Jost Nickel at Graham Russell Drums: Know Him Before the Clinic

• Posted on 23 May 2026
• By GRD
• Posted in Jost Nickel, Meinl, Sonor
• 0

Coming to the sold-out Jost Nickel clinic on 15 June 2026? Get to know the Sonor and Meinl artist, his career with Jan Delay, and the gear he plays before you arrive.

Getting Ready for Jost Nickel: Your Guide to the Drummer Before the Clinic

The response to this one has been incredible, and we are thrilled to say that the UK Clinic Tour with Jost Nickel at our Fareham showroom is now completely sold out. A huge thank you to everyone who grabbed a place.

If you have got your name on the door for Monday 15th June 2026, this guide is for you. An evening with a player and educator like Jost rewards a little homework, so here is everything worth knowing about the man, his music and the gear he plays. Walk in knowing his story and you will get far more out of the night.

Your night at a glance

• Event: The UK Clinic Tour with Jost Nickel, presented in partnership with Sonor Drums

• When: Monday 15th June 2026. Doors 7pm, clinic starts 7:30pm

• Where: In-store at Graham Russell Drums, Fareham, PO14 1FD

• Entry: Sold out. No physical tickets are issued, so your name will be on the door

• Top tip: Arrive in good time, and leave yourself room to explore the showroom and have a look at the kits and cymbals you will have just hear played live

Jost is a long-standing Sonor artist and ambassador for the brand new Sonor Momentum series, and he will be playing his clinic on a Momentum kit. More on the gear further down. First, the player himself.

Who is Jost Nickel?

Jost Nickel is a German drummer, composer and educator widely regarded as one of the finest groove and clinic players in the world. He is known for a punchy, articulate sound balanced by a jazzy, exotic cymbal wash, a "shadows and light" feel that comes from a player with one foot in tradition and one firmly at the cutting edge.

He is also one of the most decorated educators in modern drumming. He was nominated as Best Clinician by Modern Drummer in 2016, named one of the ten best clinicians in the world by MusicRadar in both 2016 and 2017, and nominated by Drumeo as Soul/Funk Drummer of 2023. He has performed at many of the most important drum events on earth, including the Montreal Drum Fest, PASIC and the NAMM Show in the USA, the Meinl Drum Festival, the World Drum Festival in Hamburg and the UK Drum Show.

Over a long career, Jost has recorded and performed with a wide and varied list of artists, including:

• Jan Delay & Disko No.1

• SEEED

• Mousse T.

• Sasha

• Johannes Oerding

• Randy Brecker

• Bob Mintzer

• Jeff Lorber

• Jimmy Haslip

• Barry Finnerty

• Matalex (the German fusion band whose albums he recorded)

A few of those credits are worth a closer look before the night.

Jan Delay & Disko No.1

Since the release of the platinum-selling album Mercedes Dance in 2006, Jost has been the drummer for Jan Delay & Disko No.1, one of Germany's most successful live acts. His role grew beyond the drum stool over time, and he is credited as a songwriter on the chart-topping albums Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Soul and Hammer & Michel. It is the body of work most fans know him for, and a perfect showcase of the deep, locked-in groove he is famous for. Worth a listen on the drive over.

The jazz and fusion world

Long before the pop success, Jost built his reputation in jazz and fusion. He recorded most of the albums by the German fusion band Matalex, two of which featured the legendary Randy Brecker on trumpet, and he has since worked live and in the studio with international names such as Bob Mintzer, Jeff Lorber, Jimmy Haslip and Barry Finnerty. It is this grounding in jazz that gives his playing its remarkable touch and dynamic range, something to listen for when he plays.

Author and educator

Jost is a lecturer at the Popakademie in Mannheim and has taught at the Music Academy in Hamburg, having studied at the renowned Drummers Collective in New York. He is the author of three acclaimed textbooks, Jost Nickel's Groove Book, the Fill Book and the Snare Book, all published worldwide and featured on Modern Drummer's best-textbook lists. If you already own one, a quick flick through beforehand will help his ideas land on the night, and our drum books and practice resources are a great place to keep the momentum going afterwards.

The gear you will see and hear

Here is the part we love. Jost is a long-standing endorser of brands we stock, so once the clinic wraps you can go and play the very same gear in our showroom. Here is his setup.

Sonor drums and the new Momentum series

Jost is a dedicated Sonor artist and, as ambassador for the new Sonor Momentum series, he will be playing a Momentum kit for the entire clinic. His own setup is built around a compact, punchy configuration with a signature snare, toms and a 22-inch bass drum, the kind of focused kit that lets every note speak. Hearing a brand new Momentum kit played by the artist who helped champion it is a rare treat, and you can browse our full range of Sonor drum kits here. If a punchy, articulate snare like Jost's is what you are after, our beginner snare drum buyers guide is a great primer on sizes, shells and depths.

Meinl Byzance cymbals

For cymbals, Jost trusts Meinl, and his setup is a masterclass in the dark, dry, hand-hammered Byzance sound. It features 14-inch Byzance Medium hi-hats, an 18-inch Byzance Traditional Thin crash, a 22-inch Byzance Vintage Pure ride, a 20-inch Byzance Extra Dry Dual crash-ride and a 20-inch Byzance Brilliant china. As the home of the largest Meinl cymbal showroom in the UK, we are perfectly placed to help you chase that sound after the clinic. Explore the full Meinl Byzance range, or shop by type across our hi-hats, crashes, rides and china cymbals. You can also see everything on the Meinl brand page. New to choosing cymbals, or not sure where to start? Our beginner cymbal buyers guide covers what to listen for and how to pick the right sounds for your style.

Vic Firth sticks and Aquarian heads

To complete the picture, Jost plays Vic Firth sticks and Aquarian drumheads, the finishing touches that shape his clean, articulate attack. Take a look at our drum stick range and our drum heads to build the same foundation under your own hands.

Missed out?

If you did not manage to grab a place before this one sold out, you are not alone, and there is plenty more to come. We host in-store clinics and evenings throughout the year, including An Evening with Gavin Harrison. Keep an eye on the Graham Russell Drums blog and join our mailing list so you are first to hear when the next event goes on sale.

And of course, the showroom is open as usual, so you can come and try a Sonor Momentum kit and the Meinl Byzance cymbals Jost plays any time you like. We look forward to seeing you, whether it is on the night or in store.