Jaylen K. Petinaud ’20
Jaylen K. Petinaud is a musician, arranger, composer, and educator thriving on the music scene as one of the most sought-after drummers and in the entertainment industry.
He played drums on the Hell’s Kitchen Original Broadway Cast Recording—the 2025 Grammy Award-winner for Best Musical Theater Album.
Jaylen was nominated for Best Jazz Drummer by Modern Drummer Magazine’s 2024 Readers Poll.
He is currently on tour with Herbie Hancock, and is the drummer for Alicia Keys’ new musical, Hell’s Kitchen on Broadway.
Jaylen frequently plays with artists such as Kenny Garrett, Keyon Harrold, and Terrance Blanchard / The E- Collective.
In 2024, he had the pleasure of playing on Keyon Harrold’s NPR Tiny Desk performance, which featured Robert Glasper, PJ Morton, and more.
Jaylen’s style and execution formulate an unleashed technique that uplifts soulful harmonies. His infusion of worldbeat rhythms into contemporary funk celebrates a revolutionary tune. Jaylen is versed in multiple genres such as jazz, gospel, pop, classical, Hip-Hop, and R&B but is ready to produce a brand of his own.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, the young talented drummer grew up playing in the church and followed the lead of many trailblazers. He graduated from Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in 2016 and earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Studies here at Purchase in 2020, where he studied with Jazz greats Jon Faddis, Kenny Washington, and Matt Wilson.
As Jaylen transitioned into his professional career, he developed a forward-thinking signature. Mentored by Zane Mark, his guidance helped Jaylen navigate to a different plane.
While he’s no stranger to the Broadway scene, Jaylen made his official Broadway debut as an arranger, composer, and the drummer of recent Tony-nominated revival, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuff under the direction of Camille A. Brown. Along with his contribution, he has done extended work with her company, “Camille A. Brown & Dancers” doing residencies and workshops.
Simultaneously, he worked on the new musical, Black No More, starring Tariq Trotter (Black Thought) from the Hip-Hop group The Roots.
Jaylen recently worked on Terrence Blanchard’s Champion at The Metropolitan Opera, as well as The Harder They Come, at The Public Theatre.
He frequently performs with Broadway stars Joshua Henry, Amber Iman, and Brandon Victor Dixon.
From Broadway to television, Jaylen played live on the PBS network with Brandon Victor-Dixon and went back to his roots playing the drums in a church scene on the Season 4 premiere of The Last O.G. starring Tracy Morgan.
Already with a long list of collaborations, he stepped into a different realm of entertainment with the opportunity to work with other musicians as an arranger and music contractor, for the Pyer Moss Couture Take 2 Fashion Show for fashion designer and Black innovator, Kirk Jean-Raymond in the Spring of 2021.
His passion and love for playing resonate in everything he does. Jaylen performed for vocalist and comedian Wayne Brady live on The View, Good Morning America, and Sirius XM Radio.
He worked with Roc Nation artist Nicole Bus, featuring on her newest album titled, Nicole Bus Live in NYC.
Just like any other performance, his talent manifested with a 20-piece orchestra directed by Miguel Atwood-Ferguson at Lincoln Center for Christopher Wallace, a.k.a., The Notorious B.I.G./Biggie Smalls 50th Birthday celebration hosted by Angie Martinez and DJ Clark Kent in Summer & Winter Season 2022. He played drums and ran playback for both performances.
Jaylen has also toured and collaborated with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Darlene Love, producer Arden Keyz Altino, and CEO of Platinum Sounds Jerry Wonda
Jaylen also tours with Chicago-bred singer and producer KeiyaA and Grammy award-winning NELLA ROJAS to name a few.
He is showing no signs of slowing down working with artists such as Cisco Swank, Gabriel Garzón-Montano ’13 (Studio Composition), Theo Croker, Nella Rojas, Ana Tijoux, Elijah Fox, BOYLIFE, Darlene Love, and The Benito Gonzalez Trio.
Jaylen has also served as faculty at NYU Tisch School of the Arts Dance and at our own Conservatory of Dance serving as an accompanist for Ballet, African, Horton, and Graham classes.