Jim Donovan (musician)

Jim Donovan (born March 10, 1968) is a professional drummer and percussionist, a recording artist, teacher and lecturer. [http://www.jimdonovanmusic.com/JimDonovanFullBio.html Jim Donovan: Full Biography] ] He is best known as the drummer and one of the founding members of the band Rusted Root. He plays both standard drum kit and African hand drums such as the djembe, ashiko and talking drum.

Donovan studied and played African rhythms with various master drummers such as Congolese master drummer Elie Kihonia, Mamady Keita and Mbemba Bangoura. He also studied African Music with noted scholar Kwabena Nketia from Ghana. He has researched traditional African music for over 20 years via field recordings, and has continuously integrated his findings into all his music both as a solo recording artist and with Rusted Root.

As a solo artist, Donovan has released 5 highly acclaimed solo CD's, 4 instructional drumming CD's. and has recorded with Triloka recording artist Krishna Das on his highly acclaimed CD Live on Earth (For a Limited Time Only).

Donovan's CD "Revelation #9" was nominated for 2004 Electronica Album of the Year by Just Plain Folks Songwriters organization. [ [http://www.jpfolks.com/MusicAwards/2004/SongNominees.html Just Plain Folks 2004 Music Award Nominations Announced!] ]

In 2006-2007 he released his first instructional drumming DVD entitled - "Jim Donovan's Rhythmic Foundation: Interactive African Drumming for Everyone."

He is a full time instructor of music at Saint Francis University in Loretto, PA, the current director of the Saint Francis University World Drumming Ensemble. and the director of The annual Rhythm Renewal Drumming Retreat.

Fulfilling his desire to share the power of rhythm first hand, Donovan built a series of educational drumming workshop programs that he teaches across the US and Europe at universities, festivals, schools, corporations, and specialty venues.

Donovan has performed and taught throughout North America and Euorpe. Performance highlights include opening slots for Santana, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant from Led Zeppelin, the Grateful Dead, the Allman Brothers, Sting, and the Dave Matthews Band.

Teaching highlights include the Omega Institute (2007), The Great Blue Heron Music Festival (2000-2008), the Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance (2005), the Starwood Festival and the WinterStar Symposium, and participation in the SpiritDrum Festival (2002), a tribute event to the late African master drummer Babatunde Olatunji with Muruga Booker, Sikiru Adepoju, Perry Robinson, Halim El-Dabh, Badal Roy and Jeff Rosenbaum. [http://murugabooker.com/ace.html] [Association for Consciousness Exploration. [http://www.rosencomet.com/spiritdrum/index.html SpiritDrum Festival] ]

He is a featured columnist in Drum! Magazine, and was named winner of the 2008 Best Drum Circle Facilitator award and is a nominee for 2008 Best Percussion Performance in Drum! magazine.

Discography

*1998 - "Indigo: Music for Exploration Volume 1"
*2000 - "Pulse: Music for Exploration Volume 2"
*2000- "Rhythm and Drumming Vol.1" (Play along CD)
*2001- "Rhythm & Drumming Vol. 2" (Play-along CD)
*2004 - "Revelation #9"
*2005 - "Live on Earth (For A Limited Time Only)" - Krishna Das (Triloka)
*2006 - "Drum the Ecstatic International Live"
*2006 - "The Yoga of Drum and Chant"
*2006- "Rhythmic Foundation Volume 1 Instructional audio CD"
*2006- "Rhythmic Foundation Volume 2 Instructional audio CD"

Instructional DVD

*2007 - "Jim Donovan's Rhythmic Foundation: Interactive African Drumming for Everyone Volume 1 DVD"

With Rusted Root

*1994 - "When I Woke" (Mercury/Universal)
*1996 - "Remember" (Mercury/Universal)
*1996 - "Evil Ways" (Mercury/Universal)
*1998 - "Rusted Root" (Mercury/Universal)
*2002 - "Welcome to My Party" (Island)
*2003 - "Cruel Sun" (Touchy Pegg)
*2004 - "Rusted Root Live" (Touchy Pegg)
*2005 - "20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Rusted Root" (Mercury/Universal)

References

External links

* [http://www.jimdonovanmusic.com JimDonovanMusic.com]