| Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where guitar heroes such as Lenny Breau and Randy Bachman once woodshed, Jason grew up in a very artistic environment with an architect father and french teacher mother. From the young age of eight, he began studying classical guitar at the local conservatory. However, it was the music of rock and metal that first caught his attention, to the point that Van Halen's Eruption was memorized and he was playing it ala Hendrix behind his back. From there he never looked back; the guitar was the number one reason to exist. After a brief stint studying theatre and philosophy, he quickly realized after numerous pop/art bands, that the path to becoming a great musician was through extensive study. He set off to the bohemian city of Montreal, quitting his goth/rock band Celine's Real Killer and ending his theatre company Next Left. In Montreal, he earned his Bachelor in Music Performance at Concordia and McGill Universities, where he work with 'Uncle' Dr. Gary Antonio and Roddy Ellias. He also took in many master classes and composition seminars with people that he thought could fly: Leo Brouwer, Patrick Roux, Roland Dyens (RIP brother!), and Tim Brady. He left Montreal to study in Victoria with Dr. Alexander Dunn at the University of Victoria, earning his Masters in Music Performance in classical guitar. |
After graduating, he quickly realized that becoming a 'pure classical guitarist' would not enable him to play his own music and arrangements of songs that he has always loved, from jazz to eighties rock tunes. Enchanted by the music of Ralph Towner, Charlie Hunter, Egberto Gismonti, Keith Jarrett and Vicente Amigo, Jason is busy composing his own solo repertoire and rocking out with several Vancouver musicians. He has taught and performed around Victoria and Vancouver for more than a decade. |