Area native Jerad Lippi, a 2003 graduate of Valley View High School, attended The New School University Jazz and Contemporary Music Program, and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Jazz Studies from SUNY Purchase with a major in Jazz Studies/Percussion Performance.  He is currently pursuing a Master of Music Degree in Jazz Studies at SUNY Purchase, where he has served as the drummer for the Purchase Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Todd Coolman. He recently completed and submitted his Master’s Thesis, entitled Time Travels: Modern Rhythm Section Techniques as Employed by Ari Hoenig.

Lippi’s teachers have included legendary drummers Joe Morello, Ari Hoenig, Michael Carvin, John Riley and Kenny Washington, and he has performed widely throughout the northeast. Among the artists he has had the privilege of performing or recording with are Eric Alexander, Jaques Schwarz-Bart, Joseph Boga, Santi Debriano, Aaron Diehl, Paquito D’Rivera, Jon Faddis, Dominick Farinacci, Wycliffe Gordon, Jesse Green, David Hazeltine, Ilona Knopfler, Dave Liebman, Tony Marino, Steve Rudolph, Matt Rybicki, Loren Schoenberg, and J.J. Wiggins Shankar. He recently was the drummer for the WBGO gala honoring James Moody in November 2008, and performed in a live radio broadcast for the station in April 2008. He has played with a variety of ensembles, in venues such as Birdland, Cleopatra’s Needle, Small’s, The Hudson Theater, Sherman Theater, Penn’s Peak, The Milford Music Festival, and The Deerhead Inn.  

Lippi has received a variety of awards and honors, including the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts Merit Award in Jazz Percussion, Finalist and Honorable Mention for The North American Grammy Jazz Ensemble, The Pennsylvania All-State Jazz Ensemble, selection for and participation in the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts, and numerous scholarship awards. 

Jerad also is committed to jazz education, and has served as percussion teacher or coach for a variety of festivals and ensembles, including The Performing Arts Institute at Wyoming Seminary, and has also contributed his talents in his hometown coaching young percussion sections at The University of Scranton, Valley View High School, and North Pocono High School. He maintains active private teaching studios in New York City and in his hometown of Jessup, PA.