Availability
Available
About me
An extremely experienced and diverse Musician, Teacher with a very strong technical & mechanical background.
myspace
Employment History / Credits
Beautiful Music 1990 - 2009 Private Teacher - Upright/electric bass and guitar.
Provide beginning/advanced musical instruction to students of all ages
including students with special needs.
Musical Director-created and implemented the ensemble programs
Ellman's Music 1995 - Present Private Teacher - Upright/electric bass and guitar.
Musical Expressions 1999 - 2007 Private Teacher - Upright/electric bass and guitar.
RT Guitars 2000 - 2009 Private Teacher - Upright/electric bass and guitar.
Oakbrook Academy of Music and Art 2008 - 2009 Musical Director created and implemented the ensemble programs
Hinsdale Conservatory of Music 2009 - present created and implemented the ensemble programs
Tobias Music Private Teacher 2009 - present Upright/electric bass and guitar.
Industry Qualifications
James has preformed professionally for 28 years, with extensive experience in upright and electric bass. He studied at DePaul University's School of Jazz Music and privately with Larry Gray, who plays bass with Ramsey Lewis. As a "jobbing musician", he has done radio jingles, studio session work, a great deal of pit work and many orchestral performances, including Chicago's Orchestra Hall and several seasons with The Paducah Symphony Orchestra. His long-term band experiences include swing with The Riff Rockets, The Rhythm Rockets, The Rockafellers, blues with the Convulsions, Phil Baron, Barrelhouse Chuck and Pinetop Perkins, pop-rock with Burnt Toast, Selective Recall and JP and the Cats as well as countless jazz groups including Bob Mintzer, The Tom Sorich Trio and The Tom Costanzo Trio. James has also played country, zydeco and rock-a-billy with bands such as The Big Guitars from Memphis, The Delta Rhythm Kings, Guy Lawerence and Chydeco Zydeco, Peaches and Will Crosby. He has been nominated for a Handy Award with Nick Moss and the Flip Tops, a touring blues band that plays regularly at Buddy Guy's Legends and The House of Blues. He currently has professional endorsement deals with Lakland, Gallien-Krueger, Bag End and Rotosound.
Industry Awards
Scholarships to SIU & DePaul. Artist Endorsements with Lakland, Bag End, Rotosound and Gallien-Krueger.
Education
DeVry 3 year Electrical Technician Program-Forest View High School Arlington Hts. IL.
Jazz Performance-Southern Illinois University Carbondale IL.
Jazz Studies-DePaul University Chicago IL.
Other Skills/Additional Information
Electronics/instrument repair & maintenance experience as a live sound technician. Professional musician & teacher with 25+ years experience. Over 19 years with one of my current employers. I Have 18 years experience teaching students with special needs both physical and mental.
Will work in
Wisconsin
Indiana
Illinois
Instruments
Fretless Bass
Electric Guitar
Double Bass
Bass Guitar
Acoustic Guitar
Technical Skills
Cakewalk
maintenance/ repair
Other Information
Would you consider staff positions as well as freelance work?: yes
Do you have a driver's license?: yes