Alvin R. Atkinson Jr.

Alvin R. Atkinson, Jr. is a versatile and experienced television host and musician with a strong background in education. Currently serving as the TV host for The Drummer Speaks TV Show since September 2012, Alvin also leads the band Alvin Atkinson and the Sound Merchants, which has performed at U.S. concerts since 2004. Alvin's educational contributions include a tenure as Senior Faculty at Jazz at Lincoln Center from 2008 to 2016 and as an Adventure Artist with Midori & Friends from 2007 to 2014, focusing on program development and teaching. Academic qualifications include a Master's degree in Psychology in Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, obtained between 2015 and 2018, and a Bachelor of Music degree from North Carolina Central University, completed in 1995.