Music Smithers

Finger plucking good...

Jake Jenne

Folk | Live Composition | Singer/Songwriter | Alternative | Funk | Hip Hop | Vocal | Jazz | Acapella | Swing

I was born and raised in the small northern town of Smithers BC. Smithers is a unique place and I know my approach to music is largely shaped by growing up in such an odd little rural community.  I was lucky enough to have a pair of musician parents to help me decide on clear career path at quite a young age, but nonetheless, I still had to reach out and be creative with finding the opportunities I needed to grow as a musician within such a small setting. Smithers’ challenge of its isolation was hard but it also allowed me to play with extremely innovative and creative musicians such as Alex Cuba, Jordy Walker and Oliver Schroer.

After graduation I studied saxophone at VIU with Phil Dwyer, drums at the Victoria Conservatory of Music with Damian Graham, and I had a few eye opening drum lessons privately in Toronto with Nick Fraser. Through these opportunities I developed my Jazz proficiency, but of equal importance, it sent me searching for a more current innovative music to compliment the limitations of classic jazz. Some of the music I found was that of John Tielli and playing with his then Metal Kites, working in the choir of The Hidden Cameras, drumming for Snowblink as well as Dan Goldman's other project Luxury Pond, and working with ex-Rheostatics drummer Dave Clark in his Woodchopper’s Association. This time in Toronto allowed me to explore the beautiful and complicated realm of free improvisation and find peace with simplistic and deliberate playing. Since this period I have been touring though I also find employment through, session work, arranging music for choir, teaching music (both private lessons as well as organizing and running drum and choral workshops groups), and coaching, and arranging.