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Take Five With Jon Sheckler

By AAJ Staff
July 6, 2013
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Meet Jon Sheckler:

Jon Sheckler—© 2013 Jonantha Sheckler

At a young age Jon Sheckler is already proving to be a well-versed musician and up-and-coming bandleader in the Seattle area. As a drummer, Jon has had the opportunity to play with some of today's leading players including trumpeter

Clay Jenkins

trumpet
b.1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Clay Jenkins, award-winning vocalist

Catherine Jensen-Hole

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Catherine Jensen-Hole, Chicago bluesman Al Rowe, and Seattle jazz luminaries

Chad McCullough

trumpet
b.1981

" data-original-title="" title="">Chad McCullough,

Reuel Lubag

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Reuel Lubag,

Mark Taylor

composer / conductor
b.1961

" data-original-title="" title="">Mark Taylor, Jay Wienstien,

Darrius Willrich

keyboards

" data-original-title="" title="">Darrius Willrich,

Jim Cutler

saxophone
b.1963

" data-original-title="" title="">Jim Cutler, Todd DelGuidice, Ryan Keberle, Rob Tapper, Jonathan Pugh, Dan Keberle and percussionist

Michael Spiro

percussion

" data-original-title="" title="">Michael Spiro.

Instrument(s):

Drums.

Teachers and/or influences?

Jim White,

Jeff Hamilton

drums
b.1953

" data-original-title="" title="">Jeff Hamilton,

John Riley

drums
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">John Riley,

Elvin Jones

drums
1927 - 2004

" data-original-title="" title="">Elvin Jones,

Billy Higgins

drums
1936 - 2001

" data-original-title="" title="">Billy Higgins,

Bill Stewart

drums
b.1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill Stewart,

Brian Blade

drums
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Brian Blade and

Jeff Ballard

drums
b.1963

" data-original-title="" title="">Jeff Ballard.

Your dream band:

I would love to have had

Bobby Timmons

piano
1935 - 1974

" data-original-title="" title="">Bobby Timmons and

Ray Brown

bass, acoustic
1926 - 2002

" data-original-title="" title="">Ray Brown in my band. Also, you can't go wrong with cats like

Lee Morgan

trumpet
1938 - 1972

" data-original-title="" title="">Lee Morgan on trumpet,

Wayne Shorter

saxophone
1933 - 2023

" data-original-title="" title="">Wayne Shorter on tenor,

Butch Warren

bass
1939 - 2013

" data-original-title="" title="">Butch Warren on bass or

Benny Green

piano
b.1963

" data-original-title="" title="">Benny Green on piano. Those are the people on the short list for me.

Favorite venue:

Tula's in Seattle is a great venue. They have such a high reputation in the city that the walk-in crowd is always good. The bar staff are not just there to make a buck either. They really get into the music and the room is a great place in which to be. The sound is good and the stage is set up just right.

What do you think is the most important thing you are contributing musically?

Energy and a certain amount of unpredictability are my main contributions. I always get into the music and try to do something different every performance. I want to surprise and be surprised every time I am on stage.

Desert Island picks:

The only album that is a true desert island pick I can nail down is James Taylor's One Man Band. It is a perfect recording. The songwriting is top notch and the emotion on the record gets to me every time I hear it. You can't passively listen to that record.

If I weren't a jazz musician, I would be a:

Writer. I almost majored in creative writing before I decided to go for jazz. It is a great way to use my mind silently. If I didn't write music, I would write anything else.

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