Jim Gelcer (born December 16, 1961) is a Canadian jazz drummer, singer, musician, composer, and producer, also known for blending traditional
kirtan, a genre of spiritual music from India, with modern influences like
R&B,
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
, and rock.
History
Jim Gelcer was born in
Cape Town
Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...
, South Africa and moved to
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
, Ontario, Canada in 1968. He attended
Eastman School of Music
The Eastman School of Music is the music school of the University of Rochester, a private research university in Rochester, New York. It was established in 1921 by industrialist and philanthropist George Eastman.
It offers Bachelor of Music ...
in 1980, studying drums, vibraphone, arranging and improvisation with
Ray Ricker
Ramon "Ray" Ricker is a classical and jazz performer, music educator, composer, arranger and author.
Ricker was professor of saxophone, director of the Institute for Music Leadership and senior associate dean for professional studies at the Eastm ...
, Bill Dobbins, Dave Ratajczak, and Lee Musiker. In 1984, Gelcer studied jazz with David Mott at
York University
York University (french: Université York), also known as YorkU or simply YU, is a public university, public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's fourth-largest university, and it has approximately 55,700 students, 7,0 ...
. Soon afterwards he established himself as a professional musician.
Gelcer has performed, recorded, and toured with acts as diverse as
Lee Aaron
Lee Aaron (born Karen Lynn Greening; July 21, 1962) is a Canadian rock singer. She had several hits in the 1980s and early 1990s, such as "Metal Queen", "Whatcha Do to My Body", and "Sex with Love".
Early life
Aaron was born as Karen Lynn Green ...
, and the
Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band. He has also worked with
Lorne Lofsky
Lorne Lofsky (born May 10, 1954) is a Canadian jazz guitarist who was a member of the Oscar Peterson Quartet.
Lofsky began playing rock music at school dances but later took an interest in jazz after hearing the album ''Kind of Blue'' by Miles D ...
,
Paul Hoffert
Paul Matthew Hoffert, LLD, CM (born 22 September 1943 in Brooklyn, New York) is a recording artist, performer, media music composer, author, academic, and corporate executive. He studied mathematics and physics at the University of Toronto. ...
,
Don Thompson,
Russ Little, Terry Clarke,
Pat LaBarbera,
Guido Basso
Guido Basso, (born 27 September 1937) is a Canadian jazz musician who was a member of Rob McConnell's Boss Brass big band. He is a trumpeter, flugelhornist, arranger, composer and conductor.
Life and career
Basso was born in Montreal, Quebec ...
, Steve Wallace, John Sherwood,
Nancy Walker
Nancy Walker (born Anna Myrtle Swoyer; May 10, 1922 – March 25, 1992) was an American actress and comedian of stage, screen, and television. She was also a film and television director (lending her talents to ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'', on wh ...
,
Richard Underhill,
George Koller, Reg Schwager,
Dave Young and Bratty and the Babysitters.
Early in his career, Gelcer composed music for film and television, including ''Price of Vengeance'' (1985), ''The Journal'' on CBC (1985–89), and ''My Happy Days in Hell'' (1994). More recently, Jim teamed with
Donald Quan to form ''Gopher Lunch'', a film music recording house and music library.
Kirtan Music
He studied
Sivananda Yoga and became serious about
Kirtan after a visit to
Sivananda Ashram
Sivananda Saraswati (or Swami Sivananda; 8 September 1887 – 14 July 1963) was a yoga guru, a Hindu spiritual teacher, and a proponent of Vedanta. Sivananda was born Kuppuswami in Pattamadai, in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. He st ...
in the
Laurentian mountains
The Laurentian Mountains (French: ''Laurentides'') are a mountain range in southern Quebec, Canada, north of the St. Lawrence River and Ottawa River, rising to a highest point of at Mont Raoul Blanchard, northeast of Quebec City in the Laurentid ...
where he was invited to chant in the temple. He completed yoga teacher training at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat in Paradise Island, Bahamas in March 2006, and shortly after that began leading Kirtan. His debut Kirtan recording "Bhagavan" was released in 2010 and hailed as one of the year's best by American radio shows in the Spirit – WRPI FM and Full Lotus Kirtan Show – WCOM FM. Yoga Chicago magazine called him "the perfect bhakti singer".
In 2013, Gelcer released his second album, ''Bhakti Groove Machine'', which was recorded with
Grammy-nominated producer Ben Leinbach (
Jai Uttal
Jai Uttal (born June 12, 1951) is an American musician. He is a Grammy-nominated singer and “a pioneer in the world music community with his eclectic East-meets-West sound.”
Biography
Uttal grew up in New York City and lived in a home filled ...
,
Deva Premal,
Snatam Kaur).
He performs regularly at yoga studios and temples, along with festivals such as
Bhaktifest. From 2012 to 2017, he was musical director for
Shri Fest, a
yoga
Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consci ...
, music and art festival held at Blue Mountain, Ontario.
Discography
*''As Things Unfold'' (2023) with
Hans Christian (musician)
Hans Christian (also seen as Hans Christian Reumschüssel and other variations) is a German-born musician and producer now based in the U.S. in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Christian is a multi-instrumentalist (bass guitar, cello, nyckelharpa, and sa ...
*''Warrior Spirit'' (2022) with
Hans Christian (musician)
Hans Christian (also seen as Hans Christian Reumschüssel and other variations) is a German-born musician and producer now based in the U.S. in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Christian is a multi-instrumentalist (bass guitar, cello, nyckelharpa, and sa ...
