Music producer Jerry the Cat (Jerrald James) is a skilled percussionist and DJ, noted for his rhythmic feel and smooth delivery of interesting, often exotic music. His productions include label releases, remixes and experimental film soundtracks*. Though he creates for a broad range of genres, styles and moods, his productions are uniquely personal and identifiable. Often, his music is atmospheric and emotionally suggestive, well suited to film, but even his hardest dance floor beats are immediately accessible and seductive. It is a trait he carries from production to performance.

Using tension, release and contrasts in sound, Jerry develops captivating DJ sets, effectively enveloping his audience in a conceptual portrait in sound. His House music sets incorporate infectious selections often spiced with tribal elements and original material. His Techno set spans the gamut from minimal to hard, drawn from Detroit, Native American and African roots.

Jerry has a wealth of experience playing congas and percussion within the context of many musical genres: jazz, funk, rhythm and blues, blues, gospel, rock, disco, classical, theatrical, experimental, fusion and electronica. Highlights in his background include appearances with Parliament/Funkadelic, disco group CJ & Company (‘Devil’s Gun’), recordings and appearances with gospel great James Cleveland, and work with former Motown producer Sylvia Moy as a session musician.

A dynamic percussionist, Jerry has performed and/or recorded with an impressive list of electronic music producers and DJs, including Derrick May, Carl Craig, Roger Sanchez, Moodymann (Kenny Dixon Jr.), Theo Parrish, Larry Heard, Robert Owens, Charles Schillings, Kevin Saunderson, ReCloose, Little Louis Vega, Scott Grooves, Pepe Braddock, Cassius, Gilb’r, I Cube, Claude Young, the Detroit Grand Pubahs, and many others. He has played at many famous venues around the world.

Jerry is also an experienced radio DJ. He established a radio presence in Windsor, Ontario, Canada from 1992 to 1998, naming his show “The Rhythm Gallery” on CJAM 91.5 FM. He set a defining atmosphere, exploring a variety of fusions and a broad eclectic range of material. From Woodstock to Jazz; to 80s Pop to Disco and Funk; to Afro-Cuban Latin Jazz to Brazilian, Reggae and Salsa; from Ambient to Acid Jazz, Trip Hop, Deep House, Drum ‘n’ Bass, and Techno, Jerry’s openness to new experiences in music allowed him to continually evolve, drawing on appealing elements relevant to many audiences, and to expose his audiences to genres new to them. The “Rhythm Gallery” continued after his departure hosted by his friend Adam Francesconi.

Jerry’s involvement in creative endeavors over the years gives him a unique insight into both the artistic and business sides of the arts. He has managed venues and a theater company, owned an art gallery and a dance lounge, and promoted events and exhibits. The Skyloft Gallery, which he co-owned with DJ Minx and Dana Keaton, became quite well known as an underground cultural center. In 2000 he opened a dance lounge in Windsor Ontario Canada, the Velvet Room. It won the best new business award for the year 2000 from “The Drive” magazine, the primary business magazine for the city of Windsor.

Also in 2000, Jerry formed the Dark River Collective, a much acclaimed music/arts production group comprised of musicians, poets, singers, electronic music producers, artists and performers. A virtual fountain of creativity, Dark River Collective promoted meaningful art in music, crossing electronic and acoustic/organic sound with visual and verbal forms of expression. The group showcased many memorable performances in Detroit and Windsor, as well as at the Miami Winter Music Conference and a memorable performance on the main stage of the Detroit Electronic Music Festival. Dark River Collective evolved and expanded, and fueled Jerry’s Dark River Media, a record label and media company.

In 2002, then living in Paris, Jerry worked with his friend DJ Senz of Senzart.com, who formed Tuff Kids Recordings and TuffKids.tv to create music and media with a gritty urban attack. Tuff Kids is an underground cultural production crew comprised of artists of varying disciplines, mixing elements of Hip Hop and Electronic music culture to create edgy new fusions in sight and sound.

In December 2008 Jerry relocated to Lisbon, Portugal, where he continued to DJ and collaborate with a variety of producers and artists, including Vahgan Vos and Sky People, Gala Drop, Loosers, Audiopath (SHIFT), Lisbon Alien Orchestra (with Jari Marjamaki and Artuu Snellman), Joao Pedro (Kaspar), Steve Bird and more.