Bio
Andre Sudol is a drummer and composer based out of Boston with an objective to strike a balance between intricate composition and adventurous improvisation. Drawing from his knowledge and influence of post-bop, free jazz, 20th century classical music, and film music, Andre strives to emphasize and revitalize music as a storytelling medium and captivate modern audiences in vivid musical journeys.
Andre believes that music’s abstraction allows it to engage a listener’s imagination more than any other artform, and that this capacity for musical poetry grants musicians an ability to conjure upon other senses in order to tell a story through musical metaphor. This has become Andre’s goal as a musician: to take full advantage of music’s capacity for storytelling through its abstraction with a balance of highly-arranged writing and boundaryless improvisation, to create music that will evoke a sense of childlike wonder in listeners and immerse them in a vivid journey. When music is played with complete intention, vulnerability, honesty, and compassion, it will fully captivate any audience. Andre strongly believes that the intensity of these experiences has a uniquely powerful unifying and healing quality that serves to improve the world.
Andre Sudol has been an active member of the South Florida, Los Angeles, and Boston music scenes for over 10 years, performing extensively in many musical contexts. In 2021, he completed a Bachelor’s in Music at the University of Southern California, where he rigorously studied jazz and improvised music on drum set under the mentorship of Peter Erskine. During his time at USC, he nurtured his passion for composition while studying jazz, classical, and film composition under Vince Mendoza, Russell Ferrante, and Thomas Newman. Andre recently completed a Master’s degree at the prestigious Berklee Global Jazz Institute, where he studied under artists such as Danilo Perez, John Patitucci, Joe Lovano, and Dave Liebman. In 2022, Andre worked at the Berklee Global Jazz Institute under the Liesenfeld BGJI Endowed Assistantship, where he served as an academic assistant to the prestigious visiting artists and mentored and tutored both graduate and undergraduate students.
Andre has professionally composed and arranged for groups led by world-renowned artists such as Danilo Perez, Billy Cobham, and Marco Pignataro – groups ranging from jazz quartets to big bands to symphony orchestras, which have performed Andre’s arrangements with artists including Ron Carter, Joe Lovano, Kenny Werner, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Kurt Elling. In addition to his work as an arranger, Andre has led and composed extensively for his own projects featuring jazz and chamber ensembles of varying orientations. Today, Andre performs regularly with the Stephen Scott Trio and leads/composes for genre-defying groups dedicated to emphasizing music’s rich storytelling capabilities.