Born in Cleveland, Ohio, percussionist/drummer Jamey Haddad holds a unique position in the world of Jazz and Contemporary Music. Haddad’s musical voice transcends styles and trends, and the universal quality of his playing has attracted many international collaborations. Regarded as one of the foremost world music and jazz percussionists in the U.S., Haddad has also published articles internationally relating to the experiences of the contemporary world musician.
Haddad was voted #1 World Music Percussionist by 2012 Drum Magazine readers and one of the top four world-percussionists by the most largely read percussion periodical Modern Drummer. He has also won the 2010 Cleveland Arts Prize. In a snapshot of a two week period, Haddad has recorded with singer Nancy Wilson, performed with Paul Simon, helped create a film score with Eliot Goldenthal, rehearsed for an upcoming tour with the Sacred Music Festival of Fez Morocco, recorded with saxophonist Joe Lovano, and rehearsed the music of Osvaldo Golijov for an upcoming performance of a cello/percussion concerto with Yo-Yo Ma. Haddad collaborates regularly with Paul Simon, Simon and Garfunkel, Osvaldo Golijov, Yo-Yo Ma, Dawn Upshaw, Danilo Perez, Joe Lovano, Elliot Goldenthal, Brazil’s Assad Brothers, Daniel Schnyder, Simon Shaheen, The Paul Winter Consort, Nancy Wilson, Dave Liebman, Esperanza Spalding, among many others. Most recently, Haddad performed with Paul Simon at the 25th anniversary celebration of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Haddad is the recipient of three National Endowments for the Arts Performance Grants and a Fulbright Fellowship, and can be heard on more than 200 recordings. Jamey was inducted into the 2025 class of the PAS Hall of Fame.