Harold Jones

Jazz II Guest Artist | Woodacre, CA

Harold Jones is an American traditional pop and jazz drummer, best known for his work with Tony Bennett and his five-year tenure with the Count Basie Orchestra. Over a six-decade career, he has toured and recorded with legends like Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, and Ray Charles, performing with major symphony orchestras worldwide. Born in Richmond, Indiana, Jones honed his craft early, performing with Wes Montgomery in high school and studying at the American Conservatory of Music. He joined Count Basie's orchestra in 1967, recording 15 albums and appearing in Blazing Saddles. After Basie, he toured with Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, and Natalie Cole, playing on Unforgettable... with Love. In 2004, Jones became Tony Bennett's drummer, staying until Bennett’s 2021 retirement. A 2013 Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame inductee, Jones is celebrated as one of the best big-band drummers, earning praise from critics, peers, and Basie himself. He continues to tour and teach, living in California with his wife, Denise.