Jon Hamar earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classical Double Bass Performance from Eastern Washington University under the tutelage of Roma Vayspapir and Kelly Ferris.  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 and Northwest notables Greta Matassa, Jim Knapp, Randy Halberstadt, Dawn Clement, Kelley Johnson, and John Hansen. 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.  While living in Seattle, Jon taught at Central Washington University, Northwest University, and Edmonds Community College and maintained a private studio.  In the Fall of 2015, Hamar joined the faculty of Natalie Haslam School of Music at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN.

Jon began performing with the Jeff Hamilton Trio in July of 2018. The same year, he toured Europe with the Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Jeff Hamilton and John Clayton, featuring renowned vocalist Cecil McLaren Salvant. You can hear Jon with the Jeff Hamilton Trio on the 2020 release “Catch Me if you Can” and on the most recent Jeff Hamilton Trio holiday album release entitled “Merry and Bright,” released in November 2021.