Daniel Dufour

Native to the greater Houston area, Daniel Dufour is a musician with
extensive performance and teaching experience across Texas. While he has
planted roots in Austin, Texas, his work carries him to national and
international appearances alike. Daniel earned a Bachelor’s Degree in
Percussion at Sam Houston State University and a Master’s Degree in Jazz
Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. During his Master’s, he found
his home in Austin, Texas, where he continues to perform and teach since
2012.
As a sideman, Daniel has contributed on many recordings over his career and
continues to be a top call for session work. Notable albums include Pete
Rodriguez’s Caminando Con Papi (2013), Elias Haslanger Meets Mike
Sailors (2024), and Aubrey Logan and Her Bigger Than Average Band
(2024). He is also the drummer for a TV broadcast, hosted by Christian
Wiggs, called Jazz Tonight that is available on PBS. Daniel is a bandleader
and composer in his own right, and has released 4 albums under his name that
are available for streaming worldwide.
Daniel’s credits include many festival appearances in his career: Jazz at St.
James (Austin), the Corpus Christi Jazz Festival, Jazz’S Alive Festival in San
Antonio, the SHSU Bill Watrous Jazz Festival, Utopiafest, the Five Points
Jazz Festival (Denver), LuluFest, the Syracuse Jazz Festival, and the Festival
De Arte Nuevo (Chihuahua, Mexico). He has shared the stage with many
world renown musicians such as Aubrey Logan, Seamus Blake, Andre
Hayward, Diego Rivera, Alex Claffy, Joel Frahm, Rotem Sivan, Lynn Seaton,
Pete Rodriguez, Gracie Terzian, Michael Dease, Luther Allison, Adi
Meyerson, Benny Benack III, Eric Reed, Chase Baird, and Randy Brecker.
He is currently the professor of drum set at Huston-Tillotson University,
where he teaches applied lessons, studio classes, and ensembles. Daniel also
instructs privately and has worked as a clinician and adjudicator for higher
education throughout the country since 2015.
Daniel can be found most nights playing venues in the central Texas area, but
he continues to travel and play around the country in cities such as Los
Angeles, New York City, and beyond. He is an artist for Vic Firth
Drumsticks, Zildjian Cymbals, and Canopus Drums.