Jamie Kutaj is enjoying his 2nd Decade as a Performing Musician, Audio Engineer, and Guitar Teacher. He was born in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. Initially, Jamie had little desire to play music until his early teenage years when he suddenly had the urge to take up the guitar. “My dad and his friends played guitar in the house ever since I was a small child, so it was probably inevitable that one day I would start playing.” Once his parents realized he was undeniably passionate towards music, they surprised him with a guitar on his 17th birthday. Prior to that time, he had been “borrowing” his father’s guitars…

By the time he started performing, it was observed by many who heard him that he was exceptionally passionate and proficient.

He began his new life as a musician by playing with friends from school, taking some guitar lessons, performing live, and haunting any and all venues in the vicinity that supported local music. At one such venue, he met local singer/songwriter Barry Clarke, who fronted the rock band Lo-Fi Cowboy. Barry and Jamie quickly became close friends. Within a year, Jamie took position as Lead Guitarist in the band (where all the other members were more than twenty years his senior). They performed nearly every weekend in the Okanagan area and across British Columbia; including two consecutive years at the Komasket Music Festival, in Vernon, BC. Jamie brought a devastatingly dirty, yet honest, and sometimes even gentle and sweet bluesy sound to compliment Barry’s poetic, sometimes humorous, but always energetic and heartfelt songs; some of which Jamie eventually co-wrote.

Jamie’s Diploma in Contemporary Music & Technology

Still, Jamie wanted to experience more in his life of music and broaden his understanding of music, so he auditioned for a spot in Selkirk College’s Contemporary Music & Technology program. His dreams were finally realized in 2008, and he moved to Nelson, BC, where the school is situated. In April of 2010, Jamie completed the 2-year Diploma program in Contemporary Music & Technology with a major in Music Production. He then moved to Vancouver, BC to pursue new experiences and a new career in the scene that the famous Canadian hotspot had to offer. After 6 years of teaching and performing there, a long growing urge to move to Victoria, BC finally materialized. Victoria was the home of musicians from his high school years with whom he originally began playing with and learning from. Jamie now lives a 20 minute drive north of Victoria, in Sidney, BC.