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INTRODUCTION

MY NAME: James Walker

MY LOCATION: Connecticut, USA

MY OCCUPATION: Like so many musicians these days, my income is derived from a variety of sources. Most of my work consists of steel pan gigs, orchestral gigs, jazz vibes, and private teaching.

MY BAND: I lead a couple of groups. East Shore is my steel drum group, and the James Walker Group is the band where I do my jazz mallet work. I also perform in a voice/percussion duo with my wife, an ensemble creatively named the Vokes-Walker Duo.

MY WEBSITE: www.malletjazz.com

MY FIRST INSPIRATION: I first got into drumming almost by accident. When i was in the sixth grade, the school band director stopped by the general music class, recruiting students for the music program. I thought it'd be fun, and for no particular reason, I checked "drums" on the form he handed out. I could've just as easily checked "piano" or "trombone."

Well, maybe not "trombone."

Thinking back, tho, I think my interest in music was initiated by my Mom. I remember her taking me to concerts, having music on the stereo at home, etc. Neither she nor my father is a musician (altho Mom plays a little bit of piano), but there was always music in the house.

MY INSPIRING/FAVORITE DRUMMER: There have been a number of different drummers who have inspired me over the years. Among the most prominent include:

Buddy Rich - I started drumming in the late 1970s, and Buddy was still going strong. My first teacher was a serious Buddy devotee, and he exposed me to a lot of Buddy's work.

Steve Gadd - I couldn't get enough of him when I was in high school. Still can't.

Airto - I got hip to Airto when I was in college. He continues to be an inspiration, especially when it comes to exploring sounds. I got the chance to spend some time with him at a local PAS Day Of Percussion a number of years ago - he's a very cool guy, in addition to being an oustanding musician.

Manu Katche - he's one of the few drummers who I've consciously sought to emulate in my playing. He offers a wonderful balance of groove, chops (and the tasteful use thereof), and with a certain elegance in his playing that few drummers exhibit. I can't tell you how many times I've listened to Peter Gabriel's "Secret World Live" DVD, over and over and over and over...

Don Alias - like Airto, he was a master of percussion as well as drum set.

MY MUSIC STYLES: Jazz, Caribbean (esp. steel band), Brazilian, orchestral.

MY SUPPORT/MENTOR: My wife - who isn't just my wife, she's a phenomenal musician whose opinion I trust implicitly.

MY STORY: I started in the school band program with two sticks and a practice pad (a bit of gum rubber glued onto a couple of pieces of wood assembled at an angle to accommodate traditional grip - remember those, guys?), went on to major in percussion in college (earning a few degrees), and I've been playing and teaching ever since.

PIX/AUDIO/VIDEO - I'll come back and edit this later.

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moderator, mallet forum

Edited by James Walker (Mon Jul 16 2007 05:42 PM)