About Jake
Jake Amy is a Melbourne/Naarm-based session pianist, producer, audio engineer and social justice journalist. Jake has performed with an exciting array of Australian and international artists such as Wafia, Ambrose Akinmusire, Emily Williams (Young Divas), Pania, Liyah Knight, WILSN, Tully Ryan (GODTET), Horatio Luna, Jesse Valach, Thndo, Gordon Koang. Jake is an active member of over 20 unique musical projects including Kaiit, Bumpy, Priscilla Stanley, Emma Volard, David Arden, The Mamas, Kala Gare, Bailey Judd, Ella Clair, Wilson Blackley. Additionally Jake has supported artists such as Yussef Dayes, Hiatus Kaiyote, Joy Crookes, Odette.
Jake obtained a Bachelor of Music specialising in Jazz Performance from Monash University in 2019. Jake was tutored by Barney McAll and Sam Keevers. As part of this course, Jake travelled to Manhattan to complete a short summer course on jazz and improvisation at New York University with drummer Tony Moreno.
In 2020, Jake founded Attaboi, a volunteer-led online magazine with a mission to promote inclusivity and diversity within the music scene of so-called Australia. Attaboi quickly became synonymous with social justice within the Australian music scene and aimed to question unjust ideologies imposed on minority groups. As part of this project, Jake interviewed musical artists such as Katie Noonan, Danielle Ponder, Greta Ray, Scott Tinkler and DRMNGNOW on topics such as systemic discrimination, social/political responsibilities of artists, Indigenous sovereignty, racial equality, gender equality, cancel culture, sexual assault allegations, the effect of colonialism on the Australian music scene, white beauty standards, eating disorders and body dysmorphia.
In 2022, Jake performed on ABC’s television music quiz show ‘Spicks and Specks’ and Channel 10’s breakfast show ‘Studio 10’.
In 2021, Jake was commissioned by Dingo Australian Jazz Journal to write an article entitled "What Is Australian Jazz". The article featured interviews with Australian jazz heavyweights Tony Gould, Deline Briscoe, Daniel Wilfred. In 2022, Jake’s article entitled “The Relevance of Tertiary Jazz Education” was published in Dingo Australian Jazz Journal Edition 3 and featured senior representatives from Monash University and Jazz Music Institute. Both magazines were stocked in news agencies across Australia.
In 2022, Jake’s single ‘Starry Skies’ received funding from Regional Arts Victoria and Creative Victoria’s Sustaining Creative Workers Initiative.
In 2018, Jake co-wrote the musical Ambushed with Karen Milkins-Hendry, which premiered at the 2018 Melbourne Fringe Festival.
In 2014, Jake received the Senior Jazz Encouragement Award from the Phillip Island Jazz Festival and in 2017 received the Bass Coast Community Foundation’s Performance Award.
Initially from regional Victoria, Jake grew up on dial-up speed LimeWire downloads. Loving and inspired by their grandmother’s late-night organ jams, Jake took to learning classical piano at age 5. Their compositions received encouragement from some of Australia’s most respected classical pianists, including Michael Kieran-Harvey and Hoang Pham.
(Jake's independently published piano book entitled Evocations is available to purchase on Bandcamp).
Jake's passion for sound engineering came from working alongside sound engineer and mentor Brett Van Hoorn on a variety of amateur and large-scale productions (such as festivals, theatrical productions, community events). Jake completed their VCE studies at Newhaven College on a musical scholarship. Jake moved to Melbourne immediately after high school to study music at a tertiary level.
Jake attributes their passion of music to mentors, friends and family: Gladys Burns (great grandmother), Craig Amy (father), Anne Tschiderer (primary school music teacher), Joyce Williams (first formal piano teacher), Carmel Slater (classical piano teacher), Leigh Owens (bandleader), Marcus Satchell (Marcus introduced Jake to recordings of Herbie Hancock and Donny Hathaway), Brett Van Hoorn (sound engineer), Elaine Epifano, Byron Scothern, Emma Volard, Jordan Pereira, Barney McAll, Em Schnall, Sam Keevers.