John Bryant

Drummer

John Bryant is a drummer, percussionist, music producer, and teacher residing and working in Dallas, Texas.

He has recorded and/or performed with many artists including Ray Charles, Joe Walsh, Delbert McClinton, Don Henley, Eric Burdon, Lightnin' Hopkins, Gary Burton, and Doc Severinsen. Bryant has performed, composed and produced music for many different types of projects which include major motion pictures, documentary films for PBS and National Geographic, regional artists, symphony orchestras, and touring shows.

He is currently Adjunct Assistant Professor of Drumset Studies and Music Production at Southern Methodist University. He has lectured and given Master Classes at universities across the country and in Hong Kong, and has performed with the symphony orchestras of Dallas, Cleveland, Atlanta, Nashville, San Antonio, Fort Worth, Portland, and New Haven.

He is a founding member of the world music percussion group, D'Drum, and acted as producer of the group’s collaboration with Composer / Rock and Roll Hall of Fame drummer Stewart Copeland, and the Dallas Symphony on the world premiere of "Gamelan D'Drum", a three-movement concerto commissioned for D'Drum. He also produced and directed the feature documentary film about the experience, Dare To Drum.

Originally from Virginia, he moved to Dallas and majored in music at the University of North Texas, where he performed and recorded with the One O'Clock Lab Band. In early 1974, Bryant joined the acclaimed world music group Paul Winter Consort, playing drums and percussion. Based out of New York City, he toured extensively throughout the country doing concerts and university clinics. He also recorded with Paul Stookey in New York, working with producer Phil Ramone. In 1975 Bryant moved to Los Angeles to join Ray Charles. He toured for two years throughout North America and Europe, playing TV shows and concerts in addition to recording on three albums with him. He continued to work with Ray Charles as his "fill-in Drummer" and Orchestra Contractor from 1995 to 2003.

John moved back to Dallas in 1976 to form and lead the group, Pyramyd, which later became Phyrework. The group had a national LP release on Mercury Records in 1978 and toured extensively through to 1986, opening shows for Average White Band, Herbie Hancock, Gino Vannelli, Kool & the Gang, and many others,

From the 70's to the present, Bryant has undertaken studio work as a player and/or producer on many hundreds of sessions for various artists, film scores and commercials. He also performs regularly with regional acts, theater, and touring shows that require versatile musicianship. He has composed for film and dance, and administers his BMI publishing company, Arandas Publishing. He is also a member of the American Federation of Musicians.

Bryant has recorded across the country in some of the most important recording studios pivotal to the history of American popular music. These include A & R / Columbia Studios in New York City with Phil Ramone; RPM Studios with Ray Charles, and Sound Castle Studios in Los Angeles; Criteria Studios in Miami, The Automatt in San Francisco, Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, Ardent Recording in Memphis, Arlyn Studios in Austin, and most every recording studio in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.