Bruns’ Story
A rock drummer at heart, Jason Lee Bruns is a versatile musician whose work spans classical, jazz, and folkloric drumming traditions. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Classical Percussion (Miami University), a Master’s in Jazz Studies (University of Southern California), and a Master’s Certificate in Music Production (Berklee College of Music). With a deep affinity for West African, Caribbean, and South American styles, Bruns has studied folkloric percussion firsthand across 12 regions worldwide.
As a producer and bandleader, Bruns has independently released twelve albums, two of which reached Top-10 charts and aired on over 300 radio stations nationwide, including L.A.’s KKJZ 88.1FM. His performance credits include work with Beck, Louis Price (The Temptations), Liane Carroll (2x BBC Jazz Award Recipient), Richard Elfman (co-founder of Oingo Boingo), and drumming in a Game of Thrones commercial.
Bruns founded and leads Bruns & Baché, a 10-piece retro-soul collective based in Los Angeles. The group has performed multiple times at “Jazz at LACMA” (2019, 2022, 2024), headlined top venues such as Catalina Jazz Club and Vibrato, and completed two tours of Japan (2017, 2019).
In addition to his work as a performer and producer, Bruns is an accomplished educator. He established the World Music and Recording Arts programs at Campbell Hall in 2005, where he continues to lead two 18-piece steel bands, two world drumming ensembles, and three levels of Recording Arts & Production courses. He is also an AVID Certified Pro Tools Instructor and teaches private lessons in drumming and music theory.
Beyond stage, studio and classroom, Bruns is a contributing author to Percussive Notes (academic journal of the Percussive Arts Society) and a Voting Member of the Recording Academy (Grammy Awards).
Affiliations
Academic Credentials
- Masters of Music (jazz studies) – University of Southern California
- Masters Certificate (music production) – Berklee
- Bachelors of Music (percussion) – Miami University