A native of Jacksonville, FL Jamison Ross has been surrounded by music his entire life. It was during his early years at his grandfather’s church that his musical gifts were realized. “For me music was just something that we did, it was all around us. Everyone in my family either sung, played an instrument or both.”
It was Ross’ mother, who encouraged him to buttress the musical gifts with formal training; Ross studied drums in elementary and high school. He went on to develop a higher level of understanding at Florida State University, where he received a B.A. in jazz studies and at University of New Orleans where he earned a master’s degree in jazz studies.
The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz introduced Jamison Ross as an incredible young drummer in 2012 after he won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition, which afforded him the opportunity to record with Concord Jazz.
Three years later, Jamison, his joyous debut, presents him not only as a jazz musician who commands the drums, but also as a gifted composer, bandleader and more pointedly, a singer. “Most people knew me only as a drummer and had no idea that I could sing” says Ross. “But I had been singing my entire life, so I chose to present my voice as part of my offering to this world of jazz.” Singing on ten of the twelve tracks on the record led to Jamison earning a GRAMMY® nomination for Best Vocal Jazz Album.
Jamison currently lives in New Orleans with his wife Adrienne and daughter Jazz.
