For the past 10 years, Jason has been a member of the internationally renowned indie rock band Death Cab For Cutie. They’ve released 7 albums, 6 EP’s, 3 DVD’s and have received 6 Grammy Nominations over the course of their career. Several albums have achieved multi platinum or gold sales in the US and abroad, including 3 top 4 Billboard album Debuts and several Number 1 singles worldwide. In 2008, the band released Narrow Stairs, their 6th studio album, which debuted at Number 1 on the Billboard Charts. In 2011, their follow up album Codes and Keys included the band’s highest charting single to date, You Are A Tourist.Besides his immense commitment to Death Cab, Jason still finds time to do session work between tours. He’s been the consistent studio drummer with two other artists in recent years, playing on both Tegan and Sara’s The Con and Sainthood, and also Matt Nathanson’s Some Mad Hope and Modern Love. In 2012, he’ll also be credited on upcoming releases from the band Fences and artist Merrit Graves.Prior to joining Death Cab For Cutie, Jason taught privately at the Seattle Drum School of Music after being a student there himself. He spent several years working with a large clientele of students of all ages ranging from beginners to working professionals. Though he no longer holds a regular dedicated practice there, he’s still involved in education, doing clinics and teaching privately while touring or at home in the Pacific Northwest. He also performed at the Modern Drummer Festival in 2006 and at PASIC in 2010.
Among the many great drummers of our time (some of whom are fellow Craviotto artists!!!), Jason has cited John Fisher from Vancouver, B.C. as one of his greatest teachers and influences.
How I came to Craviotto…….
“ I consider myself to be a very loyal and dedicated human being, with personal and professional relationships having equal importance. Throughout my career as a musician, I’ve always felt that there’s more to learn from consistency and patience, rather than rushing to make discoveries. But an unyielding pursuit of what inspires me most is what ultimately brought me to play Craviotto Drums.
I found myself at a point where I could no longer focus on the resonance of drums, nor could I focus on the relevance of my playing. I had lost the passion that comes so easily to beginners. Plus, this way of thinking made it especially difficult to be on the road all the time. Then the day came when I had a session on a day off with too few snare drums. Since I was in Nashville, I made a trip to Forks Drum Closet and ended up leaving with a 6.5” Maple / Mahogany / Maple Hybrid snare drum. I’ve always been a fan of great gear, but finding this drum was like finding the clearest coldest pool of water at the edge of the Sahara Desert……. No joke. I thought maybe the studio itself just had an amazing sounding drum room. But then the next day I used it in a huge arena and played a snare drum solo that took me far, far away….. Back to the inspired place I’d been looking for.
After that I tried every Craviotto kit I could find to make sure it was the right thing. And every drum thereafter spoke to me, like a kinship, made with the same standards that believe in. Loyal and dedicated, consistent and patient, unyielding and full of inspiration.
