Jon Hamar is a versatile artist whose ability to find a tasteful, unique voice in any musical situation has made him a staple in the music scene, as a freelance bassist in multiple performance genres. Jon was born in Kennewick, Washington and began playing the string bass at age 11 and a year later began playing the electric bass as well. Jon grew up listening to his father play gospel, boogie woogie and classical music at the piano and his mother play the oboe and sing at church. Jon earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classical Double Bass Performance from Eastern Washington University under the tutelage of Roma Vayspapir and Kelly Ferris. Jon graduated from the Eastman School of Music with a Master’s degree in Jazz and Contemporary Media.
In 2001 Hamar relocated to Seattle, Washington, and was in high demand as a freelance bassist. Hamar performed for four years with jazz and blues great Ernestine Anderson, as well as with Northwest notables such as Greta Matassa, Jim Knapp, Randy Halberstadt, Dawn Clement and others. Jon also performed regularly in an orchestral setting recording on movie soundtracks, and playing recitals and concerts around the Northwest. In 2012 Jon joined the faculty at the Centrum Jazz Workshop under the Artistic Direction of John Clayton. In Fall of 2015 Hamar joined the faculty at the Natalie Haslam School of Music at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee. John returns to The Jazz Cruise as a member of Jeff Hamilton’s trio.