J I M M Y W A Y
Drummer/Producer/Instructor
(512) 754-8795 Bookings/CD's etc.
Email [email protected]
Austin/San Marcos, Texas
Touring constantly since 1986, Jimmy Way has played all over the United States, Canada and in Europe. Fully equipped both acoustically and electronically, his distinct style, extremely versatile chops and positive attitude puts him in high demand both in the Texas live music and studio scenes, as well as for touring and teaching.
Born in Houston, Jimmy was admitted by audition into the prestigious High School for the Performing and Visual Arts at the age of 14. There he studied classical and contemporary music and learned as much from classmates like Sebastian Whittaker as he did from instructors. Jimmy expanded his education by studying with private teachers, including jazz drummer Joel Fulgham. At the age of 17 he was working on the road full time in 7-10 piece show bands.
Since then Jimmy has performed thousands of gigs in numerous stadiums, festivals, concert halls, showrooms, clubs and on TV. Touring with bands as diverse as the Chris Duarte Group, John Jordan Trio, Phoenix, Monti Carlo, Mysterious Quartet from Helsinki, Toungsten Coil, Way*Simms, Chris Wall, Doug Moreland, Owl Hollow Jazz w/ Roland Denney, Toy Subs and too many others to list gave him the ability to play any style of music. He has also played or jammed with artists Mark O'Connor, Jackson Browne, Dr. Eugene Chadborne, Indigenous, Redd Volkaert, Lynn Anderson, Terry Bozzio, Tommy Cash, Johnny Gimble, Fats Domino, Robin Ford, Johnny Hiland, Los Jazz Vato's, Glen Rexach, Super Cousin, Derek Morris, Alteza, Hal Ketchum, Gene Ferrari and Doug Kershaw, for more than 3 years.
Extensive concert work has given Jimmy the opportunity to share the stage with notables Joe Satriani, Dolly Parton, Collective Soul, Steve Miller, Dr. John, Taj Mahal, Jerry Lee Lewis, Steve Wariner, Doobie Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Big Mountain, Charlie Daniels, Pete Fountain, Michelle Wright, Al Hirt, Waylon Jennings, John Anderson, Peter Rowan, Hank Williams Jr. and many others.
Throughout the years Jimmy has committed himself to teaching students of all ages through private lessons and clinics around the country. Jimmy's philosophy is a simple one. "I am always willing to go the extra mile to make you better prepared musically." Curriculums include drum set, both acoustic and electronic, snare drum, live performance, full studio recording, computer music, sound design and synthesizer programming.
Jimmy has an extensive multi-track recording/sound design studio called Way Laboratories. In the last year alone he has recorded and played on several CD projects for and with local independent and international artists. They include Chris Duarte's two new live double records from 2005 and 2006; Soul Retrieval, (Jimmy Way) a Group 65-minute holistic approach to live music creation for massage therapy, including healing gong meditation, six-foot rain stick, bowing, the double bass of Roland Denney and the guitar playing of Jamie Simms; Tickets To Neptune "The New Cracker Explosion" aka Way Simms CD; Chill Before Served, a live CD of mixed jazz standards; and the Owl Hollow Jazz Christmas (Jimmy Way Group) CD 2003.
During any time off, he writes, practices and expands his unique sound. He also composes for film, theatre works, and short films, as well as recording soundtracks for corporate presentations like a recent DVD for SulzerPumpInc.
A recording of The John Jordan Trio (tannarecords.com), (mp3.com/johnjordan) with Mr. Alex Coke on wind instruments is another project. A guest album was made with Chiris Duarte and Alex under the name Mysterious Quartet from Helsinki.
Cutting-edge, future-rock psychedelic duo, The New Cracker Explosion, aka Way/Simms, also did a live 70 min. record called Freak Channel in March 2004. More recordings are on the way.
These creatively free projects keep me developing full steam, Jimmy says. "They're all such excellent players and exceptional people that I can't turn down any of this." Jimmy's two latest solo contributions on Metal Groove records are out. They are the Jimmy Way Recording Series The Most Realistic Sampled Drum Kit and the Song Builder Series for Cubase, Nuendo and ProTools.
A dedicated to the life energetic player with striking stage presence, Jimmy enhances his performance with percussive techniques including bowing, live mode or sampling on the fly and an ever-expanding bag of electronic tools and acoustic instruments. This inventive style is what makes industry professionals like Nashville Nows house drummer Bob Mater describe Jimmy Way as the most original drummer I've seen on this show.
Some Quotes from Artists:
Hal Ketchum: Your playing is truly modern.
Chris Duarte: You're turning out to be one of the very best drummers weve ever had.
Jackson Browne: After a wink and a smile, came up between tunes and said, "Really good drumming! What's your name again?
Ernie Durawa: "Jimmy Way is the only way."
Other highlights include gigs at the Lincoln Center the Super Dome and New Orleans jazz festivals. He headlined at the Grand Ole Opry, played MGM Grand Arena, most of the Houses of Blues, the Montreaux Palace ballroom (Montreaux, Switzerland and the Bayou Theatre in Houston, Playboy Club Chicago . And Country Music Television, TNN Network. He was also a composer, musician and sound designer on Bowling Green University's production of Sophocles' Antigone by Bertolt Brecht, directed by Dr. Leslie Bentley. Jimmy has worked extensively in 48 of the 50 states and overseas.
As an instructor, he has taught Privatly, for junior high kids at the Navaho Nation school district in Arizona, as well as giving drumming demonstrations in their Auditorium, and at Memorial Hall High School Houston, Texas as well as manyn other schools.
On Going Work:
Instructor at The National Guitar Workshops in Austin Tx, Virginia, Nashville,TN, New Orleand LA, and Composition and Sound Design foley-type work for the Texas State University Theatre department.
References available on requestLots More, Just Ask . . .
