Ray "Bulldog" Drummond is one of jazz's busiest session players. His deep, smooth bass playing has been heard on more than 300 albums, including recordings by
Art Farmer,
David Murray,
Houston Person,
Stan Getz,
Kenny Burrell,
Kevin Mahogany,
Toots Thielemans,
Benny Golson, and
Ray Bryant. On his own,
Drummond has led three bands -- Excursion, featuring David Sanchez,
Craig Handy,
Stephen Scott,
Mor Thiam, and
Billy Hart; the
Ray Drummond Quintet, with
Hart,
Handy, and
Stephen Scott, and a duo, One on One, shared with
Bill Mays. He continues to co-lead
the Drummonds, with his brother,
Billy, and
Renee Rosnes.
The son of an army colonel,
Drummond attended 14 schools around the world as a youngster. Although he played trumpet from the age of eight, and French horn, a high-school music teacher encouraged him to switch to the bass. Briefly settling in northern California, he earned a Bachelor degree in political science at Claremont Men's College in June 1968. Continuing his education at the Stanford Business School, he earned a Masters degree in business administration. While in San Francisco, he played with
Bobby Hutcherson, Michael White,
Ed Kelly,
Tom Harrell,
Eddie Marshall, and
Lester Young's niece, Martha Young. He taught at Monterey Peninsula College of Music in 1975.
Moving to New York in 1977,
Drummond worked as a session bass player for
Betty Carter, the
Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra,
Wynton Marsalis,
Woody Shaw,
Hank Jones,
Jon Faddis,
Milt Jackson,
Johnny Griffin,
Kenny Barron,
Pharoah Sanders, and
George Coleman.
In addition to working as a sideman and leading his own bands,
Drummond has continued to teach. He currently serves as an assistant professor of jazz theory and practice at California State University and has conducted master classes at the Berklee College of Music, Purdue University, the University of Massachusetts, and the Sibelius Academy of Music in Helsinki, Finland. ~ Craig Harris