Who: Ed Domer
Born: July 17, 1967
Where: Portland, Or
Parents: Joan and Jerry Domer, alive and well in Pitt Meadows B.C. ( Vancouver)
Status: I was recently wed to my beautiful wife, Cherilynn.  We live with Ralphie, our uber-cool flame-point Siames cat.
Residence: Jackson Hole, WY- A truly beautiful place to pursue a life of music. And fish.
Main Gigs:  I consider myself a freelance professional drummer, and continue a rigourous performing schedule with a variety of different bands*   ( 200+ gigs a year). In addition to a busy playing schedule, I have a full roster of 17 private students, and supplement the local band program by teaching Jackson Hole Middle School and High School Band Program percussion sections three days a week!
 Also playing a big part in my schedule is my work with the Jackson Hole Music Experience (JHME), a local non- profit dedicated to furthering music education and performance in the Teton Valley. In conjunction with my work with JHME, I am also co-founder, along with fellow Jackson music pros Andy Calder and Jeff Eidemiller, of the Jackson Hole RocknRoll Camp ( jhrocknrollcamp.com), a very exciting and succesful summer music program for kids.

Current Bands:
 
- The Stagecoach Band- Performs every Sunday ( for 37 yrs!!) at The Stagecoach bar in Wilson, WY

-The Snake River Band-  Primarily performs for private functions. Led by local legend Phil Round.

-Fat Albert- A funk Hammond B-3 band, featuring Mark Longfield, Andy Calder and Jeff Eidemiller.

-Waist Deep- local Ski- Bum Music heroes. Created it's own genre! Check out the CD!

-SuperSwag- Seriously heavy music. One of Jacksons longest standing bands.Playing old-school metal.

-Dwarf Planet- The newest project on the map. An intense jazz-fusion project led by keyboard whiz Keith Phillips

These are the main groups I expect to be performing with in the near future. As a freelancer, I never know though! Some other artists or groups I perform(or sub) with include: Derrik and the Dynamos, Nicole Madison, Judd Grossman, Michael Hurwitz, Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra ( as a percussionist) the Grand Teton Music Festival Medalist Series, Ben Winship and Henhouse Recording Studios ( session work ) Even Stevens Band, Chanman Roots Reggae Band and many others. 
          

 I consider Vancouver, B.C. to be where I grew up, although I did not move there untill I was about 10 or so. Prior to that I had lived in Missoula, MT, and was born in Portland Ore.
 I began studying music quite early, with piano lessons at around age 10 or so. But much earlier in life I showed percussive proclivities by banging on chairs and pillows along with albums in the house. My enviroment was musical, as my father was a professional oboist and music educator, and in Vancouver during my school years, held the position of Music Department Head of Vancouver Community College. My mother was an active amateur cellist, and taught music history at the Vancouver Community College as well.
 An annual trip to Vancouver Island to accompany my father to his summer teaching gig at a music camp ( Courtenay Youth Music Camp) took on huge significance for me when, as a very little boy I was made mascot of the internationally known percussion ensemble, Nexus, who were artists in residence at the camp that particular year. Set loose amongs all the gongs, cymbals, drums, and dangling racks of sonic opportunities, I found my calling.
 My fascination with drumming continued, and after what seemed like an eternity of mandatory pre-drumset piano lessons, my parents finally rented me a kit. I also began to take classical percussion lessons from the principal percussionist in the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, John Rudolph. From this point on in life, I was a musician. I don't remember a decision being made. It was just who I was. Soon I was playing percussion in the various youth orchestras in Vancouver, including the Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra, The Vancouver Academy of Music Orchestra, The University of British Columbia Percussion Ensemble, and others. A constant schedule of rehearsals ,and performances, lessons and private practice became the structure of my life. My highschool had a fairly large music program, and it provided a jazz ensemble that really was my only structured drumset playing. I was primarily a young percussionist at this point. I was getting pretty proficient as a set player my last couple of years in highschool, and did study privately with a wonderful teacher and player in Vancouver, Mickey Earsnshaw. I was selected as the top highschool jazz drummer at the Canadian National Finals Jazz Festival in Toronto in 1984.
 After much deliberation, it was decided I would pursue drumset instead of an orchestral percussion path, and I applied to, and was accepted into the Dick Grove School of Music in Los Angeles.

 Off to LA....

 I attended Dick Grove School of Music for a year ( one year program) in  Studio City, and while there studied with David Garibaldi, Peter Donald, Luis Conte and a remarkable list of clinicians and performers were around all the time. I had master classes with Peter Erskine, Alex Acuna, Walfredo Reyes Jr., Tom Brechchtlein, and many others, who introduced me to the level of playing and professionalism that I continue to aspire too, and maintain, to this day. I continued to study mallets, and timpani, and was introduced to congas, bongos and other latin percussion traditions by the great Luis Conte.( He left his gig at school to hit the road with Madonna. All us students were appropriatley impressed.)
 After completion of my year at Dick Groves', I began playing in a variety of different bands. Most were original projects, looking for that big record  deal. Alas, none of the groups got very close, however, most of of them were quite good, and worked hard, and played tons of gigs. So I cut my teeth playing showcase gigs in Southern California, playing all of the famous Sunset Strip clubs, including the Whiskey, Roxy, etc.. Some of these bands included:  ( if you were in any of these bands- send me an e-mail ! )

* The Verve
* Vertical Living
* Stranger
* Karma Farm
* The Fables   
* Veronica's Toy

