Born into a musical family in upstate New York and having two older brothers who toured and recorded with Brother Jack McDuff, drummer David Hilliker had music all around him.  Early studies with David Chitambar back in New York led to studies later in life with the legendary Ed Thigpen and John Von Ohlen. Having performed all around the Midwest, he has also had opportunity to play with jazz artists such as Melvin Rhyne, Joey DeFrancesco, Bill Heid, Pat Bianchi, Dave Stryker, John Clayton, Benny Green, Joe Beck, Ali Ryerson, and legendary tenor saxophonists George Coleman and Von Freeman.  His attitude toward the music and the role of the drum chair is to “lay down the groove, swing hard, stay out of the way and make the rest of the band sound better”.