Since Jonathan Barber won Modern Drummer’s Best Up and Coming Drummer in 2018, he has become one of the busiest drummers in jazz. He has been playing with Terence Blanchard, Christian McBride, Nicholas Payton, Jeremy Pelt, Jimmy Greene, and Pat Metheny among others. His playing approach is a unique open handed and all-encompassing combination of straight-ahead jazz, big band, avant-garde, modern contemporary odd meter jazz, Blues, funk, and church-gospel music. His band Vision Ahead just released their fourth record called In Motion, and he is the jazz drum professor at the University of Connecticut. Jonathan Barber is the personification of what a young, successful, jazz drummer is today. Photo by Ike Abakah MD: What is your drumming background? JB: I got started around age four or five through my father who was a drummer. I grew up in the church like many musicians, and it’s the typical story. My father […]

March 2025 Issue