Brett James-Halter is a jazz and rock drummer from Oak Park, Illinois, currently studying Jazz Studies (Performance – Drum Set) at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, where he is a Dean’s Scholarship recipient.

Before NEC, Brett performed with many of Chicagoland’s top youth jazz ensembles, including the Jazz Institute of Chicago’s Jazz Links Student Council, and held positions in senior jazz and classical ensembles at Oak Park and River Forest High School. He was a two-time winner (2024 & 2025) of the ILMEA All-State Senior Honors Jazz Combo, recognized as the #1 high school jazz drummer in Illinois, and performed at the 2024 Chicago Jazz Festival. He is also a two-time worldwide School of Rock All-Star and previously gigged throughout the Chicago area with The Juliet Trio.

At NEC, Brett is focused on building a deep technical and musical foundation while learning from legendary artists and educators including Billy Hart, Nasheet Waits, Ken Schaphorst, and Jerry Leake. His work is rooted in jazz, while remaining open to crossover, contemporary, and genre-blending projects.

Looking ahead, Brett is interested in composing, collaborating in world-wide ensembles, contributing to original and cross-genre work, and traveling internationally as a performing artist. He sees his time at NEC as the foundation for a lifelong career—one centered on curiosity, collaboration, and artistic growth.