E.J. Strickland

Enoch Jamal “E.J.” Strickland is a world-class, world-traveled drummer, composer and artist heard on over 60 albums in the last 10 years.‍

E.J. quickly graduated into New York’s gigging jazz scene, playing with the greatest names in contemporary music. He has long stints with Ravi Coltrane, Russell Malone, Marcus Strickland, Manuel Valera and also had opportunities to work on occasion with artists like Wynton Marsalis, Cassandra Wilson, Herbie Hancock and many others.

Influenced by wonderful drummers (Elvin Jones, Philly Joe Jones, Roy Haynes, Jimmy Cobb, Tony Williams, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Brian Blade), he rapidly developed his own eclectic and creative style. Variety of influence and interest might be the key words for E.J. in his musical approach.

He reminds us: “You’re not going to hear a traditional jazz drummer. You’re going to hear someone who’s drawing from many different styles, many different approaches. That’s what my true voice is. And I always try to remember that music is fun!”

These days, E.J. finds himself writing music more than anything else and focusing on being a bandleader and a musician, creating great vehicles for his band to play on. He is also touring all over the world with Ravi Coltrane, Manuel Valera, Brandee Younger, Reggie Washington, Dave Weiss, Christian Sands, ...

In “Warriors For Peace”, E.J. has created an opus dedicated to all those who understand that to achieve peace, equality and justice in this world, one must break the silence and be proactive. The musicians of the album, Godwin Louis, Jure Pukl, Taber Gable and Josh Ginsburg, have helped him immensely in the musical translation of this concept.

Armed with the power and complexity of his drumming, E.J. Strickland continues to clear a path for himself in the jazz world and beyond. A path that can only grow wider in the years to come!