Billy Drummond |
NYU Jazz percussion faculty member Billy Drummond was born in Newport News, Virginia. He began playing drums at the age of four, influenced by his father, also a drummer. Arriving in New York City in 1988, Billy joined the young band,"Out of the Blue" (OTB), with whom he recorded the group's final CD for Blue Note Records. Soon after, Billy joined piano great Horace Silver's Sextet and toured with them extensively.
Over the past eight years, Billy has toured and recorded with a variety of jazz masters including: Sonny Rollins, Pat Metheny, Joe Henderson, J.J. Johnson, Nat Adderley, Bobby Hutcherson, James Moody, Andrew Hill, Freddie Hubbard and Steve Kuhn. He has released three CDs as a leader: Native Colours features Steve Nelson, Steve Wilson, Renee Rosnes and Ray Drummond, The Gift includes Seamus Blake, Renee Rosnes and Peter Washington. Jazz Times magazine said the recording features "a richness and total lack of cliches," and called the recording "a fine piece of work - imaginative, satisfying and memorable." On Dubai, his third solo release, critics have written: "Drummond's nimble, pianoless quartet spins jazz on the head of a pin with stunning results."