About

Chicago drummer, composer, and educator Ethan Bouwsma has established himself as a versatile musician, playing with artists of varying genres all over the city and surrounding region. In addition to being involved with numerous jazz ensembles as a sideman, he also leads his own original-music jazz project, and is a member of Fake Baseball, an eclectic art-pop band based in Kalamazoo, MI. As a drummer, Ethan has been influenced by the sensibilities of musicians like Elvin Jones, Brian Blade, and Billy Hart.

Ethan began his career in 2015, while earning his Bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University, where he studied with Keith Hall, Andrew Rathbun, Jeremy Siskind, Matthew Fries, Scott Cowan, and Judy Moonert. During his time at WMU, he had the opportunity to compete at the Next Generation Jazz Festival and perform at the 2018 Monterey Jazz Festival, as well as tour through Colombia with a quartet for 2 weeks in 2019, performing concerts and teaching masterclasses.

As an educator, Ethan has experience teaching students of all different ages and playing levels. In addition to teaching private lessons, he has taught at various jazz summer camps, including the Keith Hall Summer Drum Intensive in Kalamazoo and Jazz Camp 2019 presented by Colombo Americano in Medellín and Pereira, Colombia.