Drum, Piano
Eric Ching is a jazz drummer and composer based in Houston, TX. Known for his purposeful playing and boundless creativity, he approaches music with a deep sensitivity to color, shape, and narrative.
As a composer, Eric draws inspiration from jazz legends like McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, and Kenny Garrett. His music is driven by a desire to explore new territory while honoring the spirit of these greats. Each piece has a searching quality; he may not know exactly what he's looking for, but he trusts he'll recognize it when he finds it. He embraces the unexpected, and his songs often unfold gradually, with the suspense and nuance of a Tarantino film.
Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Eric studied under renowned drummer Akira Tana, who performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, and Sonny Stitt. He spent his formative years driving into the city to attend jam sessions, immersing himself in the vibrant local scene. Eric later earned a degree in Music Education from New York University, where he studied with bassist Ron McClure, known for his work with Joe Henderson and Wynton Kelly, percussionist Sean Statser of NYU Percussion, and briefly with acclaimed jazz drummer Kenny Washington.
Throughout his career, Eric has performed with a wide range of distinguished musicians, including award-winning blues guitarist Robbie Laws, jazz pianist George Colligan, Grammy-winning vocalist Anna Crumley, saxophonist Reggie Houston of the Fats Domino Band, blues guitarist Ben Rice, Las Vegas headliner and jazz vocalist Jennifer Keith, Grammy-winning trumpet player Charlie Porter, Grammy-winning engineer Bob Stark, pianist Eric Reed, known for his collaborations with Wynton Marsalis and Ron Carter, film and TV composer Josh Nelson, and renowned jazz pianist Greg Goebel, among many others.
Eric has been a dedicated music educator since 2014, working with students of all ages, levels, and backgrounds. His teaching style is clear and methodical, with each lesson introducing a new rhythm, scale, chord progression, melody, or musical concept. This step-by-step approach helps students steadily build their musical vocabulary and confidence. Before long, they find themselves jamming to their favorite songs and surprising themselves with how far they've come.