James Ash
Artist in Residence & Community Member
James Ash is a drummer and sound designer who grew up playing punk rock on the prairies. Alongside youth and musical mentors James started an award-winning music program in Winnipeg.
James made his way West on a full scholarship to study Sound Design at Vancouver Film School. He has worked at the intersection of sound and community for over two decades and currently does so in the DTES of Vancouver. In 2016 James was awarded the Service Excellence Award for his work as a community support worker.
Music and sound continue to be a place of refuge and learning for James and he is passionate about building accessible music programs together with community. James makes original score for the award-winning podcast Crackdown and was part of the Yard Tales Podcast team where he contributed original music and sound design. James played drums in Big Bad and currently plays drums in Low Dead Space and makes music in interesting acoustic spaces every chance he gets.
Together with community James produced an original podcast about The Militant Mothers of Raymur which was featured in the Heart of The City Festival in 2021. After completing a two-week residency at Lobe in 2022 James presented two pieces during the 2022 Heart of the City Festival.
James hosts community nights at Lobe and continues to work together with the team to build collaborations with artists in the neighborhood. He lives with his wonderful family on the unceded territories of xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.
Bud Osborn - No Matter How Viscous the System Is
(With original music by James Ash) + Crackdown Podcast excerpt from episode 31: Love, Death, and Benzodope
”Community is our Mentor.” - Heart of the City Festival 2022
“In 2008, I recorded Bud reading his poem No Matter How Vicious The System Is. The recording starting to distort from the emotion that Bud read with. It is really special to be able to share this recording with everyone whose life was touched by Bud.
The poem and accompanying print originally appeared in the book Signs of the Times with poetry by Bud Osborn and prints by Richard Tetrault. Published by Anvil Press. Original music written by James Ash.”
Crackdown Podcast - Excerpt from Episode 31: Love, Death and Benzodope
In British Columbia, almost half of the illicit opioids are now contaminated by a class of tranquilizing drugs called benzodiazepines. This drug combination, known as benzodope, has caused a surge of unusual overdoses. People are passing out for hours, losing their memories, and getting robbed and assaulted. And deaths have spiked.
Again. Benzodope is the next lethal era of the drug war. Crackdown is a Vancouver-based podcast about drug user resistance, led by long time drug user-activist, Garth Mullins. In this episode, Garth follows the journey of his friends Martin and Laura as they navigate benzodope and its challenge to their decade-strong relationship. In this excerpt from the episode he talks to Trey Helten who is a leader in the City's harm reduction response to this deadly new drug combo. Special thanks to Sara Blyth and Trey Helton for allowing Crackdown to record at OPS.
Crackdown’s editorial board is: Samona Marsh, Shelda Kastor, Greg Fresz, Jeff Louden, Dean Wilson, Laura Shaver, Reija Jean. Rest in Peace Dave Murray and Chereece Keewatin. This episode was conceptualized, written, and produced by Sam Fenn, Alexander Kim, Alex de Boer, Jade Boyd, Lisa Hale and Garth Mullins. Our academic director is Ryan McNeil. Sound design by Alexander Kim. Original score was written and performed by James Ash. Academic advising and direction for this episode was provided by Professor Jade Boyd. Additional research by Alex Betsos.”