THE LOWDOWN!

The quest for diversity has led Jim down many different roads and has provided him with opportunities to perform and record in a wide variety on musical situations from Big Band jazz ensembles to Jamaican reggae groups and everything in between. Never satisfied with the status quo he studied many different genres of music and has combined and developed them into his own unique voice. As an instructor Jim teaches guitar and bass to 40 to 50 students a week, each with different musical tastes. This experience has added depth to his own playing. His compositions incorporate elements of jazz, blues, funk, reggae and world music. Having so many different influences can be challenging for some but Jim successfully fuses them into an original multifaceted style.

Jim D'Amboise took up guitar at a young age and had his first public performance while still in high school. He started playing professionally soon after moving to Portland Me. In 1985 Jim joined the local Reggae group Rockin' Vibration. During his 10+ year membership the band toured the northeast and shared the stage with international reggae legends such as The Wailers, Third World, and Toots and The Maytals, Burning Spear, Lucky Dube, Ini Kamoze, The Mighty Diamonds, Mikey Dread, Israel Vibration, Yellowman and Sugar Minott to name a few.

Jim graduated from The University of Southern Maine in 1991 with a B.A. in Communication. Most of his time at USM was spent working as a DJ at the college radio station WMPG. His love for performance led him back to school two years later, this time to the University of Maine at Augusta, where he received the Dick Cash music scholarship and the Don Pilsbury award. In 1997 he earned a B.M. in Jazz and Contemporary Music.

From 1993 to 2003 he played in numerous groups including Django Revisited, Fast and Furious, Jazz on Tour, Bob Charest Band, Mystic Vibes, Blues by Five and JD's Medicine Hat Upon graduating he joined the faculty of the National Guitar Workshop and the teaching staff at Daddy's Junky Music. He also has played guitar for theatre productions including: The Full Monty, Aida, Disney's High School Musical, Les Miserables, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Footloose.

Since 1995 Jim has taught hundreds of students. Jim currently teaches classes, ensembles and private lessons at Maine's number one music store, Buckdancer's Choice. He performs regionally with his funky jazz quartet and has just released Sonic Arcade.