Tobias Ralph was born and raised in New York City. A child prodigy, Tobias began playing the drums at the age of 4 years. His talents were quickly recognized when he became the winner of the first Buddy Rich Memorial Scholarship award while still attending La Guardia High School for music and the performing arts. He also attended Berklee College of Music, where he was the first recipient of the Yamaha Young Performing Artist recognition award.
He has developed his own creative, innovative style as he has combined the influences of many different types of music. An exceptionally consummate player, his versatility is evident as he can play everything from jazz to pop to speed metal. He is a very “in-demand” drummer, constantly gigging worldwide in all of the genres he plays.
Tobias has toured the US, Europe, Japan and more with a wide variety of artists including:
- Finnish pop star, Janita
- Michael Cavanaugh, former lead singer of “Movin’ Out” on Broadway
- Touring version of “Movin’ Out”
- Tony C and the Truth (Atlantic Records)
- Nena, German pop-star, including the recording of a live DVD from a Frankfurt show
- Royston Langdon, former lead singer and bassist of Spacehog
- Joe Bowie’s legendary funk band Defunkt
- Doop Troop (Sony Austria), a jazz/funk fusion band
- Medicine Stick, a band founded by former Living Color bassist, Muzz Skillings
- Screaming Headless Torsos
- Rachid (Universal Records)
- Duncan Sheik
He recorded with many of the above artists (Tony C, Nena, Janita, Royston Langdon, Defunkt, Doop Troop, and Medicine Stick) as well as 24-7 Spyz; Susan Cagle (Columbia Records); a few tracks with Everlast (White Trash Beautiful – Island/Def Jam); Kif, which was founded by Dave Fiuczynski, a member of the Screaming Headless Torsos (Discovery Records); Plexus, a drum’n’bass band that Tobias was a founding member of; and Vibrolush (V2/Iguana). In addition, he has done studio sessions with artists and producers such as Bruce Hornsby, Steve Thompson, Root 66, Steven Miller, Swirl 360 (Mercury), Imani Coppola (Columbia), Naomi Kukoff, Jennifer Marks and Pocket Size (Atlantic). Tobias has also recorded two jingles, one with Tony C for Coors Original beer and another for Sherwin Williams.
Tobias was privileged to be a member of the award winning Broadway musical “Movin’ Out” under the charge of drummer Chuck Bürgi in 2005.
He performed at the prestigious Montreal Drum Fest to a very appreciative audience in November 2002. He also attended the NAMM festival in 2005 and was one of Paiste Cymbals’ featured artists, signing autographs and greeting fans.
Tobias was very honored to have been prominently featured in an interview in Sticks magazine in July of 2005.
In April 1999, Tobias received a glowing review in Modern Drummer magazine for his drumming on the Dripping Goss album, “Blue Collar Black Future” (CBGB Records). The reviewers proclaimed, “A virtual drumming clinic…suggests that Tobias Ralph is possibly the quickest and most proficient drummer to erupt from New York’s underground scene in a long time.”
He has been featured in several national ads for Pro-Mark Drumsticks, as well as the Paiste Cymbal catalog.
He is a faculty member at The Collective Global Vision in NYC and teaches there when he is not out on the road touring. He continues to give clinics demonstrating various techniques and genres of music (including Drum’n’Bass, Funk, R&B, etc) for Paiste Cymbals, The Collective Global Vision in NYC and others. He has also taught several master classes at The Collective Global Vision.
Tobias has also been very involved in the dance world, accompanying dance classes at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts for six years. He has composed several dance scores for Nicholas Leichter, Ann Reinking (with Phillip Hamilton), Alisa Rasera and Aleta Hayes, which have been performed nationally. “Ritmo y Ruido” (Rhythm and Noise), a piece he composed with Phillip Hamilton, was performed nationally by Ballet Hispanico in 1998 and 1999, and received glowing reviews in the New York Times. It was also performed at The Joyce Theater in December 1998 and again in October 2008. It continues to be a part of Ballet Hispanico’s repertory.
In December 2000, he was a featured musician in a live percussion/dance piece entitled “To Lie Tenderly” by dancer/choreographer David Dorfman that was performed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. He was also a feature musician in another live percussion/dance piece by David Dorfman called “Gone Right Back” that was performed at The Joyce Theater in October 1998.
Paiste Cymbals, Sonor Drums, Pro-Mark Drumsticks, Evans Drumheads, Drum Workshop pedals and E-pads endorse Tobias Ralph.
