Rob Garcia

Rob Garcia is a Brooklyn drummer, composer and bandleader whose writing pairs open, exploratory forms with a swinging foundation, and Time Out New York has called him a prime mover in the Brooklyn jazz scene. He leads the Sizzle Ensemble, whose self-titled 2026 album on Connection Works features Noah Preminger, Gary Versace and Kim Cass, and his catalog as a leader also includes Natural Bounce (2023) and Illumination (2020) on Fresh Sound. Raised in Pelham, New York, he studied with Charli Persip, Steve Davis and Adam Nussbaum, and holds a BA from NYU and a master of music degree from SUNY Purchase. As a sideman he has recorded and performed with Joe Lovano, Sheila Jordan, Dave Liebman, Wynton Marsalis, Diana Krall and Myra Melford, among many others. He founded Connection Works, a Brooklyn nonprofit that presents jazz concerts and educational programs.