James Dreier
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Jazz Studies
Phone: (319) 335-1258
Office: 2700 UCC
james-dreier@uiowa.edu

Download photo (300 dpi jpeg)

James Dreier

James Dreier is a drumset, Latin percussion and jazz educator, clinician, and performer. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Berklee College of Music (Boston, MA) and a Master of Arts degree in music theory from The University of Iowa. He has studied with such master drummers as, Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez, Jesus Alfonso, Jose Amat, Giovani Hildalgo, Pascoal Meirelles, Michael Spiro, Joe Hunt and Alan Dawson.

Mr. Dreier has performed with such jazz notables as George Garzone, Phil Wilson, Jimmy Mosher, Tim Haggens, Steve Swallow, Carla Bley, Victor Mendoza, Willie Pickens, Anthony Cox, Robin Eubanks, Benny Wallace and Kenny Wheeler.

For four years, he performed and traveled with Brazilian pianist Rafael Dos Santos, including a residency at the Conservatorio Pernambucano de Musica in Refice, Brazil. Mr. Dreier has also traveled to Cuba (Matanzas and Havana), where he studied with the legendary Rumba groups Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, Grupo Afro Cuba and with master drummer Jesus Alfonzo, Daniel Alfonso and others.

Mr. Dreier is a founding member of the Latin/jazz group "Orquesta Alto Maiz" who have released eight CDs. They were a featured group at the 1997 International Association of Jazz Educators Conference in Chicago and performed at the 1998 Montreux Jazz Festival. In 2002 the group toured the Pacific Northwest and performed at the daVinci Days Art and Technology Fair in Corvallis, OR, and other venues throughout the region.

Recording credits include "A Fungus Among Us," "Odds and Ends" and "Lost Art Café" with his jazz group Odd Bar Trio, John Rapson's "Water and Blood, The Billy Higgens' Improvisations" both on the 9 Winds label (Beverly Hills), and "Before My Life" with Tim O'dell on the Southport Records label (Chicago).  In addition, Mr. Dreier has authored numerous articles for Percussive Notes (Journal of the Percussive Arts Society) and Modern Drummer Magazine. 

A Lecturer in Jazz Studies at The University of Iowa, Mr. Dreier teaches Jazz Improvisation, Jazz Rhythms and Sight Reading, Jazz Cultures in America and Abroad, Hawkeye Jazz Ensemble (big band), directs the Latin/jazz Ensemble and co-leads the Afro Cuban Drum and Dance Ensemble. He also performs with the UI Jazz faculty group.

Back to Faculty and Staff Directory

Last updated 20-aug-09