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Rudy Royston

Born in Fort Worth, Texas, and raised in Denver, Colorado, Royston has been a professional teacher, drummer and percussionist for almost twenty years. He studied classical percussion at University of Denver where earned undergraduate degrees in Music and English; Rudy accomplished teacher certification credentials from Metropolitan State College of Denver. Rudy grew up playing drums in church, and found his voice under the auspices of Colorado’s celebrated trumpeter Ron Miles, whom Royston deems his greatest influence, and with whom Rudy has played since 1991. He has taught, recorded and performed all styles of music from Jazz to marching percussion. Since moving to Piscataway, New Jersey in 2006, Mr. Royston has completed a Masters in Music degree from Rutgers University Mason Gross School of the Arts in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and performed with many of today’s finest Jazz musicians. Javon Jackson, Bill Frisell, Les McCann, David Gilmore, Andy Milne, Shane Endsley, JD Allen, Sean Jones, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Edward Simone, Jennifer Holiday, Mark Gross, Ralph Bowen, Bruce Barth, George Colligan, Don Byron, Stanley Cowell, Jonathan Kreisberg, Jenny Scheinmenn and Craig Handy, to name a few. A lover of all genres of music, Rudy continues to pursue music and expand his music horizons.

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Album Review

Dave Douglas: Alloy

Read "Alloy" reviewed by Giuseppe Segala


La lega di metalli a cui si riferisce Dave Douglas nel suo ultimo lavoro è quella delle trombe nella front-line. Tre personalità differenti, che si fondono in un tenace amalgama musicale, il cui prodotto ha caratteristiche di versatilità, elasticità, brillantezza, empatia. Ma è senz'altro possibile estendere tali caratteristiche all'intera formazione messa in scena dal trombettista, scaturita da una commissione del Festival of New Trumpet Music. Un gruppo inedito e singolare nel suo organico strumentale, con una coppia di ritmi accanto ...

12
Album Review

Dave Douglas: Alloy

Read "Alloy" reviewed by Glenn Astarita


Dave Douglas continues his alchemical pursuits with Alloy, forging a trumpet-centric ensemble that elevates group dialogue to new heights--proving that in jazz, three is not a crowd, it is a conspiracy of cool. Commissioned for the 23rd season of the Festival of New Trumpet Music, the project pairs the leader with British trumpeter Alexandra Ridout and New Hampshire's Dave Adewumi, creating a brass coalition where collaboration outshines competition, like diplomats dodging discord. The title nods to the art of melding ...

5
Album Review

Josh Lawrence: Still We Dream

Read "Still We Dream" reviewed by David A. Orthmann


"Long As You're Living," the opening track of Still We Dream, trumpeter Josh Lawrence 's seventh release for Posi-Tone Records, is an ideal candidate for extensive airplay on jazz radio. Coming in at under four minutes, it is all substance, no fluff, no excess. A blues in 5/4 time, generating middling tempo swing courtesy of bassist Boris Kozlov and drummer Rudy Royston, this cover of Julian Priester 's and Tommy Turrentine's subtly funky line makes for an auspicious beginning. Still, ...

4
Album Review

Art Hirahara: Peace Unknown

Read "Peace Unknown" reviewed by Kyle Simpler


Art Hirahara is one of the most in-demand pianists in contemporary jazz, appearing on countless recordings while steadily building an impressive solo career. WithPeace Unknown, he continues his prolific partnership with Posi-Tone Records, with a deeply personal and expansive set that brings new life to earlier compositions while introducing bold new material. Framed within a robust four-horn ensemble, the album stands as both a reflection on the past and a forward-looking artistic statement, elegantly merging lyrical expressiveness with structural daring. ...

1
Liner Notes

Something Blue: In The Beginning

Read "Something Blue: In The Beginning" reviewed by Michael Ambrosino


Jazz is powered by many things. Perhaps most notably, the expansive variety of independent record labels representing some of the more inspiring aspirations of the idiom. Reflecting the grit, passion and often sheer audacity to exist within an industry that makes little room for jazz, independent labels have established an expanse of music that exemplifies the very essence of the art form. For the past 30 years, Posi-Tone Records has championed this independent spirit, shining a light on a rich ...

9
Album Review

Behn Gillece: Pivot Point

Read "Pivot Point" reviewed by David A. Orthmann


Anyone who has listened to at least some of the Posi-Tone releases from the past several years will recognize the personnel on Pivot Point: vibraphonist Behn Gillece 's eighth date as a leader. Tenor/soprano saxophonist Willie Morris,, pianist Jon Davis, bassist Boris Kozlov and drummers Rudy Royston and Jason Tiemann have made substantial contributions to many of the label's projects situated in various points in the jazz mainstream. To put it bluntly, these guys are incapable of phoning it in. ...

