Ricky Sebastian

Biography

Ricky Sebastian is an American jazz and fusion drummer and educator from southwest Louisiana, widely regarded for his fluency across New Orleans R&B, Afro‑Cuban, Brazilian, funk, rock, Cajun, zydeco, and straight‑ahead jazz styles.[1][3][7] Born in Opelousas, Louisiana, and raised in a Cajun family, he was surrounded early on by Cajun music, soul, R&B, rock, and New Orleans rhythms, and began playing drums as a child, starting formal snare drum lessons around age eight.[1][2][3][4][8] He studied classical percussion through junior and senior high school, winning multiple All‑State and sight‑reading awards, and later took up piano at seventeen while in college.[1] Sebastian attended the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now University of Louisiana at Lafayette) on a full scholarship, focusing on classical theory, composition, and drums, then continued his studies at Berklee College of Music in Boston on a partial scholarship, concentrating on drums, arranging, and jazz harmony.[1][6][8]

Sebastian’s professional career began unusually early when, at sixteen, he was hired as a drummer for the Emmet Kelly Circus, touring the U.S. and Mexico and performing nightly shows that honed his time, focus, and adaptability in demanding conditions.[2] In 1976 he returned to New Orleans and quickly became an in‑demand drummer across the city’s diverse musical scenes, gaining intensive experience in jazz, Afro‑Cuban, carnival music, Brazilian, reggae, calypso, funk, rock, R&B, Cajun, and zydeco over the following six years.[1] Seeking to work alongside his musical heroes, he moved to New York City in 1983, where over roughly 18 years he built a career as a recording and touring sideman with a “who’s who” of jazz, Latin, Brazilian, and fusion artists, appearing on hundreds of recordings and performing at major jazz festivals around the world.[1][3] Returning to New Orleans in the late 1990s, Sebastian shifted his primary focus to education while continuing to perform, becoming head percussion instructor at the University of New Orleans under Ellis Marsalis, teaching at the Drummers Collective and The New School in New York, and leading the World Music Ensemble and UNO Percussion Ensemble, for which he composes much of the repertoire.[1][2][3]

As a bandleader, Sebastian released his first album, “The Spirit Within,” in 2001 on STR Digital Records, featuring prominent collaborators such as Donald Harrison Jr., Bill Summers, Steve Masakowski, Randy Brecker, and Peter Martin, highlighting his modern jazz‑fusion approach informed by New Orleans grooves and global rhythms.[1][6] He is also the author of the drum‑set method book “Independence on the Drum Set,” published by Hal Leonard (mid‑2000s), which has further cemented his reputation as a leading drum educator and clinician for major instrument manufacturers including Zildjian, Pearl, LP, Remo, Audix, and Pro‑Mark.[1][3] Beyond his technical command and stylistic breadth, Sebastian’s legacy rests in his dual role as a world‑traveling performer—having toured the globe multiple times—and as a mentor who has trained thousands of students, many of whom populate New Orleans’ jazz and world‑music scenes, reflecting his belief in rigorous musicianship, versatility, and the importance of transmitting tradition through hands‑on ensemble experience.[1][2][3][8]

Fun Facts

• Sebastian’s first major professional job was as a circus drummer at age sixteen with the Emmet Kelly Circus, where he had to crash the cymbal every time a troupe of twenty dogs jumped over barricades, regardless of the beat, a challenge he credits with sharpening his focus and time feel.[2]
• His early touring with the circus took him to Mexico, where he often performed in bullrings and shows with highly trained horses for audiences that did not speak English, giving him his first experience of international touring and nightly professional gigs.[2]
• Sebastian has toured the world four times and recorded on hundreds of CDs, making him a quietly ubiquitous presence behind many jazz, Latin, and fusion recordings rather than a household name.[1][3]
• In addition to drumming, he began studying piano at seventeen, which informed his understanding of harmony and composition and later helped him write music for his ensembles at the University of New Orleans.[1]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Carl DeLeo - Band director and early percussion teacher who provided foundational snare drum and classical percussion training during Sebastian’s school years. (Guided Sebastian’s development as section leader of school drum lines and in classical percussion studies.) [Childhood and adolescence (starting around age 8)]
• Carl Schexnayder - High‑school band director and percussion mentor whose instruction helped Sebastian excel rapidly on drums. (Prepared Sebastian for All‑State, All‑Parish, and sight‑reading competitions and leadership roles in school ensembles.) [Junior and senior high school]
• Ellis Marsalis - Served as Sebastian’s academic and artistic mentor when Sebastian became head percussion instructor at the University of New Orleans under Marsalis’ direction. (Collaboration within the UNO jazz studies program and percussion curriculum development.) [Late 1990s–2000s at University of New Orleans]

