About

Tina Raymond is an accomplished drummer, composer, bandleader, and educator based in Los Angeles, CA. A unique voice in the contemporary improvised music scene, Raymond blends traditional jazz vocabulary with African polyrhythm and classical percussion technique. Brian Zimmerman of DownBeat Magazine writes, "Raymond displays ferocious chops and a remarkable sense of balance." She has toured the US, Europe and Asia as a leader and sideman. Raymond is also a co-leader of Esthesis Quartet with Dawn Clement, Elsa Nilsson, and Emma Dayhuff.

Recent recordings include the acclaimed Esthesis Quartet debut album (Orenda 2022), Boom Sessions Volume III with Dan Rosenboom, Gary Fukushima, and Eric Revis (Orenda 2022), Trio Subliminal “Cinema Infernale” (Orenda 2022), Kuba Stankiewicz’ “Music of Roman Statkowski” (Warner Music Poland 2021), Bobby Bradford’s “Stealin’Home” (NoBusiness Records 2021), and Tina Raymond “Left Right Left” (Orenda 2017). Upcoming releases include Esthesis Quartet “Time Zones” (Ears and Eyes 2023) and Rachel Eckroth's Live at Sam First (Sam First Records 2023).

Raymond is the director of Jazz Studies at California State University Northridge, she received a DownBeat Educator Achievement Award (2020), and is president-elect of California Alliance for Jazz. Raymond has presented globally and her teaching credits include Los Angeles City College, The Herbie Hancock Institute, University of Michigan, Bard College, and Idyllwild Arts. She received an M.F.A in Jazz (drum set) from CalArts in 2010, and a B.M. in double performance, classical percussion and jazz studies, from University of Cincinnati’s CCM in 2008. She is an endorsed educator with Remo, Regaltip, and Sabian.