*''Resistance'' (2022) with
Hans Christian (musician)
Hans Christian (also seen as Hans Christian Reumschüssel and other variations) is a German-born musician and producer now based in the U.S. in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Christian is a multi-instrumentalist (bass guitar, cello, nyckelharpa, and sa ...
*''Mariupol'' (2022) with
Hans Christian (musician)
Hans Christian (also seen as Hans Christian Reumschüssel and other variations) is a German-born musician and producer now based in the U.S. in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Christian is a multi-instrumentalist (bass guitar, cello, nyckelharpa, and sa ...
*''Reconcile (Entheo Remix Ambient Version)'' (2022) with DTO, Brenda McMorrow, Entheo
*''Do Androids Dream of Savasana'' (2021)
*''Reconcile'' (2020) with DTO, Brenda McMorrow
*''I Got Your Back'' (2020) with
Don Breithaupt
*''Cape Town to Kolkata'' (2019)
*''Jim and Paul play Glenn and Ludwig'' (2018) with
Paul Hoffert
Paul Matthew Hoffert, LLD, CM (born 22 September 1943 in Brooklyn, New York) is a recording artist, performer, media music composer, author, academic, and corporate executive. He studied mathematics and physics at the University of Toronto. ...
,
George Koller
*''Awakening (I Am Not This Body)'' (2017)
*''Melodies Pure and True'' (2016)
*''Going Om'' (2014) with
Donald Quan
*''Bhakti Groove Machine'' (2013)
*''How High The Bird'' (2011) with
Paul Hoffert
Paul Matthew Hoffert, LLD, CM (born 22 September 1943 in Brooklyn, New York) is a recording artist, performer, media music composer, author, academic, and corporate executive. He studied mathematics and physics at the University of Toronto. ...
*''Bhagavan'' (2010)
As side musician:
*Jon Mullane, ''The Sun in the Summertime'' (2023) songwriter
*Jon Mullane, ''Feels Like Christmas'' (2021) drums, songwriter
*Michael Moon, ''Earth Song'' (2016) drums
*Fraz, ''Hear'' (2001) drums
*
Lee Aaron
Lee Aaron (born Karen Lynn Greening; July 21, 1962) is a Canadian rock singer. She had several hits in the 1980s and early 1990s, such as "Metal Queen", "Whatcha Do to My Body", and "Sex with Love".
Early life
Aaron was born as Karen Lynn Green ...
, ''
Lee Aaron
Lee Aaron (born Karen Lynn Greening; July 21, 1962) is a Canadian rock singer. She had several hits in the 1980s and early 1990s, such as "Metal Queen", "Whatcha Do to My Body", and "Sex with Love".
Early life
Aaron was born as Karen Lynn Green ...
'' (1987) keyboards, vocals
*Bratty and the Babysitters, In A State (1987) keyboards, percussion
*Johnny Lovesin, ''Tough Breaks'' (1986) keyboards
As producer:
*Jim Gelcer / Paul Hoffert Trio featuring George Koller, ''Jim and Paul play Glenn and Ludwig'' (2018) Co-produced with
Paul Hoffert
Paul Matthew Hoffert, LLD, CM (born 22 September 1943 in Brooklyn, New York) is a recording artist, performer, media music composer, author, academic, and corporate executive. He studied mathematics and physics at the University of Toronto. ...
*Jim Gelcer, ''Awakening (I Am Not This Body)'' (2017) Co-produced with Anjelica
*Jim Gelcer, ''Melodies Pure and True'' (2016)
*Shantdeep, ''Om The Water'' (2016)
*Jim Gelcer & Donald Quan, ''Going OM'' (2014) Co-produced with
Donald Quan
*Devorah / Love Child, ''Love is All'' (2013) Co-produced with Chris Gartner
*Jim Gelcer, ''Bhakti Groove Machine'' (2013) Co-produced with Ben Leinbach
*Jim Gelcer / Paul Hoffert Trio, ''How High The Bird'' (2011) Co-produced with
Paul Hoffert
Paul Matthew Hoffert, LLD, CM (born 22 September 1943 in Brooklyn, New York) is a recording artist, performer, media music composer, author, academic, and corporate executive. He studied mathematics and physics at the University of Toronto. ...
*Charlie Ringas / Don Valley Parkway, ''News Wave'' (1990) Co-produced with Charlie Ringas
Digital media
Gelcer worked with the
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...
digital media start up, Noank Media Inc., as the Vice President of Content Acquisition and Business Development and later Chief Operating Officer. Noank Media Inc. aimed to license and distribute digital content globally while fairly compensating content owners, using the most efficient, sustainable, and effective business and technology systems. They successfully demonstrated their proprietary digital media exchange platform and reached a partnership with CERNET (China Education and Research Network).
Board positions
He has served on the boards of several arts organizations including the
Glenn Gould Foundation
The Glenn Gould Foundation is a registered Canadian charitable organization based in Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Friends, colleagues and admirers of the celebrated Canadian pianist Glenn Gould established the foundation in 1983 after his ...
from 2010 to 2013 as Fundraising Chair, Toronto Summer Music Festival, Via Salzburg Chamber Orchestra, and Mariposa in the Schools.
References
External links
Jim Gelcer Official website*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gelcer, Jim
1961 births
Living people
Canadian male singer-songwriters
Canadian singer-songwriters
Canadian record producers
Canadian television composers
Canadian film score composers
Male film score composers
Canadian jazz musicians
Canadian jazz drummers
Canadian male drummers
Canadian jazz singers
Canadian male singers
Canadian world music musicians
Jewish Canadian musicians
Musicians from Toronto
World music singers
Kirtan performers
Musicians from Cape Town
Canadian male jazz musicians