JIM DOXAS

Jim Doxas, a native Montréaler, was born into an artistically vibrant family, his father a classical guitarist, educator and recording engineer, and brother a saxophonist and composer. Before finding the drums, Jim played a number of other instruments: piano, violin, trumpet and French horn. Working alongside his father as a recording engineer was Jim’s first love. This all changed in his teens when he was “forced” to record acoustic drums for his father’s jingles...

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While studying at Montréal’s McGill University, Jim established himself early on as versatile percussionist. The pool of strong drummers and percussionists in the city heavily influenced him. During his time at McGill, Jim was honoured with Yamaha’s Rising Star Award in recognition of outstanding achievement as an instrumentalist. In addition, he was a featured artist at Carnegie Hall in a gala performance celebrating young North American talent. Throughout his undergraduate degree, Jim studied with renowned pedagogue and drummer, John Riley.

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 Jim has been heavily influenced by rock, jazz, Motown and World Music. His work can be heard on over 150 albums and soundtracks, and he is a popular featured artist at jazz festivals worldwide. Distinguished for his improvisational approach to jazz, he makes the case that percussion can be as performative as a lyrical instrument. What distinguishes Doxas’ approach to improvisation is that he refuses to play it safe, allowing the moment to dictate the kind of framework that will contain, shape and guide the piece of music. He is astutely committed to the belief that significant music is always distinguished by what is left unsaid, the gaps of which inspire him to produce a highly original vocabulary of accents. During the last several years, Jim has been recognized by way of receiving Felix and Juno Awards, as well as nominations for Academy and Grammy Awards. He was also the drummer in the Oliver Jones Trio for over a decade.

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Doxas puts premium importance on music education by conducting masterclasses and teaching at various music academies around the world. His current projects include Riverside (in collaboration with Dave Douglas, Steve Swallow, and Chet Doxas), Jean-Michel Pilc trio and the Jim Doxas Trio. Jim is currently a lecturer and teacher at McGill University, while also balancing an active performance schedule.