11
Album Review

Behn Gillece: Pivot Point

Read "Pivot Point" reviewed by Carl Medsker


Posi-Tone will have released 253 albums in its post-bop contemporary mainstream jazz space with Pivot Point by Behn Gillece. Maintaining freshness and avoiding formula could become a creative challenge for any such productive label, but Gillece avoids that potential pitfall through well-written songs, crafty arrangements and excellent musicianship. The sequencing of songs is also thoughtful, varying in meter, style and emotion. Pivot Point is sufficiently complex and intelligent to warrant multiple listenings, but is simultaneously lots of fun.

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3
Recording

Lisa Hilton Celebrates Optimism In 'Life Is Beautiful' With Luques Curtis & Rudy Royston

Lisa Hilton Celebrates Optimism In 'Life Is Beautiful' With Luques Curtis & Rudy Royston

Source: DL Media

Lisa Hilton and her trio, manifest a memorable experience on Life Is Beautiful, her third recording of the pandemic era, and the acclaimed pianist, composer, and producer’s twenty-fifth album as a leader. On it, Hilton indulges her love of the piano with ten original tracks and the cover gem, “Ernie’s Blues," (written by Ernie Wilkins). Backed by her ever-excellent band mates: Rudy Royston on drums and Luques Curtis on bass, Hilton’s elegantly swinging piano and engaging compositions encompass a range ...

1
Recording

Lisa Hilton and her Trio with Rudy Royston and Luques Curtis Masterfully Blend Traditions in an Inspiring New Recording 'Transparent Sky'

Lisa Hilton and her Trio with Rudy Royston and Luques Curtis Masterfully Blend Traditions in an Inspiring New Recording 'Transparent Sky'

Source: All About Jazz

Available September 3 | Pre-Order Today As America and other countries re-emerge from the limitations of 2020, Lisa Hilton and her trio with Rudy Royston and Luques Curtis, enthusiastically embrace the moment with a vibrant new jazz offering titled Transparent Sky, that will inspire, uplift and motivate us all. Rich with glorious harmonies and unique compositions, Hilton’s swinging band radiates a sun bleached aura to listeners. Throughout the album Hilton, Royston and Curtis develop a surprisingly wide range of rhythmic ...

1
Recording

Pianist Lisa Hilton Releases More Than Another Day with Rudy Royston and Luques Curtis on Ruby Slippers Productions

Pianist Lisa Hilton Releases More Than Another Day with Rudy Royston and Luques Curtis on Ruby Slippers Productions

Source: All About Jazz

More Than Another Day (Ruby Slippers Productions) is the latest release from composer / pianist / producer, Lisa Hilton. Hilton and her longstanding band mates: Rudy Royston on drums, and Luques Curtis on bass, as well as JD Allen on tenor saxophone, had just finished the first half of their tour for their 2020 album, Chalkboard Destiny, when the corona virus forced a shut down of the tour, and of course a lockdown in the U.S. Grounded and worried for ...

1
Recording

Recent Listening: Royston and Svensson

Recent Listening: Royston and Svensson

Source: Rifftides by Doug Ramsey

Rudy Royston, 303, (Greenleaf Music) Since his emergence from Denver (area code 303) nearly a decade ago, Royston’s drumming has graced bands led by Dave Douglas, Bill Frisell, JD Allen, Tom Harrell and other leaders in 21st century jazz. With 303, Royston becomes a leader himself. As he has since he first attracted attention playing for Denver trumpeter Ron Miles, Royston is notable not only for the dynamics of his technique but for empathy with his fellow musicians and the ...

Photos

Concerts

Nov 22 Sat
Bill Frisell Trio
Wiltshire Music Centre
Bradford On Avon, Wiltshire, Ba15 1dz, UK

Tickets

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

In Jazz We Trust

Posi-Tone Records
2025

buy

Unbound Inner

Posi-Tone Records
2025

buy

Keepers of the...

Analog Tone Factory
2025

buy

West Circle

Posi-Tone Records
2025

buy

Pivot Point

Posi-Tone Records
2025

buy

Peace Unknown

Posi-Tone Records
2025

buy

Praise

From: Songs My Mom Liked
By Rudy Royston

Everyday Anthem

From: Coincidental Moment
By Rudy Royston

Videos

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