ELLIE RUI

Ellie Rui 瑞 is a Chicago-based Jazz drummer from Columbus, Ohio. She moved to Chicago after graduating from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in the Spring of 2024. At Oberlin, Rui 瑞 studied under NEA Jazz Master Billy Hart.

Her compositions can be characterized by her percussive approach, even when writing for non-percussion instruments. She generally follows a “Jazz form” but her chord changes and rhythms are intentionally non-standard. Her unconventional musical choices are generally used to communicate the story/message behind her pieces. In her live shows, she shares parts of her life in the hope of brining people together. Rui 瑞 likes to be around musicians that remind her of the kind of human being she strives to be.