Holly Channell is an American drummer, musician, educator and composer based in Boston, MA. Versatile, Holly plays everything from Straight Jazz to Pop and Rock. Recently off a tour celebrating the Academy Award Winning lyricist Dorothy Fields, Holly is currently on tour celebrating the release of her critically acclaimed debut jazz album “Not Just a Standard” with FreshSound Records. Holly’s sound steers from the straight ahead jazz tradition, but is influenced heavily from the 90’s and early 2000’s alternative sounds she grew up listening to. Finding her voice, she resonates heavily with drummers such as Roy Haynes, Max Roach and Elvin Jones, but also appreciates the sounds from the late Taylor Hawkins, Jeff Porcaro, and Nirvana’s Dave Grohl.
Holly started playing drums at age 10, being introduced to the craft by her late Metal-Drumming uncle, Brice Chaput. By age 15, Holly was studying percussion classically, touring with a Symphony Orchestra, and teaching privately and in group educational settings. In 2017 Holly was introduced to the world of Jazz, and never looked back. She got her BA in Jazz Studies, her Master of Music in Jazz Performance from ASU studying with the great Lewis Nash, and received a Master of Global Jazz from Berklee College of Music. Through her education and early career she was able to learn, play and create mentorships with Kobie Watkins, Benny Green, Roxy Coss, Jason Palmer, Wycliffe Gordon and Rufus Reid. At Berklee Global Jazz Institute Holly worked heavily with Danilo Perez, John Patitucci, Joe Lovano, Brian Blade, Terri Lyne Carrington and many others. In 2023, Holly was Recognized and awarded as a Sister in Jazz with the Jazz Education Network where she got to work under the direction of acclaimed bassist Marion Hayden. Along with educating her own studio of music students and at University, Holly performs and is a clinician at Jazz festivals throughout the world.
