Jake Oelrichs is a drummer and piano player with a BFA in Music from York University. He is a recipient of the Oscar Peterson Scholarship, and the Imasco Award for the Performing Arts.
At York, Jake studied jazz and Afro-Cuban music with Mark Eisenman, Barry Elms, and Mike Marcuzzi, as well as free-improvisation with renowned pianist and CCMC member Casey Sokol. He studied privately for three years with world-renowned jazz percussion teacher Jim Blackley.
Jake fell in love with dance accompaniment while playing for York Dance modern classes to help fund his studies. He has since played for modern and ballet teachers including Peggy Baker, Christopher House, Sacha Ivanochko, Helen Jones, Elizabeth Leyds-Holmes, John Ottman, Holy Small, Kenny Pearl, Holly Small, and Darryl Tracy. He has accompanied dance at National Ballet, TDT, Dancemakers, Proartedanza, Pia Bauman School of Dance, T.M.U. (formerly Ryerson), Etobicoke School of the Arts, Earl Haig, Rosedale Heights, and Cawthra.
Jake plays in various groups at night, including surf-rock band Run With The Kittens, singer-songwriter Abigail Lapell, and improvisational group Aurochs.
(https://www.runwiththekittens.ca/)
(https://www.aurochsmusic.com/)
(https://www.all-set.org/)
(https://www.insoundmusic.com/music)