Rudy Royston

One of the most understated, yet still stylistically boundary-pushing drummers of his generation, Rudy Royston is a revered sideman and leader in his own right. While deeply knowledgeable of the swinging post-bop style of icons like Elvin Jones, Jack DeJohnette, and Max Roach, Royston has wide influences and draws upon folk, country, and global traditions. He initially rose out of the vibrant Denver jazz and creative music scene of the early '90s, working with Ron Miles and Fred Hess. Following a move to New Jersey, he again established himself alongside forward-thinking luminaries like Dave Douglas, Bill Frisell, and Ben Allison. His own albums have displayed his stylistically broad-minded approach, covering both Radiohead and Mozart on 2014's 303, or exploring rootsy folk, country, and global music on 2018's Flatbed Buggy and 2023's Day.