On a jazz scene brimming with exceptionally gifted young drummers, Elé Salif Howell is rapidly earning a spot in the crowded top tier. The San Francisco native has thrived since moving to New York City in 2016, forging deep creative connections with leading contemporaries, revered veterans, and mid-career masters like Ravi Coltrane, who recruited the drummer in 2021 forvarious projects including Cosmic Music: Revisiting the Music of John and Alice Coltrane and a newer electric Trio. He also can be seen performing with trumpeter Chief Adjuah (FKA Christian Scott) Elé (pronounced e-LAY) credits his father, powerhouse saxophonist/composer Richard Howell, as an abiding source of inspiration.
As a young drummer, Elé continues to write and compose, creating with inspirations from his immersive cultural experiences, travels and people who he meets along the way. Some notable artists that he has worked with include Stanley Clarke, John Scofield, Gill Goldstein, Brandee Younger, David Gilmore, Elena Pinderhughes, Weedie Braimah, Mike Rodriguez, Jeff Chambers, Alex Sipiagan, and more.
