Sebastian Whittaker

Sebastian Whittaker, Houston's critically acclaimed drummer extraordinaire, is showing us the rich tradition of fiery jazz drumming and high caliber jazz composition with his band the Creators. The study of the jazz forefathers has been a lifelong pursuit for Sebastian. Born 1966 in Houston, Texas and blinded at the age of one by retinal cancer, "Bash" began playing drums at age three.

After attending Houston's High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA), he continued his musical studies at the University of Texas and at William Patterson College in New Jersey. Besides drums, Whittaker made it a point to acquire a working knowledge of piano and to pursue his interest in composing.
Mr. Whittaker has performed with many jazz greats including the late great Joe Henderson, and the astounding Freddie Hubbard as well as opening performances for the late great Tony Williams, Roy Haynes, and Wynton Marsalis. His band continually performs in top concert halls and night clubs as well as implementing a strong master class and jazz education component.

"The biggest idea we're trying to lay on people's minds," says drummer Sebastian Whittaker, "is that you don't need to become a non-conformist to have new and fresh music, because so much roadwork has been laid by the forefathers. We've only begun to scratch the surface and understand where people like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Charlie Parker, and John Coltrane have already taken the music. So I'm trying to keep the legacy alive."

On his debut recording for Justice Records, First Outing, Whittaker did exactly that with a set of mostly original tunes that recalled the Blue Note Records sound of the '50s and '60s. With Searchin' For The Truth, his second release, he continued to pay homage to that era. With his third, One For Bu!, Bash focuses on, Art Blakey, while on his fourth The Valley Of The Kings, his focus is on the implications of both Elvin Jones and John Coltrane.

Art Blakey is a name that comes up frequently in Whittaker's conversations. "One thing I got from Art," Bash says, "was the feeling of family that all his bands had, and that is a characteristic I've borrowed in constructing my band. A lot of people put together a band of all-stars, but it doesn't sound like a family. Sometimes the true definition of 'band' gets lost in the flash and pyrotechnics that they are putting across."

Sebastian Whittaker and his band the Creators are available for concerts, festivals, clubs engagements as well as educational activities including master classes, and clinics.