Bio
Jim Frink is a versatile drummer and educator based in Davis, CA.
Jim began drumming at the age of 9 and was performing professionally by high school. After receiving the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award and touring Japan with the Monterey Jazz Festival's Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, Jim went on to study music at UC Santa Cruz. His private drum studies include work with Rick Lotter, George Marsh, and Scott Amendola.
Jim performs regularly in a range of musical styles and settings. His experience and interests encompass jazz, rock, funk, Brazilian, country, pop, and freely improvised music. He is a founding member of the collective jazz trio Triism (with Levi Saelua and Alex Reiff), which won the Grand Prize at the Bucharest International Jazz Competition. He also leads the Jim Frink Trio and maintains regular residencies at the Root of Happiness kava bars.
Bands and artists he has worked with include: Joe Craven and the Sometimers, Boca do Rio, the Max Hart Trio, Hillary Reynolds, SloCoast, Jessica Malone, Peter Petty, the Colossus West Jazz Ensemble, among others. He has also recorded with Music Shop, a duo project with Jacam Manricks.
Through his involvement in education, Jim enjoys sharing his experience with next generation of drummers. He has taught music in California, New Zealand, and Australia, and guest lectured at CSUS for the Jazz Pedagogy class. He currently teaches students of all levels from his private studio in Davis.