| Eric Montzka |
| biography |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| Eric Montzka was born in 1967 to a family of music teachers who started all of their 4 children on Suzuki violin lessons at an early age. Eric soon realized he was a drummer trapped in a violinist’s body and started on percussion at age 10, learning mostly from the students and faculty of nearby Northern Illinois University. He later enrolled at NIU, earning a bachelor’s degree in percussion performance. In his final year at NIU, guitarist Fareed Haque was hired as a faculty member and set up a weekly coffeehouse jazz gig with Eric on drums. Fareed later recommended Eric for his first Chicago jazz gig - subbing with the Ed Petersen Quintet; an experimental, modern, sometimes chaotic jazz gig known for it’s Wayne Shorter-esque tunes, odd forms, mixed meter and 5 page improvisational epics. Eric moved to Chicago in 1992 and very soon was working full time as a freelance drummer in many styles - pop, rock, fusion, big band, latin, hard-bop, avant-garde. Eric has had the opportunity to work with a wide range of artists, including John Scofield, Maynerd Ferguson, Dave Douglas, Kurt Elling, Dave Berkman, Howard Levy, Tim Warfield, Sandy Duncan, Mary Wilson, Marilyn McCoo, Von Freeman, Jackie Allen and Grazyna Auguscik. In 1998 Eric became a member of the Patricia Barber Quartet, touring worldwide and appearing on her CD’s “Companion,” “Verse,” “A Fortnight in France,” and most recently “Mythologies” on the Blue Note label. Eric continues to perform with Ms. Barber while freelancing and teaching privately in the Chicago area. |
