“Jim Greiner is truly a world-class percussionist and educator”
Michael Kenyon, President of the international Percussive Arts Society
Jim has been playing percussion since 1970, including two years in Africa where he was profoundly moved by the power of rhythm to uplift and unify people. He has been teaching since 1980, including thousands of percussion clinics and hands-on playshops throughout North America and beyond in schools and universities, music stores, music camps and community centers. Making Santa Cruz his home since the 1970’s, Jim travels the globe performing, teaching and conducting his award-winning Rhythm Power® interactive, motivational rhythm programs for corporations, conferences and meetings, schools and private celebrations of all types and sizes. He is also widely recognized, through his clinics, DVD’s and published writing, as an expert in the way different rhythms affect us in universally beneficial ways, and in using playing percussion as a way to reinforce positive patterns of attitude and action… productive, real-world Life Rhythms.
Jim’s work includes:
Performance: Thousands of shows worldwide with a number of musical groups. Jim has played at scores of the top hotels and resorts throughout the U.S. and internationally with the Bill Hopkins Rockin’ Orchestra, one of America’s premier corporate event bands. He has also performed at dozens of festivals with R&B vocalist Sista Monica Parker, with the iconic Rock/Jazz group Quicksilver Messenger Service, with Ashwin Batish’s Indian/Jazz fusion Sitar Power Band, with popular festival headliner Gary Gates, and with other groups. In addition, he has played at many hundreds of clubs throughout the U.S. in a huge range of styles, including Latin, R&B/Funk, Rock, Reggae, Jazz, Blues, Pop and African.
Percussion Teaching: Jim has taught the joys of playing percussion instruments to literally tens of thousands of people worldwide. His students come from all walks of life, of all ages, and at all levels of experience from very beginners, to advanced university-level students, to successful working musicians. Through his own company, Jim Greiner’s Hands-On! Drumming® Worldwide Events, he has taught participants in over 3,000 corporate groups and conferences how to “communicate, collaborate and celebrate through rhythm”™. In this work, Jim uses rhythm play as a vehicle to create and reinforce positive, real-world Life Skills and Life Rhythms.
Jim’s work has been featured on PBS, NPR, The Discovery Channel (South America), The New York Post, The BBC, New Age Journal, Meetings West Magazine, Modern Drummer Magazine, Drum! Magazine, Rhythm Magazine (Chile), Drum Business Magazine, and in numerous other music, wellness, business and general interest publications.
Some of Jim’s Percussion Performance & Education awards and accomplishments:
• A rare, seven-time winner of the annual Reader’s Poll Award of influential worldwide consumer publication Drum! Magazine
• Winner of the Gail Rich, Santa Cruz County Artist of the Year Award (2012)
• Winner of the Santa Cruz County Youth Mentor of the Year Award (2008) presented by the Your Future Is Our Business organization
• Has presented over 30 workshops around the U.S. at the prestigious Percussive Arts Society International Conference (PASIC)
• Is an endorser/clinician for some of the world’s leading music instrument manufacturers:
Latin Percussion (LP), Sabian Cymbals, ProMark Drumsticks, Gibraltar Drum Hardward & Audix Microphone
• Since 1993 has demonstrated instruments for worldwide percussion leader Latin Percussion Instruments (LP) in their booth at the annual National Association of Music Merchants/International Music Products Trade Show. Jim is also an in-demand LP Clinician, with regular appearances in music stores, music camps and music education events throughout North America. Jim also consults with LP about new products, and field-tests prototype instruments for them
• Is an active member of the Percussive Arts Society, and is on both the PAS Interactive Drumming Committee and Health & Wellness Committee (sub-chair for hand drumming)
• Has partnered with LP to create the consumer education program, “LP’s Recreational & Community Drumming with Jim Greiner” (www.communitydrumming.com). On this site, Jim writes articles, posts videos, and responds to inquiries from around the world posted in their popular Ask Jim blog
• Has created a number of best-selling percussion instructional & inspirational DVD’s based upon his award-winning Rhythm Power® programs. In addition, some of Jim’s online videos have received more than 90,000 views!
“The repetitive, physical nature of purposeful drumming, whether tranquil or vigorous, helps us to release stress and enhance clarity and focus, and has many of the same physical, mental and emotional
benefits of Martial Arts, Yoga, Athletics and Meditation.”
– Jim Greiner, interviewed on National Public Radio, Boston
Click Here to open a new window for information about the LP Jim Greiner Shekere! This ground-breaking instrument combines old- and new-world technology to create a durable version of the fragile, gourd-based instrument from west Africa. Jim hand-picked a gourd from the field to use as the basis for the LP Jim Greiner Shekere.
Contact Jim Greiner for more information about hand drumming and hand percussion lessons
in Santa Cruz, California, and beyond, and to begin, or continue, your own Rhythm Journey