After completing his education in aerospace engineering at Iowa State University, Brooklyn-born, Philadelphia-raised drummer Dana Hall earned advanced degrees in music performance, composition and arranging from William Paterson College and DePaul University. He is currently a distinguished Special Trustees Fellow completing his doctorate in ethnomusicology at the University of Chicago.
In addition to leading his own ensembles in the performance of original music, as well as jazz and popular standards, Hall has professional performance and tour credits on six continents and extensive concert, club and festival experience throughout Africa, Europe and Asia. The list of exceptional artists that Hall has performed, recorded, and/or toured with includes Branford Marsalis, Nicholas Payton, Steve Wilson, Chick Corea, the Mingus Big Band, Joshua Redman, the Woody Herman Orchestra, Curtis Fuller, Joe Lovano, Horace Silver, Ray Charles, Benny Golson, Bobby Hutcherson, Michael Brecker, Betty Carter, Jackie McLean, Jimmy Heath, Maria Schneider and Joe Henderson, among others.
Hall is currently a member of trumpeter and MaxJazz recording artist Terell Stafford's Quintet and a member of the Chicago Jazz Ensemble. He has also served as a permanent member of the Jon Faddis Jazz Orchestra (neè The Carnegie Hall Jazz Band) under the musical and artistic direction of Jon Faddis, participating in performances internationally and at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
As an educator, Hall has served as a faculty member of the Undergraduate College at the University of Chicago teaching courses in world music and as a member of the faculty at Columbia College Chicago, teaching private drumset instruction. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Music at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign teaching courses in jazz studies and ethnomusicology. Hall uses and endorses Yamaha Drums, Bosphorus Cymbals and Pro-Mark Drumsticks.
