There are few drummers as well respected as Tim Metz. An academically trained musician with a true feel for the subtle nuances in rhythm that add texture and musicality to jazz standards and new compositions alike, Metz continues to be an in-demand session and live player.
Metz’s professional resume is impressive. His first drum lessons began when he was seven years old and by age 11 he was playing in the traditional jazz band The New Traditionalists. Graduating from Rio Americano, Metz went on to the prestigious
William Paterson University in Wayne, New Jersey, where he graduated with a B.A. in Jazz Performance in August 2001. It was at WPU that Metz was able to study and/or play with some of the leading lights of the international jazz scene, a list of names that includes: Rufus Reid, Conrad Herwig, Lynn Seaton, Don Braden, Dr. David Demsey, Steve Wilson, Horacee Arnold, and John Riley.
Metz returned to his home town of Sacramento in 2001. In between a heavy teaching schedule—over 40 drum students per week—Metz continues to consistently perform with some of the world’s greatest musicians, including alto sax masters Jeff Clayton and Jacam Manricks, pianist’s Joe Gilman, the legendary Donald Brown, Art Hirahara, and Jim Martinez, guitarist Larry Koonse, bassists Darek Oles and Todd Johnson, and The Santa Rosa Symphony Pops to name a few. He is also one of YouTube’s most popular Jazz Drum Lesson Creators with over 2 million views on his channel.
Metz’s drumming style displays a diverse set of influences including jazz drummers Tony Williams, Jack DeJohnette, Paul Motian, Art Blakey, Max Roach, “Philly” Joe Jones and Jimmy Cobb. It is in subtly combining these influences that Metz’s style is truly brought forth: a drummer that approaches his instrument with a sense of musicality that is fresh, interesting, and exciting.