ABOUT US
Found sounds, since 2005
A youth percussion nonprofit in Vienna, VA that began with trash cans and buckets and now plays marimbas and steel pans.
How it began
The Jammers began in 2005–2006 at Vienna Elementary School, where David L. Reynolds, Jr. (“Mr. Reynolds”) was teaching general music at the time. The idea came from Dave Cohen, known to the Jammers as “Dr. DC”. He was a high school junior, and his younger sister was a student at Vienna Elementary, when he brought Mr. Reynolds the idea of an after-school percussion ensemble. The idea stuck. Dr. DC helped at rehearsals through his junior and senior years of high school, and before long the group was booking performances around town.
The first instruments were found sounds: trash cans and buckets. The signature red Brute trash cans were bought partly out of necessity and partly in the spirit of Stomp, the show built on making music from everyday objects. The steel pans arrived in 2014.
What the Jammers are today
Today the Jammers are young musicians from the Vienna area, ages 8 to 18, in groups by grade: marimba groups for the younger players and steel pan groups for the older ones, with Platinum taking players back to the marimbas after a year of Steel.
The found sounds haven’t gone away. Now and then you’ll still hear trash cans, buckets and tubano drum ensembles.
Where we perform
You can hear the Jammers at Viva Vienna, Union Stage, the Mayor’s Volunteer Reception and the Vienna Halloween Parade. Over the years we have also played Wolf Trap, Capital One Hall and Capital One Arena (then the Verizon Center).
Every spring, all of our ensembles take the stage together at the Big Jam, our own concert and our biggest night of the year.
The Jammers in numbers
Since 2005
The year the Jammers began.
Ages 8–18
Young players from the Vienna area. Grown-ups play too, in Jammers Gold.
2015
The year the Jammers won the Emerging Arts Award.
The ensemble ladder
Each ensemble is a step up the ladder, from 2nd grade to 12th. Tap one to read more.