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Stockton Helbing

About Me

Stockton Helbing is always moving. If he is not playing the drums he is busy being a composer, arranger, producer, bandleader, educator, music director, author, and entrepreneur.

Stockton maintains a busy schedule of performing, recording, and teaching around North America with his trio, quartet, quintet, and sextet. He is a frequent guest artist at colleges and high schools where he clinics, rehearses and performs with their small groups, big bands, and percussion ensembles. Since 2011, Stockton has been heard across the United States playing drums for American music icon and trumpet player extraordinaire Doc Severinsen.

Stockton has released seven albums to date: Lodestar (2005), For Nothing is Secret (2007), Battlestations & Escape Plans (2010), Crazy Aquarius (2012), Handprints (2014), Patina (2015), and Swimming in Place (2017), his most recent. Each album showcases not only Stockton’s drumming abilities, but his composing, arranging, and producing skills as well. Stockton has also authored two books, Big Band Drum Set Sight Reading Etudes Volume 1 and Studies in Syncopation, both of which are included in the percussion curriculum at the University of North Texas. Since 2016, Stockton has directed a Jazz masterclass and small group program called the Helbing Jazz Initiative (HJI). Through a close partnership with the music company Williamson Music 1st, Stockton and his sextet have provided Jazz masterclasses for thousands of elementary, middle school, and high school students throughout the Dallas/Ft. Worth Area. HJI masterclasses focus on celebrating the Jazz masters of the past through performance and discussion of their musical and social contributions to Jazz history. In April of 2019, Stockton was recognized by the Dallas Jazz Appreciation Month (DJAM) Jazz Legend award for Jazz Innovator of the year for his work with HJI in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. Stockton has performed and recorded with a wide range of artists including Maynard Ferguson, Doc Severinsen, Arturo Sandoval, the Maniacal 4, Erykah Badu, David Braid, Steve Wiest, Jennifer Holiday, Blue Lou Marini, The Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Denis DiBlasio, The Cincinnati Pops, Chip McNeill, Darden Purcell, Clay Jenkins, Phil Woods, Wayne Bergeron, Randy Brecker, The Imperial Brass, Mary Wilson, Paul Tynan, Andy Timmons, Tom “Bones” Malone, Ernie Watts and many more. Stockton currently teaches drum set at the University of North Texas as an adjunct professor of music. Stockton has appeared as a guest artist at schools including the University of North Texas, San Jose State University, Southern Wesleyan University, the University of Illinois, Simpson College, George Mason University, the University of South Carolina, St. Francis Xavier University, Oklahoma State University, and Troy University. Stockton lives in Dallas, TX, with his wife Denise, John their son, Liliana their daughter, Jack the dog, and Aquarius the turtle.

My Jazz Story

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