Last Updated June 17th, 2008 and tagged in bios, waitiki special guests

James Benoit, a twenty-one year old native of Niskayuna, New York, is an undergraduate at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. At Berklee, James studies Jazz Vibraphone with Dave Samuels while pursuing a degree in Music Performance. Other influences at Berklee include Jamey Haddad (Drum Set and World Percussion), Ed Saindon (Jazz Vibraphone), Nancy Zeltsman (Marimba), Mark Walker (Brazilian Percussion and Drum Set), Jeff Covell (Jazz Piano), and John Hazilla (Drum Set). Outside of Berklee, he studies Timpani with Sal Rabbio (Retired Timpanist of Detroit Symphony) and Percussion with Pat Hollenbeck (Percussionist and Arranger in the Boston Pops Orchestra). James has performed with a wide variety of groups and ensembles throughout Boston and New York, and recently has been awarded a fellowship to attend the Music Academy of the West this summer. In the past he has attended other prestigious music festivals including the Aspen Music Festival and the Eastern Music Festival.