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Ronald Bruner Jr.

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Ronald Bruner Jr. was born in 1982 and is an American drummer, composer and producer. He played, among others, in Suicidal Tendencies, a hardcore punk and crossover thrash band. He is also a fixture in the jazz of Los Angeles. He was part of The Stanley Clarke Band, which won a Grammy in 2010 for best contemporary jazz album.

Music and breakthrough

Bruner comes from a musical family. He is the older brother of Stephen Bruner, better known as Thundercat, and of Jameel Bruner, who also performs as Kintaro. He regularly plays with Thundercat, Kamasi Washington and his cousin Terrace Martin, as a member of the Los Angeles collective West Coast Get Down. In 2015 he could be heard with that collective on The Epic, Washington's debut on a major label. His own album Triumph appeared in 2017.

Influence

His drumming style combines the power of punk and thrash with the freedom of jazz. In this way he fits a new generation of Los Angeles musicians who blend jazz, funk, hip-hop and rock without boundaries.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to a track from The Epic by Kamasi Washington and focus on the drums. Notice how they push the ensemble forward and how they play around the beat.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.

Categories: Artists