Musician Profile
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See upper right corner
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Check out "Step Quest", John's newest release under the name Flamfunktious! Released 4/8/2019
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A professional full-time musical artist and teacher with 25 years of experience performing, John specializes in many different styles of drumming including traditional African, Latin, Afro-Cuban, jazz, blues, rock, punk, metal, country, funk, soul, r&b, gospel, hip-hop, and electronic.
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/ Music Production
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"John can play anything from Africa to Nova Scotia, he knows it all!"
- Chris Harris; Denver Bass Player, Band Mate, Colleague "I am happy to recommend John Olsson as an outstanding professional musician. I have had the pleasure of working with John for over 7 years now on a weekly basis, and I have continually been impressed by his level of artistry, his professionalism, strength and sensitivity in working in an ensemble, his versatility, and his general overall musical skills. John is an excellent musician. His skills are exemplary as a percussionist and he is an expert in African drumming which has enriched our program. John is a genuine and a valued asset to our musical team. We are a large team of working professional musicians and well known in the area because of the commitment to excellence in our program. I wholeheartedly endorse John in any musical capacity. His talent and artistry is invaluable to our team and our community. Sincerely, Cheryl Hiraoka" - Music Director |
Exploring Creative Musical Depths |
A Lasting Musical Journey |
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A native of Golden, Colorado, John has followed his passion for drumming and music since as far back as he can remember. Having been surrounded by music his entire life, John comes from a very musical family where his natural understanding of music and rhythm became a major part of his life at an early age.
The passion for music led him through his younger years playing in many different bands and projects, then eventually to receiving a bachelor's degree in professional music from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. His interdisciplinary music studies degree was focused in many areas including performance, jazz theory and improvisation, composition, production, recording, audio engineering, acoustics, music business, film scoring, and music therapy. A desire to continue learning more and more about the vast world of music and roots of rhythm has led John overseas to study African drumming and music and even to perform in Ghana, Togo, and Morocco, in West, and North Africa on separate accounts. The beauty of world cultures in relation to music has inspired John to accomplishing a minor in ethnic studies from the University of Colorado at Denver as well. |
John has discovered that his quest to learn more about music along with his inspiration and impulse to make and create music are constant. And being dedicated to regularly involving one's self in music is rewarding! Music is therapy, it's expression, it's a language, it's valued by the highest forms of society and culture, and it's a window which communicates with the soul like nothing else.
["We all have a drum inside our chest, and the first thing we hear and feel inside the womb is our mother's heartbeat. Let's figure out how to use that drum, and let's get connected with it!"] -Koffi Toudji AKA Koffi Togo, a great educator of music and community. John continues to find happiness and fulfillment in continuing to study music of the world with many great teachers in Denver and beyond. He also finds joy in carrying on musical traditions. Passing the musical torch on to other musicians of different genders and generations feels good on both sides of the trade! Music proves to be a positive medium for the world on many levels, community building, human connection, empathy, artistic outlet, therapy, confidence, strength and endurance, confidence, brain activity and development, as well as countless other benefits. |
John Works with and Supports
(For identification purposes only, not official endorsements)
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