Drummer, recording artist and studio musician Brian Hudson has built a reputation as a reliable, creative and musical chameleon behind the drums. He has been a first call studio and touring drummer for a wide variety of artists, producers and songwriters for the past 20 years. Brian began his musical journey in the Tampa, Florida area where he took private lessons, played in bands and attended the University of South Florida School of Music. He later moved to Athens, Georgia where he attended The University of Georgia and became immersed in the diverse music scene that Athens had to offer.
After graduating college, Brian moved to Atlanta, Georgia and, in 2001, began touring with Capricorn Recording Artist MEMORY DEAN who gained national success with the release of 6 studio albums in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Brian toured with Memory Dean from 2001-2017. In addition to Memory Dean, Brian has performed and/or recorded with a variety of other artists and producers from around the world including, but not limited to, Grammy Award winning producer Mark Neill (Black Keys/Charley Crockett), Billboard charting smooth jazz artist Carol Albert, high energy original soul/funk band SOULHOUND, bassist extraordinaire Adam Nitti (Kenny Loggins), jazz/fusion keyboardist/pianist Randy Hoexter, pianist and vocalist Jacob Tolliver, pop/rock duo from England O’Connell & Love, Australian Singer/Songwriter Tom Francis, and many others.
As a band leader, Brian released his debut album, Next Level, in 2017 and released a 3-song EP in 2021. The songs blend jazz, jazz/fusion, funk, and Latin with a contemporary jazz underpinning and feature some of the most talented musicians on the planet. Since its release in 2017, NEXT LEVEL has gained attention from radio stations and listeners from all around the world and has received glowing reviews from a wide mix of jazz and music publications and blogs. The album peaked at #3 on the Roots Music Report Jazz Chart, #7 on the NACC Top 30 Jazz Chart, spent 9 weeks on Jazz Week’s Top 100 Chart, was on Jazz Week’s Biggest Gainer Chart and the track, “Seventy-Eight,” was featured on the music sampler for Issue 63 of Drumhead Magazine. Brian’s EP, “AHAYA” has received rave reviews and the first single, Luna Sea, hit #1 on the Roots Music Report’s Fusion Chart.
Currently Brian keeps a busy schedule that includes leading his jazz/fusion band Next Level and his jazz trio, touring with Billboard Charting Smooth Jazz Artist Carol Albert, doing studio sessions throughout the southeast and providing remote drum tracks for various artists and producers from around the world. Brian is a voting member of The Grammys (The Recording Academy), serves on the Advisory Board for Georgia Music Partners and is a leading advocate for the music industry in Georgia. He is an endorsing artist for Paiste Cymbals, Sakae Drums, Innovative Percussion and Cympad.
