jaelun washington

Member Since: 2012 | Location: Dallas | Page Views: 1,063

Contact Me Subscriber

About Me

Jaelun Washington’s passion for music has always been in his blood. In 1980, he was born into a house full of music in Dallas, TX. Both of Jaelun’s parents, Kenneth and Quieda Washington were musicians. Jaelun’s dad, Kenneth had a band, The Mighty Supreme Voices. When they would take breaks Jaelun would make his way to the empty drum set to play. Soon, he began to play in his grandmother’s church. Jaelun’s school years sharpened his skills on the drums. He made the drum line at DeSoto High his freshman year, and continued to perfect his skills on percussion, snare drum, and drum set. By the time he graduated he was playing drum set in the jazz band and snare drum in the DeSoto drum corps. He was also beginning to get noticed and recruited by other colleges as graduation approached. He received a scholarship to attend the University of Texas at Arlington. There he continued to diversify his studies, playing in the jazz combo, wind ensemble, orchestra and many other groups. In 2002 Jaelun won an audition and was on track to perform with the Disney All-American College Band. Unfortunately when a health problem occurred it kept him off the drum set and in the hospital for a time. Having to relearn how to play drums was Jaelun’s rehab and it consisted of long hours of practicing behind the drum kit. He then moved to Fort Worth and the town’s top jazz players recognized this talented drummer. Jaelun has performing with a wide variety of bands since 2001 and he continues to be invited to perform in venues all over the Dallas-Fort Worth area. On any given night you can find Jaelun performing with some of the best musicians and band mates like legendary: bassist Chuck Rainey of Steely Dan fame, and Sheryl Crow's saxophonist Shelley Carrol, Pete Gallio, tenor sax man for the Woody Herman Orchestra, and Tod Parsnow, guitarist with trumpeter Roy Hargrove. Jaelun has also played with the famous Duke Ellington Orchestra. These performers recognize that Jaelun Washington respects the fundamentals of music and looks forward to the positive changes the future will have on music. He has absorbed the influences of his favorite players, Elvin Jones, Art Blakey, and Tony Williams, among others, and developed them into a style that is immediately identifiable as his own. If you’re lucky enough to see Jaelun behind the drums, you’ll agree he’s a outstanding drummer!