Key Collaborators

• Donald Harrison Jr. - New Orleans saxophonist who recorded with Sebastian on Sebastian’s leader album and in New Orleans jazz contexts. (Album “The Spirit Within” (STR Digital Records) and associated performances.) [Circa 2001 and subsequent New Orleans performances]
• Bill Summers - Percussionist and bandleader in New Orleans and Afro‑Cuban/jazz circles; worked beside Sebastian on recordings and live projects. (Featured on “The Spirit Within” and New Orleans–based jazz and world‑music projects.) [Late 1990s–2000s]
• Steve Masakowski - Guitarist and UNO faculty colleague who played with Sebastian in modern jazz and fusion settings. (Appeared on “The Spirit Within” and likely in UNO‑related ensembles and local jazz performances.) [Around 2001 and onward in New Orleans]
• Randy Brecker - Trumpeter and fusion icon who recorded as a featured guest on Sebastian’s leader project. (Guest appearance on “The Spirit Within.”) [Circa 2001]
• Peter Martin - Pianist who collaborated with Sebastian on recording projects with a modern jazz focus. (Piano on “The Spirit Within.”) [Circa 2001]
• Ron Carter - Legendary jazz bassist with whom Sebastian performed during his New York sideman years. (Touring and concert collaborations (specific album titles not cited in sources).) [Primarily 1980s–1990s during New York period]
• John Scofield - Jazz guitarist; Sebastian toured or performed with him as part of his high‑profile New York collaborations. (Live performances and touring engagements (specific recordings not specified).) [1980s–1990s]
• Michael Brecker - Saxophonist and fusion innovator with whom Sebastian performed while working in New York. (Concerts and tours as a sideman (recordings not detailed in current sources).) [1980s–1990s]
• Jaco Pastorius - Renowned electric bassist; Sebastian performed with him during his early professional years, fulfilling one of Sebastian’s musical ambitions. (Live performances; specific releases are not documented in the retrieved materials.) [Likely late 1970s–early 1980s]
• Dianne Reeves - Jazz vocalist for whom Sebastian played on broadcasts and tours in the mid‑1990s. (Television appearances and NPR broadcasts in the U.S. and Europe (1996–1998).) [1996–1998]
• Charles Fambrough - Bassist and bandleader; Sebastian recorded a performance video release with him. (LaserDisc “Blues at Bradley’s” (1994).) [1994]
• Los Hombres Calientes - New Orleans Latin‑jazz group with which Sebastian performed on television and video projects. (Appearance on “Los Hombres Calientes Live” DVD (House of Blues, New Orleans, 2003) and Louisiana Jukebox (2002).) [2002–2003]
• B.J. Crosby - Vocalist named among Sebastian’s active performance associations. (Live performances in New Orleans (specific recordings not cited).) [Early–mid 2000s]
• Tania Maria - Brazilian pianist and vocalist; Sebastian has performed with her in Brazilian and Latin‑jazz contexts. (Touring and live performances (specific albums not listed in sources).) [2000s]

Artists Influenced

• Students of the UNO World Music Ensemble and Percussion Ensemble - Sebastian’s students, who perform his arrangements and original compositions and adopt his multi‑stylistic drumming and ensemble concepts. (Performances at The Sandbar (UNO) and other venues featuring jazz and world‑music repertoire composed or arranged by Sebastian.[1][2]) [Late 1990s–present]
• Drummers trained at Drummers Collective and The New School - Numerous professional drummers who studied independence, stylistic versatility, and modern drum‑set technique in Sebastian’s classes and private lessons. (Coursework and materials later distilled into his method book “Independence on the Drum Set.”[1]) [Primarily 1980s–1990s in New York]
• Readers of “Independence on the Drum Set” - Drummers worldwide who have incorporated Sebastian’s coordinated independence exercises and musical applications into their playing and teaching. (Use of “Independence on the Drum Set” (Hal Leonard) as a study and teaching resource.[1]) [From its publication in the mid‑2000s onward]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Siba (Dan Gna)
2. Nem Um Talvez (Be Cool)
3. Caravan (The Spirit Within)
4. Dania (The Spirit Within)
5. One Step Up (The Spirit Within)
6. The Spirit Within (The Spirit Within)
7. Footprints (The Spirit Within)
8. One Finger Snap (The Spirit Within)
9. Finish Line (See You at The) (The Spirit Within)
10. Don't Trip the Monkey (The Spirit Within)

External Links

• Spotify