Jake Brookman

Cellist / Musician

Jake Brookman started playing the cello when he was 9 years old and quickly realized that he had a passion for music. Growing up in St. Louis, Missouri he 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 with a scholarship.

In 1992 shortly after his return to St. Louis, he joined The Suede Chain (a rock band from Champaign, IL) which would be the first of many bands that Jake has collaborated with throughout the years.

Jake has 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, Steven Kveton, Letter to Memphis, Pat Liston, Laurie McColley, Javier Mendoza Band, Christian Moder, Mr. Blue Sky, The Norwood Park All Stars, Leslie Nuss, 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, The Suede Chain, Katie Todd, David Toretta, Vitamen A, West End Junction, Ptah Williams.

​Jake has performed with: The Beach Boys, Chamber Music Society of St. Louis, Cirque Musica, Eagles, Idina Menzel, Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Union Avenue Opera, The Who, Winter Opera St. Louis and "Weird Al" Yankovic.

Jake performs with: HämmerString, The Metropolitan Orchestra of Saint Louis, Mr. Blue Sky, Pop! Pop! Pop!, Salt of the Earth, and The University City Symphony Orchestra.

Jake regularly records and performs with many local and regional artists and collaborates with other creative professionals.

His solo repertoire with backing tracks includes popular melodies from the last couple hundred years.