bio

I've been involved in music performance professionally full time for the past 29 years, give or take a few.. This past year (2009) I feel blessed to have played with a diverse group of great musicians including Scott White, Dan Lapp, Marc Atkinson,(a reunion of Loose and the Loose Gypsies group!) Dave Teichroeb, Miles Black, Doug Dodd, Joan Wallace, Monik Nordine, Joanna Finch, Sean Mooney, Aaron Cadwaladr , Nathan Tinkham, and some younger musicians deserving of wider recognition - James Darling, Marisha Devoin, Nico Rhodes, Jeremy World and the "young" musicians in "The Big Bossa". Drums are my primary instrument, but I've ventured into doing gigs on piano in the past year..In the early part of 2009 I played drums for the Western Edge Theatre company in a show called The Angry Inch.. I would like to be more involved in musical theatre which I have done very infrequently (Jesus Christ Superstar and Cabaret) over the course of many musical years. As fate would have it i was given the opportunity and real treat to perform A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline at the Chemainus Theatre in early 2010.... I love writing music as much as I do playing.  Some of the songs I've written in the past year along with ones previously released on cd's and etc. can be heard by visiting the 'song' page on this site..

Another passion of mine is teaching which I do presently at Long and McQuade and periodically at Headliners School of Performing Arts. I derive a great amount of inspiration and pleasure from the process of teaching drums here in Nanaimo, having learned and benefited from the many students I've been involved with. Thanks to all the students and teachers I've been fortunate to spend time with. I hope you've benefited as much thru me as I have from you...

James