"If you are a fan of modern jazz drumming but have not heard Billy Mintz, you have not heard it all." - Tom Conrad, JazzTimes
Billy Mintz was born in Queens, New York. By the age of 15 he was playing in the show bands of the Catskill Mountain resorts developing his musicianship.
In his twenties, while living in New York City, he played and recorded with the Lee Konitz Nonet (1978), Kundalini with Perry Robinson and Badal Roy, Eddie Daniels Quartet with Rick Laird and Andy Laverne, Gloria Gaynor, the Steve Tintweiss Quartet, and the Harold Danko Quartet.
In 1981 Mr. Mintz relocated to Los Angeles where he was a member of the Mike Garson Trio with Stanley Clarke ; the Kim Richmond Sextet; the Bobby Shew Quintet, the Joey Sellers' Jazz Aggregation, the Vinny Golia Quartet, and the Tom Person Big Band. He also perfomed several times with the Mose Allison Trio. and did a stint with the Merv Griffin Show band.
In LA, Mr. Mintz was also the drummer for the Bill Mays Quartet, as well as for Road Work Ahead, with Mr. Mays, Bob Magnusson and Peter Sprague. In 1986, Mr. Mintz toured Japan with the Los Angeles Symphonic Jazz Orchestra. In 1988 he toured Europe with saxophonist Charles Lloyd along with bassist John Pattitucci. Throughout the 1980's he performed and recorded with Bill Perkins, Frank Strazzeri, and Pete Cristlieb.
In the 1990's Mr. Mintz worked as a sideman with Mark Murphy (1990), the Dave Scott-Tony Malaby Quartet (1994-1998), and the Buster Cooper-Thurman Green Quintet (1993-1995). From 1989 to 1995 he was a member of pianist Alan Broadbent's Trio.
Throughout his life Mr. Mintz has taught privately and done clinics at schools around the world, including the Berklee School of Music, NYU, California Institute of the Arts, North Texas State University the Dick Grove School of Music, Musikgymnasium in Innsbruck, Austria, Long Island Drum and Percussion Club, Eagle Rock H.S., Arizona State University at Tempe, and University of Arizona at Phoenix,. He also taught extensively while on tour with various artists in Sydney, Australia, Tel Aviv, Israel and Wellington, New Zealand.
Mr. Mintz has written two books: Different Drummers (Amsco Music Publishing; Try Publishing) and Advanced Sticking and Sight-Reading (BM Publications). His articles have been published in Not Just Jazz and Modern Drummer magazines.
Mr. Mintz currently lives in New York, where he performs with the Hal Galper Trio, Roberta Piket Trio, and the Russ Lossing Trio, among others.
In recent years, Mr. Mintz has taken on new roles as a bandleader and composer. For the past 10 years he has led the Two Bass Band, a ten-piece ensemble which features his compositions and arrangements. Recently he arranged and orchestrated several of his works for the Hutchins Consort String Chamber Orchestra in San Diego.
Mr. Mintz also gives solo drum set performances. As a soloist he has performed extensively on both coasts of the US as well as internationally.
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