Quick Facts
Biography
Aaron Kimmel is an American modern jazz drummer and musician based in New York City.
Life and career
Kimmel is a native of Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, where he attended Hollidaysburg Area Senior High School. In his early years, he was taught music by his father, Stephen, and also by drummers Jim Chapin, Ed Shaughnessy, and Joe Morello. While in high school, Aaron received the "Outstanding Jazz Soloist" award from Downbeat Magazine's Student Music Awards two times.
Later, Kimmel graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree from The Juilliard School, New York City, where he studied with Kenny Washington and Billy Drummond. He then worked as a freelance musician in New York.
Over the years, Kimmel has collaborated with such jazz greats as Ken Peplowski, Benny Green, Harry Allen, Eric Alexander, Joe Magnarelli, Ehud Asherie, Terell Stafford, Ryan Kisor, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Jerry Weldon, Jimmy Heath, Bill Pierce, Robin Eubanks, Brian Lynch, Ann Hampton Callaway, Mary Stallings, Mike LeDonne, Peter Zak, Frank Wess, Hilary Kole, Dan Block, Veronica Swift, Clovis Nicolas and Jon Faddis.
In 2014, he performed on Leon Redbone's album Flying By and Hilary Kole's A Self Portrait. In 2018, he performed on Alexander Claffy's Standards: What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?
Most recently, in 2020, Kimmel played on Benny Green's Benny's Crib, alongside David Wong (bass), Anne Drummond (Flute, Alto Flute, Bass Flute), and Veronica Swift (vocals.)