Classically trained in percussion at Chetham's School of Music and then at the Guildhall School of music and Drama, I have worked with some of the country's premier jazz ensembles. I am at home playing Jazz, Latin, Drum'n'Bass, Rock, and being this flexible in styles makes me one of the busiest drummers in the United Kingdom.

A Brief history.

Chetham's school of music. I went at age 14 for 4 years. Percussion and Piano, Music theory/harmony.
Jazz Quartet 4-wheel drive. Won the "National music for Youth" competition at age 15 and played in the Albert Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Purcell Rooms, Free Trade hall, appeared on various national TV shows.

Studied Classical Percussion with Max Molin ( Halle ) Irene Molin ( Halle ), Graham Johns ( Royal Liverpool Phil ) Paul Patrick ( BBC Phil NW )

Studied drum kit for 1 year with the drummer/educator Dave Hassell

Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Studied percussion with David Corkhill ( L.S.O. E.C.O. ) David Johnson ( BBC Phil ) Terence Emery ( BBC Phil )

Played in a pop band called A2Z featuring the child star "Aled Jones"

Became a fulltime Northern UK based Pro Drummer in 1992

Project and Bands of the past few years.

Tom McRae (Singer/Songwriter) 2009 - Present. I am currently Tom McRae's drummer/percussionist for live work/gigs and recently toured Europe. I appeared on French music TV program "Taratata" with Tom McRae and also backed French artist Keren Ann.

Jiannis Pavlidis Trio This trio has just recorded its first album and plans to do series of gigs around the UK. In 2009, the trio played at the Thessaloniki Jazz festival, Greece.

The Stuart McCallum Project The band is appearing at some major music festivals in 2010 including "SoundWave Festival" in Croatia. Stuart and the band also recently supported "Bonovo" in Leeds as part of their UK tour.

Real Book Northwest Project. Played the launch of the Publication at The Manchester Jazz Festival 2007, then recorded an album of original works by North West artists and then toured around the UK with the project in 2009.

Crispy DUK Trio. Played a variety of gigs including various venues in Valencia, Spain including the Black Note Club, and The "Neste Del Arte" in Albecete as part of the Albecete International Jazz Festival between 2006 - 2008.

Jimpster (Kudos records and Freerange Records) I played on three widely acclaimed E.P's, remixes and the first Jimpster album, "Messages from the Hub" I also wrote one of the tunes on that album which was licensed to two other albums.

Dana Bryant. A National tour and a European tour with the New York poet/vocalist. Venues included The Jazz cafe. London, The North Sea Jazz festival, The Hague, Holland. The Phoenix Festival
1997.

The Steve Berry Trio/Quintet. The Trio recorded an album "Fortune Heights" in 2002. Then in 2004 a quintet featuring Mike walker and Andy Schofield performed a gig at the Manchester Jazz Festival 2004 and the recorded an album called "In an Ideal World"

Rod Mason's Elements. Formally "The Rod Mason Quartet", the old band recorded 2 albums. Now it is one of the most popular bands on the northern jazz scene with it's Powerful and uncompromising material. The project, called Elements, features the same energy of Rod with the rhythm section force of piano/keyboard favourite Richard Wetherall and the mighty bass playing skills of Richard Hammond. This personnel has recorded 2 albums.

Rosie Brown Quartet. I was featured on her second album "Now is the Time" 2000 and her third album "Ms Brown to You" Released May 2003

Graham Massey's (808 state) "Toolshed" I feature as one of the drummers involved in Massey's project. I also feature on the Toolshed album. This project has played all over the UK and featured in a Channel 4 documentary in 1999. It has featured on BBC Radio 3 "Mixing It" program 2002 and recorded for Mary Anne Hobbs's show at Maida Vale, London 2002.

808 State. I played drums for the band at a Manchester music event called "Manchester-V-Cancer" in 2006 at the M.E.N. Arena.

Dave has also played with many national and international jazz artist including Stan Sulzmann (tenor Sax) Don Weller (Tenor Sax) Ben Castle (Tenor Sax) Alan Barnes (Alto Sax) Pete King (Alto Sax) Jim Mullen (guitar) Lee Gibson (vocals) Dave O'Higgins (Tenor sax) Richard Isles (trumpet & Flugal Horn) Mark Nightingale (Trombone) Roy Williams (Trombone) Steve Melling (Piano) Nicky Isles (Piano) Stuart McCallum (Guitar) Mike Walker (guitar)

Teaching experience

1991. Rickmansworth St-Bede's School. Drum kit one2one tuition.

1996 - 1998. Wigan & Leigh College. Drum Kit one2one tutor.

1999 - 2004. City College, Manchester. Various drum kit teaching roles including ND and NC drum kit teaching. HND drum kit teaching. Jazz summer school drum kit tutor. Also group tutor on ND course in popular music for 2nd year group/ensemble studies.

2006 - 2008 (inc) Cheshire County Council Rock and Pop Summer School. Drum kit/Ensemble tutor.

2006 - 2008 Burnley Jazz Summer School. Drum kit/Ensemble tutor for week 2 of the Specialist course for rhythm section players only.

2006 - Present. Leeds College Of Music. Drum Kit Tutor, Ensemble & Aural awareness Tutor.

2007 - Present. Chethams School of Music. Drum kit and ensemble tutor.
Other musical Skills

Piano, Composition, Arranging, Drum Programming, Sequencing,

2010 Completed my first education publication called "Rudiment Foundations"

2007 Two of my compositions featured in the North West Real Book, published in 2007.

Dave is an endorsee of Istanbul Cymbals and Evans Drum Heads.

Take me home please