David King is is a drummer/ composer from Minneapolis Minnesota. He is best known for being a founding member of the jazz groups The Bad Plus (with Reid Anderson and Ethan Iverson) and Happy Apple (with Michael Lewis and Erik Fratzke) although he is active in many other projects including free jazz collective Buffalo Collision with NYC "Downtown" legends Tim Berne and Hank Roberts.



King also has a huge passion for pop and rock music. That's why he's drummed for a parade of prominent local indie rock bands right alongside his jazz projects. Among them are 12-Rods, Love Cars, and the electronic art/pop group Halloween Alaska as well as the noise/prog band The Gang Font with former Husker Du bassist Greg Norton.



In March 2010 David King formed two new ensembles to debut at a 2 night concert celebration of his work held at the renowned Walker Art Center called The Dave King Trucking Company (with Chris Speed and Brandon Wozniak on tenor saxes, Erik Fratzke on guitar and Adam Linz on bass) and Golden Valley Is Now (with Craig Taborn on keyboards and Reid Anderson on bass and electronics). Both ensembles plan on recording in 2011.



David King also released a solo record titled "Indelicate" in 2010 on the Sunnyside label where the drummer plays duets with himself on piano aided by overdubbing in the studio.



David King has also recorded and or performed with Dewey Redman, Jeff Beck, Boots Reilly, Dead Prez, Bill Carrothers, Anthony Cox, Atmosphere, Kurt Rosenwinkle, Jef Lee Johnson, Beniot Delbec, Django Bates, Meat Beat Manifesto, Craig Taborn's Junk Magic, Tchad Blake, Tony Platt, Mason Jennings, Haley Bonar, Wendy Lewis, Chris Morissey, Ursus Minor, Peter Lang, and Craig Green among others.



David King has also written and performed for modern dance with the world renowned Mark Morris Dance Group and for fashion, composing and performing live for three seasons of maverick designer Isaac Mizrahi's fashion week shows at Bryant Park NYC and for film with the award winning animated shorts "Bike Ride Story" and "Bike Race" by Tom Schroeder.



In March 2008 King appeared with The Bad Plus on the Late Night with Conan O'brien television show playing one of King's compositions Thriftstore Jewelry. This marked the first and only time a jazz group performed on the show in its 17 year run.



King resides in Minneapolis with his wife and two children.