About Jakob

I studied music at The University of Kansas with an emphasis on world, concert, and jazz percussion. During this time I studied and performed fieldwork related to the anthropological context of music in different cultures, the importance of music in generational voices, and the psychological impact of music in an individual's life. Over the four years of my university studies, I have performed in 100+ concerts in a wide range of ensembles, with different choirs, orchestras, bands, chamber groups, and as a soloist.

During my percussion studies at university, I focused on research and performance related to Guinean drumming with the djembe, dununba, sangban, and kenkeni, as well as Senegalese sabar drumming with the nder, cól, mbëng-mbëng, and tama, or "talking" drum. Later in my percussion studies, I expanded my world performance instrumentation with steel drums and Brazilian samba/hand drums, with the surdo, caixa, and pandeiro. In my private percussion studies, I focused on Middle-Eastern hand drum patterns and techniques on instruments like the tar and darbuka, as well as Afro-Caribbean and Brazilian drums like congas and the pandeiro.

Since then, I have moved to Washington D.C., and work as a professional musician and writer. My experience here has focused primarily on private performances for exclusive social clubs, private instruction for music mentees ranging in age from 3-90, and orchestral performances. I continue to work on my first children's book series focused on music from around the world, highlighting instruments, dances, culture, and the variation of traditional values in different countries and their perception of music.

I value the importance of spirituality in creating music. A sense of spirituality guides an individual through the expression of their identity, the foundations for creative reasoning, and the motivations to continue creating. Spirituality has been a recurring theme among most traditional music from around the world, and I believe it provides power to the music. Whether the music-making experience is through community engagement or self-expression and identifying oneself, spirituality is a factor in bringing out the soul of the music.

My curiosity for conversational and intellectual communication brought me to work with various political grassroots organizations and non-profits, think tanks, creative companies, and an internship in the United States Senate on Capitol Hill. Creativity comes from listening, understanding, exploring, and finding solutions that allow your voice to grow with others, even if you disagree with their approach to addressing a challenge.