Brian Melvin

A straightforward jazz drummer with a no-frills approach, Brian Melvin gained his greatest recognition by heading a trio alongside pianist Jon Davis that yielded electric bassist Jaco Pastorius’ last session, the album Standards Zone for Global Pacific. Jazz first entered his life after he witnessed a performance by the Buddy Rich big band. At age eight he unwrapped a snare drum and cymbal on Christmas morning, then progressed rapidly enough to perform at teen-club dances and sit in with rock ensembles once he reached high school. While growing up in San Francisco he caught many leading drummers at Keystone Korner and soon ranked among the city’s busiest session players. He also resided for stretches in Copenhagen, Amsterdam, and New York, where he directed the house band at the Blue Note for eight months. His résumé further encompasses work with Archie Shepp, Dave Kikoski, and Mike Stern, extensive recording activity during his European years, and his own dates for Timeless and Global Pacific.