Drums
Timothy Orr, 34, started playing the drums in 1976. He attended Wesleyan University in Connecticut, where he studied jazz drumming with Edward Blackwell, played in numerous rock, bluegrass, blues, experimental bands and also did pit work for musical theater and film projects. Tim started playing Cajun and Zydeco in 1989 with a New England group called the Swampcats, who warmed up for the touring Cajun and Zydeco bands who came through the area, including Beausoleil, Boozoo Chavis, C.J. Chenier, File, Queen Ida, The Basin Brothers and others.
After moving to San Francisco in late 1992, Tim was introduced to the Zydeco scene by Ben Holmes, the drummer for Ida, who brought him to the famous DeMarco's 23 Club, in Brisbane. By 1993 Tim was subbing and gigging in Bay Area bands ranging from TeeFee, Andre Thierry, Kenny Menard and Danny Poullard to Motordude Zydeco and Zydeco Slim (who recorded their debut CD in 1995). Zydeco Slim, along with Tete Rouge, became Tim's focus through the year 2000. Tim meshes the hard driving Zydeco style with the unpredictability of jazz. He still continues to freelance in various Bay Area bands, including The Rhythm Riders.
Other than drumming, Tim has worked for Arkadia Records, a New York based jazz label as marketing and promotion director. He also is a contributing writer for DRUM!