Jason Reid Winikoff
Drumset & Percussion
Official page of American drummer, percussionist, researcher, and educator Jason Reid Winikoff
Biography
Jason Winikoff was born and raised in New Jersey - brought up on the sounds of the boss and classic rock. After a summer program at Berklee College of Music and later moving to New Orleans, his taste and style started shifting to BAM. He stayed in the Crescent City for almost 7 years. There he studied jazz performance at Tulane University (with mentors Geoff Clapp, James Markway, and Jesse McBride), ethnomusicology (with Matt Sakakeeny and Dan Sharp), and worked as a musician in a variety of genres. At this time he joined the worldbeat group Doombalaya.
In 2011 Jason made his first trip to Africa - based out of Legon, Ghana. There he studied various styles of Ghanaian traditional percussion (Ga, Ewe, Asante…) - predominately with Francis Kofi Akotuah.
Shortly after he made his first trip to Zambia where he taught jazz drumset and trained Charlie “Chax” Chambuluka at the Ngoma Dolce Music Academy. Whilst in Lusaka he also studied contemporary ngoma with Nomakanjani. During this trip, Jason also began his deep and long-lasting relationship with the Luvale people in the Northwestern Province. Jason has returned to Zambia frequently since this trip where he studies with and performs alongside various Luvale troupes including Kapalu Lizambo’s Lenga Navo, William Vunda’s Chota, and Josephine Sombo Muzala Chipango's Likumbi Lya Mize Chibolya Cultural Group. He is also a partner of the Likumbi lya Mize Cultural Association.
Along the way, Jason also began studying Haitian Vodou drumming and culture under the late Damas “Fanfan” Louis.
From 2016-2018, Jason earned his MA in Ethnomusicology at Tufts University. There he studied under David Locke and performed in the Agbekor Drum and Dance Society - led by Emmanuel Attah Poku.
Jason is now based out of Vancouver while he pursues his Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology from the University of British Columbia. He is a student of Michael Tenzer and Nathan Hesselink as well as J.S. Kofi Gbolonyo. Winikoff helps Kofi teach the UBC African Drum and Dance Ensemble, leads his own Zambian/Haitian troupe, and is an active member of the Vancouver jazz scene. Jason's main Vancouver projects include Jason Winikoff's Crescent Quintet, Jason Winikoff's Hot combos, and - his newest group - Jason Winikoff's Postcards From Zambia.