Hans Schuman

Gretsch Artist Since: 2011

Country: US

Band or Affiliations: Founder/Artistic Director, JazzReach / Metta Quintet

Current Kit Setup:
Brooklyn in Ruby Red Pearl
14x18 BD, 8x12 RT, 14x14 FT, 5.5x14 SD

Influences:
"!Anyone and everyone (no matter the genre) whose playing is creative, uniquely musical and visionary (aka: virtuosic)."

We asked...Why Gretsch?:
"That great Gretsch sound baby! No other instrument gives voice to what I hear exactly as I hear it. resonance, tone, projection, reliability. They got it all, always!"

Advice to aspiring musicians?:
"Pocket. Play the music, not the drums."

Bio:
Born in Lansing Michigan, Hans Schuman began playing the drums in middle school while growing up in Tucson, AZ.
His maternal grandparents, both prominent figures on the 20th Century American classical music scene, were both nurturing and supportive of his budding interest in music and encouraged him to explore a broad range of musical styles and genres. A graduate of Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music, Schuman has played, performed and/or recorded with a who’s who of jazz luminaries and contemporaries including Geoff Keezer, Mark Turner, Seamus Blake, Kenny Rampton, Mark Gross, Greg Ward, Dwayne Burno, Donny McCaslin, Richie Goods, Roy Hargrove, Jeff Parker, Antonio Hart, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Delfayo Marsalis, Benny Green, Cyrus Chestnut, Eric Reed, Wynton Marsalis, Brad Mehldau, Larry Goldings, Christian McBride, Don Braden, Stefon Harris, Casey Benjamin, Helen Sung, Marcus Strickland, Jaleel Shaw, Keyon Harold, Joshua Redman, Marvin Sewell, and Ben Williams among many others.

In 1994, Schuman (with proceeds from the reluctant sale of an inherited Steinway Grand Piano,) established JAZZREACH PERFORMING ARTS & EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, Inc., a 501c3, not-for-profit dedicated to fostering a greater appreciation, awareness and understanding of jazz music.

Since inception, Schuman has successfully:
• Positioned JazzReach as the nation's leading provider of high quality live educational programming on the subject.
• Forged successful relationships with major corporations, foundations and individual donors and in so doing, raised millions of dollars in support of JazzReach’s mission
• Overseen and managed the organization’s day-to-day operations
• Cultivated collaborative partnerships with many of our country’s most distinguished performing arts presenters
• Conceived, developed and produced all 12 of the organization’s signature live productions for young audiences
• Produced numerous benefit concerts at iconic NYC performing arts venues featuring many of the world’s most celebrated jazz luminaries
• Participated in over 2500 mainstage concerts, educational performances, lecture-demonstrations, clinics, workshops and masterclasses as a touring member of the organization’s resident ensemble and (subsequently) triumphantly introduced jazz music to well over 800,000 young people in more than 200 U.S. communities in over 40 states.
• Garnered unanimous praise from arts professionals, teachers, students, parents, the media and the jazz community alike

As the founding member of JazzReach’s resident ensemble, Metta Quintet, he’s conceived and appeared on all of the ensemble’s critically acclaimed recordings, "Going To Meet The Man", "Subway Songs" and "Big Drum, Small World". Schuman was also the Creator, Executive Producer and Host of the video podcast, "Jazz Club" produced exclusively for the global high-fidelity music streaming platform, TIDAL.