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Drummer Brian Woodruff has toured the United States, Asia, and Europe and has performed with Bobby Watson, Marian MacPartland, Ingrid Jensen, Gary Versace, Jon Irabagon, David Lahm, Harvie S, Jiggs Whigham, Jerry Hahn, Adam Niewood, Toru Dodo, Stacy Dillard, and on the Today Show. Recently, Woodruff has been busy performing with his own group, The Brian Woodruff Sextet, as well as with The Genes and Jazz Project, The New-Trad Octet, Akemi, Marieann Meringolo, and Chuck Cooper. Recent recordings include In the Spirit with Marieann Meringolo and an as yet unreleased date with The New-Trad Octet. For the past year, he has been running the Blackbird’s Session, one of NYC’s premier jam sessions, every Sunday night near his home in Astoria, Queens. Brian regularly brings in a revolving cast of New York’s finest musicians to perform with him in the house band at Blackbird’s. Woodruff’s CD The Tarrier, his first as a leader, features an all-original set of compositions arranged for his sextet. The CD has continued to garner rave reviews and critical acclaim since its release. Mr. Woodruff received a Bachelor of Music in Applied Percussion from the University of Connecticut and a Master’s Degree in Jazz and Commercial Music from the Manhattan School of Music. His former teachers include Bill Stewart, John Riley, Carl Allen, and Justin DiCioccio. He is currently on the faculty of Brooklyn Music School and Long Island Conservatory. |