Biography
Ted Poor works out of Seattle as a drummer, bandleader, composer, sideman, and educator. Both his exploratory technique and his soulful, instinctive, responsive approach have made him a sought-after studio and road musician. Beyond directing his own ensembles, he plays in the house band for the weekly radio program Live from Here with Chris Thile—previously known as A Prairie Home Companion—and belongs to the core group of Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter Andrew Bird. Poor’s first outing as leader, the 2003 album All Around, presented his original pieces alongside interpretations of works by John Coltrane, Kurt Weill, and George Gershwin. Four years later he shared co-credit on the double-length Lifelines alongside Bruno Råberg, Chris Cheek, Ben Monder, and Matt Wilson. He also appeared as a featured guest on the 2010 Departures release by the group of the same name. Between 2003 and 2019 the bulk of his income came from sideman and touring engagements with Paul Simon, Bill Frisell, Pat Metheny, Blake Mills, Ralph Alessi, My Brightest Diamond, Myra Melford, Cuong Vu, Ben Monder, and Gabriel Kahane. He currently holds the post of Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at the University of Washington in Seattle.
Poor entered the world in Rochester, New York, in 1961. Upon completing his studies at the Eastman School of Music in 2003, he left his birthplace for New York City and recorded and issued his debut, All Around. The recording quickly resonated within the city’s jazz and indie-rock circles. On that scene he established a reputation as an improvising colorist and stylist rather than simply a dependable timekeeper.
Following his move to Seattle in 2010, Poor became a member of the band led by Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter/violinist Andrew Bird. He played on the albums Are You Serious and My Finest Work Yet and continues to serve as Bird’s touring drummer. The association opened doors in the indie world and turned Poor into a regular presence in the Los Angeles music community.
Since beginning his work with Bird, Poor has joined forces with producers and artists such as Mitchell Froom, Blake Mills, Tony Berg, and Madison Cunningham, appearing on Cunningham’s Who Are You Now.
Outside his teaching schedule, Poor regularly performs on the live radio broadcast of Live from Here with Chris Thile on National Public Radio. In 2016 he joined bassist Matt Penman and clarinetist Joris Roelofs for the Pirouette release Amateur Dentist. The following year he participated in the Cuong Vu 4-Tet recording Ballet: The Music of Michael Gibbs, issued on RareNoise.
During the fall of 2018, Poor signed with Mills’ label New Deal, distributed through Universal. In mid-March 2019 he and producer Mills spent several days at Sound City in Los Angeles completing a project with saxophonist Andrew D’Angelo that had originated the previous year as a series of duets in New York. Along with the saxophone-and-drums pairings, several tracks incorporate subtle layers of reverb, piano, and other ambient instruments. The resulting album, You Already Know, appeared in winter 2020 as a joint release between New Deal and the Impulse! label.
Poor entered the world in Rochester, New York, in 1961. Upon completing his studies at the Eastman School of Music in 2003, he left his birthplace for New York City and recorded and issued his debut, All Around. The recording quickly resonated within the city’s jazz and indie-rock circles. On that scene he established a reputation as an improvising colorist and stylist rather than simply a dependable timekeeper.
Following his move to Seattle in 2010, Poor became a member of the band led by Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter/violinist Andrew Bird. He played on the albums Are You Serious and My Finest Work Yet and continues to serve as Bird’s touring drummer. The association opened doors in the indie world and turned Poor into a regular presence in the Los Angeles music community.
Since beginning his work with Bird, Poor has joined forces with producers and artists such as Mitchell Froom, Blake Mills, Tony Berg, and Madison Cunningham, appearing on Cunningham’s Who Are You Now.
Outside his teaching schedule, Poor regularly performs on the live radio broadcast of Live from Here with Chris Thile on National Public Radio. In 2016 he joined bassist Matt Penman and clarinetist Joris Roelofs for the Pirouette release Amateur Dentist. The following year he participated in the Cuong Vu 4-Tet recording Ballet: The Music of Michael Gibbs, issued on RareNoise.
During the fall of 2018, Poor signed with Mills’ label New Deal, distributed through Universal. In mid-March 2019 he and producer Mills spent several days at Sound City in Los Angeles completing a project with saxophonist Andrew D’Angelo that had originated the previous year as a series of duets in New York. Along with the saxophone-and-drums pairings, several tracks incorporate subtle layers of reverb, piano, and other ambient instruments. The resulting album, You Already Know, appeared in winter 2020 as a joint release between New Deal and the Impulse! label.
Albums
Singles
