Jake Brookman started playing the cello when he was 9 years old and quickly cultivated his passion for making music. In addition to school orchestras, Jake played with the CASA Young People's Orchestra and the Saint Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra serving as Principal Cellist for both ensembles. While still in high school he won solo performance opportunities from competing in the young artist concerto competitions of the CASA Young People's Orchestra, Alton Symphony Orchestra and the Brentwood Symphony Orchestra. Jake then went on to study music performance at the Mannes College of Music in New York City, NY with a scholarship.
In late 1992 shortly after his return to Saint Louis, MO he performed with The Suede Chain (a rock band based in Champaign, IL) which would be the first of many bands that Jake has been involved with throughout the years.
In 2018 he was introduced to busking (street performance) and has expanded his solo repertoire with backing tracks to over 12 hours of music that includes popular melodies from the last couple hundred years highlighting Jake's appreciation and understanding of multiple genres of music.
Jake regularly collaborates, performs and records with local and regional creative professionals.
Currently Performs with:
HämmerString
The Metropolitan Orchestra of Saint Louis
Mr. Blue Sky
Pop! Pop! Pop!
Salt of the Earth
The University City Symphony Orchestra
Winter Opera St. Louis
Has Performed with: The Beach Boys, Candlelight Concerts, Chamber Music Society of St. Louis, Cirque Musica, Eagles, Gateway Festival Orchestra, Idina Menzel, Saint Louis Philharmonic Orchestra, Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Union Avenue Opera, The Who and "Weird Al" Yankovic
Recorded with: Dana Michael Anderson, Keller Anderson, Autoliner, David Becherer, Belle Starr, The Birthday People, JD Blackfoot, Boot Camp, Building Rome, The Charm and The Curse, Connibal Road, Ded Bugs, Andrew Dahle, Earthsol, Endora, Finn's Motel, Fragile Porcelain Mice, Gateway Men's Chorus, Gavin M., The Great Crusades, HämmerString, Emilia Higgins, Jim Ibur, Tommy Keene, Kid Scientist, The Kinetic Console, Brian Krumm and His Barfly Friends, Hazel Krumm, Steven Kveton, Letter to Memphis, Pat Liston, Laurie McColley, Javier Mendoza Band, Christian Moder, Mr. Blue Sky, Frankie Muriel, The Norwood Park All Stars, Leslie Nuss, Justin Rose & The Green Thumbs, Pat Sajak Assassins, Leslie Sanazaro, Salt of the Earth, Juliana Sanna, Michelle Schafer, Shaman's Harvest, Judson F. Snell, Spacetrucker, Jack Spann, Abigail Stahlschmidt, Jim Stern, Steve Scorfina, The Suede Chain, Katie Todd, David Toretta, Vitamen A, West End Junction, Ptah Williams
Cello teachers: Susan Hampton, Beverly Field, Yuan Tung, Aleksander Ciechanski, Stephen Balderston, Robert Silverman, Peter Wiley and Paul Tobias.
Cellos:
"Old Celler"
Trademark KHS made in Czechoslovakia circa 1920
"NSsie"
NS Design NXT
"Ya-Ma Ha"
Yamaha SVC-100
Accessories:
D'Addario Endpin Anchor
Hercules Cello Stand DS580B
NS Design Cello Endpin Stand
NS Design Frame Strap System
NS Design NXT Cello Tripod Stand
Strings:
Spirocore Medium Chrome Wound strings
NS Electric Strings by D’Addario
Bows:
Pernambuco
Fiddlerman Carbon Fiber Cello Bow
Rosin:
Gustave Bernardel Rosin
Live sound equipment:
Behringer EUROPORT MPA40BT
Behringer P2
Bose S1 Pro
Countryman Type 85
Digitech DOD Mini Volume
DPA 4099 Core Mic
DPA CC4099 Instrument Microphone Clip for Cello
Fishman C-100 Classic Series Cello Pickup
Furman P-1800 AR
Korg Pitchblack Pro
Line 6 DL4 MkII Delay Stompbox Modeler Limited Edition Blackout
NinjaBatt PowerStation 280Wh
Radial Engineering JDI Stereo
Shure SM58S
Shure QLXD14 (G50)
Shure PSM900 (G7)
Shure SE846
SKB 4U rSeries Shallow Rolling Rack
SWR California Blonde acoustic instrument amplifier
Xvive P1 Portable Phantom Power
