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Verified Global Musician

Will Calhoun

Will Calhoun is a drummer, composer, producer, bandleader, and educator whose work connects Living Colour with jazz, world-rhythm, and electronic projects.

DrumsComposerProducerEducator24 current shows

Photo source · Photo: Lia Chang, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Career Overview

About Will Calhoun

Calhoun's official biography traces his music-production and engineering studies at Berklee, his songwriting and drumming with Living Colour, and a wide range of recording and touring work across jazz, rock, hip-hop, and global traditions.[1]

His leader catalog reflects long-term research into rhythm and technology. Native Lands combines audio with documentary material from his travels, while Life in This World and Celebrating Elvin Jones return to acoustic jazz ensembles with distinct personnel and repertoire.[1][2][3][4]

Ensembles and Career Threads

Bands & Projects

Drummer, songwriter, and band member

Living Colour

Calhoun's official biography documents his drumming and co-writing across Living Colour's catalog from Vivid and Time's Up through later releases including Shade.[1]

Leader, drummer, composer, and producer

Will Calhoun jazz groups

His leader projects range from the Will Calhoun Quintet and Native Lands ensemble to recordings with Ron Carter, Wallace Roney, Christian McBride, and other jazz collaborators.[1][3][4]

Co-founder, drummer, and electronic musician

Jungle Funk and rhythm research

Jungle Funk joins Calhoun with Doug Wimbish and Vinx, while his artist site places that technology-centered group beside decades of field research into drums and rhythm traditions.[1][5]

Selected, Not Exhaustive

Recordings to Know

2005 · Half Note Records

Native Lands

Leader, drummer, composer, and producer

The CD/DVD project combines Calhoun's ensemble music with documentary material and collaborators including Pharoah Sanders, Mos Def, Buster Williams, and Nana Vasconcelos.[2][1]

Release details

2013 · Motéma Music

Life in This World

Leader, drummer, composer, and producer

Calhoun's acoustic-jazz recording features Ron Carter, Donald Harrison, Wallace Roney, Marc Cary, Charnett Moffett, John Benitez, and Cheick Tidiane Seck.[3][1]

Release details

2016 · Motéma Music

Celebrating Elvin Jones

Leader and drummer

The tribute brings Calhoun together with musicians associated with Elvin Jones, including Christian McBride, Carlos McKinney, Antoine Roney, and Jan Hammer.[4][1]

Release details

Artist-Authorized Destinations

Upcoming Jazz DateBook Shows

Tue, Aug 25, 8:00 PM

Joe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet

Village Vanguard · New York

Will Calhoun

About Will Calhoun

Bands & Projects

Living Colour

Will Calhoun jazz groups

Jungle Funk and rhythm research

Recordings to Know

Native Lands

Life in This World

Celebrating Elvin Jones

Start Listening

Native Lands audio archive

Life in This World

Celebrating Elvin Jones

Upcoming Jazz DateBook Shows

Joe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet

Joe Lovano Paramount Quartet

Joe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet

Joe Lovano Paramount Quartet

Joe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet

Joe Lovano Paramount Quartet

Joe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet

Joe Lovano Paramount Quartet

Joe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet

Joe Lovano Paramount Quartet

Joe Lovano Paramount Quartet

Joe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet

Joe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet

Joe Lovano Paramount Quartet

Joe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet

Joe Lovano Paramount Quartet

Joe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet

Joe Lovano Paramount Quartet

Joe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet

Joe Lovano Paramount Quartet

Joe Lovano Paramount Quartet

Joe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet

Joe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet

Joe Lovano Paramount Quartet

Sources