Jacob’s Story
Multi-instrumentalist Jacob discovered Jack Drum Arts when he was 12 years old, and is now thrilled to be continuing his journey into music at Salford University.
Jacob first saw Jack Drum Arts’ Runaway Samba perform at Bishop Auckland Food Festival in 2017, and he was immediately hooked. He joined a 2-month beginners’ course, and from there progressed into the band - the youngest member at 12 years old.
He reflected upon being “absolutely tiny”, but how he always felt welcome in a group of predominantly adults.
Jacob started his journey into music by playing the clarinet and saxophone, but it was not until he discovered the drums in Secondary School that he felt “‘oh yeah, this is my thing’”.
Soon after joining Runaway Samba, it was recommended that he joined Jack Drum Arts’ Maracatu band, Baque de Ogum, and went on to attend Brazilica Festival that Summer, which he described as “a trial by fire”; as rewarding as much as it was tiring and terrifying.
“More recently I was involved with BOP Fest last Summer which was really great to be a part of, with the whole planning, and then being in about 30/40% of the performances which was quite fun if a little bit exhausting and chaotic. But just how successful that was, it just seemed like a perfect day because it was nice and warm, thousands of people came, all of the performances went really well, it just went really well.”
Coming out of his shell
“I think I’ve always had a fairly big personality but always when I go into new environments I sort of retreat back into a shell”.
“Doing the Doorstep Gigs in 2020 sort of really helped me get familiar with not just the drumming but with the people [… ] it helped me come out of my shell a bit and develop my confidence a lot more.”
Like so many young people, Jacob found the Covid-19 pandemic very challenging, and shared how the Doorstep Gigs were a “life saviour”.
“Lockdown was really tough for me, I did not enjoy it at all […] that was a source of a lot of stress.”
“Getting to spend so much time with such […] lovely people, for such a lovely cause, it was perfect for what I needed to get through that time.”
In 2021 and 2022, Jacob took part in Future Leaders, and shared:
“That helped me prepare for the role I’m beginning to take on now which is more of a leader and facilitator role, which has been really nice to develop it into just sort of having bit more of a say and control of what goes on.”
Jacob is now being paid to lead Jack Drum Arts’ youth samba band Get Set Samba, and is beginning to lead Runaway Samba. Through opportunities such as these, Jacob shared how it has shown him that it is possible to work as a musician:
“A lot of the universities have shown us statistics and stuff like ‘it’s a myth that music is hard to get into and stuff’ and all that’s great but to actually experience that first-hand, that yeah this is like a doable job and it’s not just an impractical dream, is really nice to experience.”
Outside Jack Drum Arts, Jacob writes, records and performs his own music, and is in band called Violet Uproar.
As well drums and saxophone, Jacob now plays guitar and bass. He joked that he knows “about four chords on the ukulele” but that he might join the Jack Drum Ukulele Ensemble in the Summer!
Salford University
Jacob is currently in his final year at Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, and is studying Music, Film and Psychology.
He has recently been accepted to study Music at Salford University. His confirmation letter said that they were particularly impressed by his personal statement because of his involvement in all of the activities at Jack Drum Arts.
In the future, Jacob is keen to have a portfolio career as a musician, working as a performing artist, session artist as a drummer, and to continue his work as a facilitator within community arts environments for Jack Drum Arts and beyond.
He described Jack Drum Arts:
“You get to become a fantastic person by working with fantastic people doing fantastic things.”
“[Jack Drum Arts] has blossomed into an obsession.”