James Walker Biography

I am extremely fortunate to have James as moderator of my Mallet Percussion Forum here at TigerBill's DrumBeat. James has amassed a broad range of experiences in the world of percussion, as a student, educator, and performer. While his primary instruments are mallet percussion (marimba, vibraphone, xylophone, etc.) and pan (steel drums), he is well-versed in all major areas of percussion.

James graduated from Ithaca College (BM Percussion Performance, 1988), where he studied with mallet virtuosos Gordon Stout and Bill Molenhof. Upon completion of his degree at Ithaca, he matriculated at Northern Illinois University, where he eventually completed two postgraduate degrees (MM Percussion Performance and Pedagogy, 1990; Performer's Certificate, 1997). While at NIU, James studied steel pan performance and arranging with Cliff Alexis and G. Allan O'Connor, and jazz studies with Fareed Haque and Willie Pickens.

James has taught percussion at a variety of levels, including "sabbatical substitute" positions at Ithaca College (1995) and Northern Illinois University (2000), the Hartt School's Community Division, and private teaching. He has had articles published in Percussive Notes (the official publication of the Percussive Arts Society), and for three years he authored the "Expressive Jazz Techniques" column for Jazz Player Magazine. His web site, www.malletjazz.com, features numerous online lessons devoted to jazz and percussion studies, and his lesson pages are among the most popular percussion-related pages on the Internet.

Currently, James performs as a freelance musician, leading or co-leading several ensembles (James Walker Group, jazz vibraphone; Mahoney/Walker Duo, electronic percussion; Vokes/Walker Duo, voice and percussion; East Shore Caribbean Jazz, steel drums), and he performs regularly with keyboardist/composer Lance James, and with the Steel Sunrise Steel Band. In 2000, he released his debut jazz CD as a leader (Rhyme Or Reason), and he can be heard on recordings by saxophonist Ken Gioffre, singer/songwriter Michael Branden, and Steel Sunrise. While a student at NIU, James freelanced in Chicago with some of the city's top jazz and Latino musicians, and while at Ithaca College he performed with the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra and the Binghamton Symphony.

In 2007, I was honored to have James appear as a featured artist at my DrumBeat Festival where he taught an enlightening session on how playing mallets can improve your drumset style. He also played an original composition on Marimba with Billy Ward on drums.

James currently resides in New Milford, CT.

For more about James Walker, see www.malletjazz.com.