of his for 26 YEARS! Over the summer I personally trained with a young lady who has been training with Mr. Brassard for 15 years. There is also another on and off student of Mr. Brassard’s of 20 years, who runs a school in Falmouth who just this month returned to seek training under Mr. Brassard. There are more but I think I have made my point!
My last point is that I have been training with Mr. Brassard at least 3 hours every week, 52 weeks a year for the last 6 years. Mr. fnorfurfoot has seen him maybe 2 hours a month for the last 6 years. In all of my time with Mr. Brassard I have never witnessed any of the slanderous allegations made pertaining to Mr. Brassard’s character.
Just so people know where I am coming from I have 13 years of martial arts experience in 4 different styles. I have a green belt in USA Goju-ryu karate, a brown belt in Okinawan Shorei-ryu karate, a 1st degree black belt in taekwondo, and a 3rd degree black belt in Shaolin /American Kempo. In my experience Mr. Brassard has more ability and knowledge of the mechanics, physics and logistics in the martial arts then anyone I have meet or trained with thus far. To the people of Kentucky who had the misfortune of reading these comments, all I can say is to go to his seminar....you won't be disappointed, or just ask the people who went to his seminars before.
"Great spirits have often encountered violent opposition from weak minds." Albert Einstein

 

[KenpoDave]

The day of the seminar is Oct 14 in Georgetown Kentucky.

B

It's only 18 miles to Lexington. Steve Finn has a kenpo school there. You won't find any better. I promise.

 

[John Bishop]

Just out of curiosity, how many 10th degree Shaolin Kempo masters are there in New England?

 

[RevIV]

Just out of curiosity, how many 10th degree Shaolin Kempo masters are there in New England?

John, good question, off the top of my head and Chris Hatch's we came up with
SGM George Pesare
Steve Demasco
Al Cunningham
Bobby "Tokyo Joe" Lamatinna
and we think Mike Brown (international Karate Centers)
we were wondering how many 7th and 8th degree Kaju Guys are out here in NY and New England that were former Shaolin guys who are now ranked with you?
Hope my info helped, i also hope you will be able to help me with my question
In Peace
Jesse

 

[John Bishop]

we were wondering how many 7th and 8th degree Kaju Guys are out here in NY and New England that were former Shaolin guys who are now ranked with you?
Hope my info helped, i also hope you will be able to help me with my question
In Peace
Jesse

How many do you know of? The only one I can think of is Rick Fescina, who I hear was with Shaolin Kempo before he went to Nick Cerio's group, and then to Walter Godin after Cerio's death.
The Kajukenbo groups in New Jersey and Vermont come from Puerto Rico and the Peralta/Ortega lienage.
Kalaii Griffin in Mass. was from EPAK until Mr. Parker passed away. I think he has a few students teaching in Mass.
There was a Won Hop Kuen Do college club in Waltham, Mass, but that instructor has tansferred to North Carolina for his graduate work.
In New York there's also Dusty Rhodes in New Rochelle, Tom Bisio in NYC. Tom Bisio is from Vince Black's lineage. I don't know anything about Dusty Rhodes. And there's Victor Ballesteros in Nyack.
Other then Griffin and Fescina, I don't think any of these guys are higher then 5th. A couple are 2nd and 3rd, and one is a 1st.
Other then Fescina, are any of these guys originally from SKK?

 

[RevIV]

How many do you know of? The only one I can think of is Rick Fescina, who I hear was with Shaolin Kempo before he went to Nick Cerio's group, and then to Walter Godin after Cerio's death.

Barely any John. I am pretty sure that Rick Fescina was a student of Tom Ingargiola until problems arose,, in fact i heard some of Fescina's students stopped by Prof. I's school recently but did not get across what they had hoped by going there. A martial friend of mine knows Dusty Rhodes i believe and he likes him. I dont know many thats a fact. maybe you can answer this or i can write Prof. Shuras but I thought Prof. Shuras was ranked in Kajukenbo also.. sorry to write it if it is wrong.. you know how someone might read this and a year from now will say it as fact. Thanks for the reply.. Back to your orginal question, can you think of any more 10th Dans out here from SKK?
In Peace
Jesse

 

[John Bishop]

Barely any John. I am pretty sure that Rick Fescina was a student of Tom Ingargiola until problems arose,, in fact i heard some of Fescina's students stopped by Prof. I's school recently but did not get across what they had hoped by going there.

Although I see Rick at differant Kajukenbo events, I've never really talked to him. I read recently a post from one of his students saying that he was affliated with Steven Demasco in his early days, but like I said I've never talked to Rick, so I don't know his exact background.

A martial friend of mine knows Dusty Rhodes i believe and he likes him. I dont know many thats a fact. maybe you can answer this or i can write Prof. Shuras but I thought Prof. Shuras was ranked in Kajukenbo also.. sorry to write it if it is wrong.. you know how someone might read this and a year from now will say it as fact. Thanks for the reply.. Back to your orginal question, can you think of any more 10th Dans out here from SKK?
In Peace
Jesse

As I understand it, Joe Shurus was cross ranked by Gerry Scott a few years ago. You'd have to either ask Joe or Gerry about the circumstances.

Thanks for the reply.. Back to your orginal question, can you think of any more 10th Dans out here from SKK?
In Peace

Actually, the only one's I knew about was Villari and Cunningham. I never really considered Pesare a Shaolin Kempo BB. I thought SKK was the invention of Fred Villari.
But I was curious after one of the members here said something like "you can't swing a dead cat in Mass without hitting a 10th degree".

 

[RevIV]

Actually, the only one's I knew about was Villari and Cunningham. I never really considered Pesare a Shaolin Kempo BB. I thought SKK was the invention of Fred Villari.
But I was curious after one of the members here said something like "you can't swing a dead cat in Mass without hitting a 10th degree".[/quote]

You are right, SGM Pesare would kick my *** if i were to put him in the same category, i was just going through the lineage and he is always the first i think of out here. Bobby "Tokyo Joe" Lamatinna is now a 10th dan and was with Villari's but left during the major break in the early 90's but went on his own. off subject - just saw my first shoot fight in Tokyo, what a riot, 3rd row seats and the last 2 fights were just brawls.. well im outta here. 3 more days then a long flight back to Boston.. oh, there is another gentlemen who is a 10th in NH. but the name eludes me, i will find out when i get home.
In peace
Jesse

 

[RevIV]

After re-reading my last post i just wanted to clarify something. When i wrote same category i was referring to GM Villari and SGM Pesare. I do not know the relationship between SGM Pesare and GM Cunningham, sorry if people read into that one.
In Peace
Jesse

 

[CTKempo Todd]

Safe trip back Jesse...

Hopefully see you when you get home.

 

[KempoGuy06]

The seminar is this saturday at 11am in Georgetown, KY. As far as I know it is open to anyone with $55. Last year Mr. Brasard was there for almost 4hrs and he said he would only be there for 2. Im anxious to go, I will give a review when I return.

B