 I also began to do a fair amount of demo sessions for local singer-songwriters, recording projects, live showcase gigs, rock top-40 / classic rock working band situations and jazz gigs. In otherwords, I was freelancing, while pursuing the big ticket rock star record deal. After a few years of this, I decided to enroll in Cal State Northridge, where I continued to study all aspects of percussion, as well as perfomed extensively with the jazz bands, where after 1 year I won the much sought after "A" band drum chair. 
  I left Cal State Northridge, when I got the gig with the 60's vocal group "The Lettermen". This was my first real professional, touring gig, and I jumped at the chance. In the next year we toured all over the U.S, Canada and Japan. I also recorded an album or two with the Lettermen, but I'm not sure if they were released. I learned a great deal about playing large gigs, airports, click tracks, passports, lost passports, and so much more in one short year. But I also missed the opportunities of being in LA fulltime, so I left the Lettermen in about '92. 
 I got  an exciting opportunity to audition for, and ultimately get a gig with monster guitar whiz Jennifer Batten's ( Michael Jackson, Jeff Beck) blues project  The Immigrants. My time in the band, and I believe the band itself, was short lived, but a very good experience for me in the long run. Some good lessons on what not to do were learned, and the playing was very intense.   I think we might have played 10 or so shows.
 Shortly after The Immigrant's, I found myself working very steadily with a very good country ( !!! ) band, Larry Dean and the Shooters, in and around the area, playing often 5 nights a week. What made working with Larry unique was that he could consistantly work clubs the way top 40 country bands did, draw well, keep the line dancers and bartenders happy, and do all this with mostly original material. A feat I have yet to see duplicated in my own pro experience. That was  ( and is) unheard of ! And he did, and continues to do this with real integrity. I credit Larry, Mickey, David and Danny for teaching me how to play train beats, shuffles and 2 beats with the attention they deserve. And thus contributing immeasurably to my employability in all kinds of settings. Note to students. Learn to play jazz. And country. Especially country !
 This brings us up to when I arrive in Jackson Hole, WY in Oct. of '96 to play a 2 week run at the world famous Million Dollar Cowboy Bar with Larry Dean and the Shooters.
 I think you get to be world famous when people from other countries see your bar in Clint Eastwood movies.... Then go get drunk there.
 Back to the Rockies!!
  








  

Since moving to Jackson in '96, I've been very fortunate to find an active music scene, with lots of like-minded people to work with, and for. Judd Grossman, Derrik Hufsmith, Bill Briggs and Gery Sylvy were very helpful getting me started in Jackson by hiring me to play in "ELECTRIC COFFEE HOUSE" "DERRIK and the DYNAMOS" the "STAGECOACH BAND," and"LUCY" my first year here.
 My second year in Jackson brought more musical opportunities with " FUNK MISSILE" and the "SNAKE RIVER BAND", and most significantly, I met Cherilynn, ( we were married last March ). With the exception of Gery Sylvy, who left Jackson about 5 years ago, I continue to work with all of these people and groups in various situations.
 After the semi ( hopefully ) permanant hiatus of the locally very popular Funk Missile, WAIST DEEP became a main musical voice for me, and brought me together with a core rythm section of myself, ANDY CALDER on bass and JEFF EIDEMILLER on guitar. Andy and I had worked together in Funk Missile, but it was when I joined up with CHANMAN ( Peter Chandler- local ski bum music originator, and vocalist for the Snow Commanders ) and Bobby Grey in "DEEP" that I began to work with Jeff and Andy as a section.  This core group has become the rythm section for many different projects, of rather unlikely diverse projects. Together, Andy, Jeff and I play metal music,old school style, along with vocalist Casey Collins in SUPERSWAG, jazz in DOWNHILLl, B-3 soul-jazz with FAT ALBERT ( with Mark Longfield on B-3 and keys) and continue to play gigs with Waist Deep, whos album Ski Bum Music ( available on Cd Baby ) continues to sell well locally, and enjoys quite a bit of airplay on KMTN.
 At some point, a variety of forces came together, and Andy, Jeff and I started Rock Camp in 2005. These forces included the opening of the Center for the Arts, the evolution of Jackson Hole Music Experience, and an increasing need to find an outlet for my growing number of private students to jam with other kids. I, as a kid, and as a teen had the opportunty to go to a summer music camp every year, where my love for playing percussion really became the focus of my life. Since moving here, I always thought that Jackson would be the perfect place to have a summer music camp. Since both of the guys, ( Andy and Jeff) had some students as well, and there was a non-profit who could help us with getting  started, and a new facility ( Center for the Arts) that wanted to see a program like Rock Camp happen. Well, with a little kick start from Pam Phillips, Andy, Jeff and I, along with the just - starting JHME, put on Rock Camp '05.
  I remember at the conclusion of that camp, thinking " this is the coolest thing I've ever done. 16 kids learning to play  rock & roll and the blues for three days, then putting on a show." I believe Andy and Jeff felt the same way, as here we are registering for year number three! I hope that we can build a world class camp that will endure along with JHME for years to come. This town is ready to start embracing music opportunities for young people, as well as adults, the same way art and dance culture have been made a big part of our community. I hope to stay active with my teaching, JHME,  and Rock Camp, as well as continuing to work fulltime as a freelance drummer/ percussionist.

If you've stayed with me this far, check the "News and Updates" page for current band news, stuff in the works, etc..