JAmes Shipp is a vibraphonist, a percussionist, a synthesist, and a songwriter. For the last decade-and-a-half he has performed, recorded, and toured the world with some of New York City’s best musicians. Trained as a jazz vibraphone soloist and accompanist, James’s post-conservatory interests have led him to become a sought-after Brazilian percussionist, a multi-instrumentalist in bands both mostly-improvised and tightly arranged, a composer of music for experimental theater, and a versatile producer of recordings, bringing to bear his knowledge of both acoustic and analog electronic instruments on a wide range of projects.
As of late, James performs and records with much-lauded clarinetist and multiple GRAMMY® Award nominee Anat Cohen’s Quartetinho, the Anat Cohen Tentet, Jean Rohe and the End of the World Show, Banda Magda, the Nadje Noordhuis Quintet, and Christina Courtin (Pilot Violet). He has recorded and performed with Paquito d’Rivera, Kurt Elling, Snarky Puppy, Bokante, Kate McGarry, Becca Stevens, Bob Lanzetti, The Kronos Quartet and Sting. He was nominated for two GRAMMY®s in 2020 for his contributions on vibes and percussion to the Anat Cohen Tentet’s Triple Helix and Miho Hazama and M Unit’s Dancer in Nowhere. He is the percussionist for Mike LaValle’s Clube de Choro do Brooklyn every Sunday at Barbés in Park Slope.
James has been a bandleader, composer, producer, and workshop facilitator for Carnegie Hall’s social impact programs for the last decade, working with thousands of people of all ages in prisons, jails, hospitals, shelters, and schools throughout New York City.
JAmes earned both a Bachelor’s and Master’s of Music from the SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music. He currently lives in Brooklyn, and is very happy there.