Ko Moumoukai te maunga
Ko Ngā Nuhaka te awa
Ko Tāne-nui-ā-rangi te marae
Ko Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa te iwi
Ko Rākaipaaka te whānau
Ko Tia “Drumma” Beaufort tōku ingoa

Kia ora! I am a drummer, producer and educator currently living in Mount Maunganui. I am Head of Music at Mount Maunganui College and also work as a session musician and producer all over Aotearoa NZ.

In 2020 I was nominated Best Producer at the Pacific Music Awards for Mikey Mayz’s ‘Wild People’. I was also a finalist for the Taite Music Prize with my work on JessB’s EP New Views producing her hit song ‘So Low’.

Over the years I have worked playing drums and producing with Iggy Pop, JessB, Raiza Biza, Melodownz, Sid Diamond, Paige, Third3ye, Bailey Wiley, Mikey Mayz, Blaze the Emperor, The Settlers, Ember, Tyna Keelan, Illbaz, and many more.

As Head of Music at Mount Maunganui College, I works with students to write and produce their own original music. In 2020, we released an album of all original compositions – the first original school album released in the Bay of Plenty – called ‘2020’ (check it out on streaming platforms).

The album has proven to be popular with over 60,000 streams, which has lead to stories with Radio NZ, The Herald and play listings with local Tauranga radio stations.

Coming into 2021, I have established myself as one of NZ’s most in demand hip-hop drummers, making him the go-to drummer for artists such as JessB, Blkcity and Raiza Biza. I was featured in the 2021 issue of NZ Musician for his work in the NZ music scene and in education.

In April 2021, JessB was selected to support Six60 at the first Eden Park concert ever, hosting over 50,000 people. Other national tours I have been on include Fat Freddys Drop, L.A.B. and Shapeshifter as well as playing at most major music festivals.

I completed a BMus degree at the New Zealand School of Music in Jazz Performance in 2014 and graduated with a diploma in teaching the following year. I have been teaching for the last 6 years in Tauranga and also do commission work advising the Ministry of Education.

I’m interested in working collaboratively on any projects that are musical. I’m available for session work drumming, songwriting and/or producing, workshops etc.