The Beginning
Jai Price is a drum set player, vocalist and multi-percussionist who got his start when he was in 6th grade. Throughout middle school he participated in various community bands such as the District 19 All-District bands and The Same is Lame Jazz Ambassadors. He also participated in competitions such as Solo and Ensemble where he received superior ratings for every performance he was a part of. At the age of 13 Jai started playing music professionally, his first gig being at the Vines Grille and Wine Bar on Sand Lake Road in Orlando Florida.
High School Years, Part I
Once his freshman year of high school came around he was in: J Street which is a professional jazz combo that plays throughout Central Florida, the marching band at his high school, the jazz band at his high school, the symphonic band at his high school, the percussion ensemble at his high school, and an open class drum corps based Cape Coral Florida. After doing half a season of drum corps with Heat Wave Drum and Bugle Corps, Jai quit his high school band and proceeded to do more independent ensembles in the Central Florida area. During his sophomore year of high school he was the principal percussionist in the Florida Symphony Youth Philharmonia Orchestra and the rack percussionist for Infinity Percussion’s open class ensemble. This was in addition to playing with J Street.
High School Years, Part II
During his junior year of high school he participated in the Florida Symphony Youth Jazz Orchestra on drum kit as well as Infinity 2 on drum kit. He also began his job as a private instructor at the Music Store of Clermont during this time. Once his last year of high school started he was doing a multitude of things: playing around Central Florida with J Street, playing in Cocoa Beach with a band called the Liquid Groove Project, participating as a contracted member of the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps, participating as a contracted member of Infinity World, teaching at Mount Dora High School as a drum line technician and writing and recording his own music.
Jai Price Today
Jai is now graduated from University of Florida with a Bachelor’s in Music Performance. While at the University, he participated in every large ensemble that UF has; this includes the Jazz Band, Symphonic Band, Wind Symphony, Brass Band, and the University Symphony Orchestra in which he was principal timpanist. He is also the member of a punk band called “SOUR,” that currently performs around Florida and has an EP on Spotify called “Turmoil.” As a member of the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps, he received the Sanford High Percussion Award and Percussion Performer of the Year in 2022. He has now aged out of drum corps and is now a member of Rhythm X, another top marching ensemble. He received Rookie of the Year and a silver medal at the world championships with Rhythm X. Jai currently resides Central Florida where he does local gigs and teaches online drum lessons.