The John Damberg Jazz Quintet - Happy Dance (2023)

John Damberg is a master vibist, marimbist, percussionist, composer and educator who has enjoyed a successful career in music spanning 40 years. John currently resides in Anchorage, Alaska where he is the leader of the John Damberg Latin Jazz Quintet, the Instructor of Percussion at the University of Alaska Anchorage, Executive Director of the Alaska Jazz Workshop, and the past President and Vice-President of the Percussive Arts Society Alaska Chapter. John is an active performer in the Alaska and Pacific Northwest music and he is an ardent promoter of jazz & percussion education.

As a percussionist, John has performed in a wide variety of musical settings nationally and internationally.

As a composer, John writes music for his Latin Jazz Quintet and for other creative projects including: movie sound tracks, travel videos and children’s educational videos.

John’s interest in music, nature and different world cultures has taken him on many interesting musical journeys throughout North, Central and South America. From the high mountains of Glacier National Park, Montana to the warm islands of the Caribbean and back to the incredible scenery and native cultures that make up Alaska, John has experienced the music of the land and the diverse music cultures of its native inhabitants. From these experiences, John developed his focus on using improvisatory music as a vehicle for self expression, communication and to develop a sense of balance between one’s inner spirit and the surrounding world.