Conversations with Michael Carvin

Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Carvin.

Hi Michael, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was born in Houston, Texas. My musical training began at the age of six under the training of my father who was a great drummer and one of the top drummers in Houston at the time. By age of twelve, I began playing professionally and won what would be the first of five consecutive Texas rudimental championships.

Some of my notable career highlights include two years as a staff drummer with Motown Records, extensive studio and television work on the West Coast. I joined Freddie Hubbard’s band in 1973, and moved to New York shortly thereafter where I began to gain a reputation as one of the formidable drummers on the jazz scene.

In addition to leading my own bands, I’ve worked with some of the greatest musicians in the world performing and recording with Dizzy Gillespie, Dexter Gordon, Jackie McLean, Hank Jones, McCoy Tyner, Illinois Jacquet, Pharoah Sanders, Bobby Hutcherson, James Moody, Hampton Hawes, Ruth Brown, Johnny Hartman, Abbey Lincoln, Jimmy Smith, Hugh Masekela, Alice Coltrane, Cecil Taylor, Charles Brown, Terumasa Hino, and many others. I have also produced records for many successful artists.

I have the great opportunity to develop drummers through the Michael Carvin School of Drumming in New York for many years. Current students and alumni include elite drummers from Europe, South America to Australia, Japan and India. We also conduct weekly lessons, masterclasses. Most recently since 2024, I’ve been a guest Clinician at the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz of UCLA. I invite you to visit my website www.michaelcarvin.com to see the list of some of our successful graduates.

This brings us to the present and the story continues. We’re excited about our latest offering. The Michael Carvin Experience “Live in San Francisco” on our MCE Music label. We have submitted the new album to the Recording Academy in several categories including Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical/Best Album Cover and Best Jazz Performance with “Bemsha Swing” honoring my dear fiend Thelonious Monk. Our new album is for everyone and we are extremely proud of the sound and quality of this live performance.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The only obstacle I ever dealt with in my life was being drafted in 1966 and sent to Vietnam. When I first got back from Vietnam, I returned to my parent’s house in Houston where I practiced ten hours a day for three months. After sharpening my drum skills, I went back to Los Angeles in the middle of 1967. Since then, I have made all my dreams come true.

One of my dreams was to become a studio drummer. I recorded with Monk Montgomery (Wes Montgomery’s younger brother), the legendary organist Jimmy Smith and I was the drummer on the now classic Doug and Jean Carn album Infant Eyes released on the Black Jazz label. I played on close to 100 pop and R & B sessions.

Another memorable experience was working with the legendary Abbey Lincoln at the Redd Foxx club on Sunset strip in a trio led by Phil Wright who was one of the greatest pianists/accompanists in Los Angeles at the time, and I really enjoyed leading my own trio as the opening act for the great comedian Richard Pryor at the Troubadour in LA. Many celebrities came out to see Richard during his engagement. I also had the pleasure of doing some acting on season 4 of the TV series Ironside starring Raymond Burr.

I always wanted to develop my reputation internationally as a jazz drummer. After playing local gigs in LA this dream came true when the exceptional pianist Hampton Hawes hired me to be the drummer in his trio. We toured Europe from June 15th through September 15th, 1971, playing at various venues and at some of the largest festivals on the continent.

During that three month period we recorded five live albums. There is video of this trio playing in France on YouTube, but it incorrectly identifies the year as 1974. Upon returning to Los Angeles in the fall of 1971 I moved to San Francisco. Six months later I joined Bobby Hutcherson’s Trio and two years later in 1973, I joined Freddie Hubbard’s Quintet and moved to New York City. Our first job in NY was at the Village Vanguard for one week, followed by one month in Europe.

There is a beautiful YouTube video that you can see with Hubbard’s quintet recorded live in Paris 1973. We also recorded two live albums in Europe during that tour. In the years that followed I worked and recorded with a long list of legendary artists many of whom are listed in my biography and also established myself as a respected and admired band leader and a world-renowned educator.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I produce recordings, teach around the world through our online Michael Carvin School of Drumming and perform with our band The Michael Carvin Experience. We will performing in the Los Angeles Area at the Sierra Madre Playhouse on Sunday, November 16, 2025 at 7:30PM. We are excite and look forward to see you there.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I would like to recommend visiting www.michaelcarvin.com so you can learn more about us. Check out my award-winning documentary “No Excuses” documentary which chronicles the education and journey of preparing and the production of my MCE Quartet Album at the famed Avatar Studios (formally known as the Hit Factory) in NYC.

No Excuses is a celebration of the human musical experience as exhibited through live concert footage, and old jazz club tours of the musical landscape past. It’s a history lesson from my point of view which I’ve witnessed throughout my life.

We invite you and your fantastic readers to listen to The Michael Carvin Experience “Live in San Francisco” on MCE Music available at Bandcamp and other platforms. Thank you for having us in your publication, we really appreciate it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://michaelcarvin.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelcarvin_exp/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michaelcarvinofficial/photos
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOfW0ILILZM
• Other: https://michaelcarvin.bandcamp.com/album/live-in-san-francisco

Image Credits
Farah Sosa, Jose Perez, Scott Chernis