Tobias Backhaus was born in Darmstadt, Germany, on January 8 1984. He took up the drums at the age of 5 and has subsequently been studying under the guideance of jazz masters such as Keith Copeland, Ari Hoenig, Jim Black, John Hollenbeck and Jeff Ballard. He is currently completing his Bachelor degree at the Jazz-Institute Berlin.
His stylistic diversity – from traditional jazz to free improvisation, modern classical music and beyond - as well as his ability to effortlessly move between those different worlds have made him one of the most in-demand young drummers on the German jazz scene.
Tobias has been working with artists such as Torsten de Winkel, Till Brönner, Tony Lakatos, Carlos Bica, Gwilym Simcock, Jiggs Whigham, Bob Degen, Peter Weniger, Frank Chastenier and Ack van Rooyen, the Dresden Symphonic Orchestra, the NDR Big Band, the Berlin Jazz Orchestra, the European Movement Jazz Orchestra and many others.