A brief biography
Chris "Kit" Jackson, founder of the The Ta’MaSam Guitar Workshop, has more than 30 years’ experience as a musician, writer and art curator. He was born and raised in Toronto and has lived in Orillia since June 2000.
His first formal involvement in music was as a chorister at St. Bride’s Church (Anglican) in Clarkson where he rose to be Senior Chorister and Soloist. While at St. Bride's , Chris attended the Anglican Diocese of Toronto’s annual Summer Choir School at Trinity College in Port Hope for five sessions. While there he studied under Dr. Healy Willan and Dr. Walter McNutt. Chris was a member of the 1965 Anglican World Congress Choir under John Sedgewick in Toronto and the Peel Deanery Festival Choir in 1966.
At 10, Chris began his instrumental studies with Alfred Roberts, organist and choirmaster at St. Bride’s, studying organ and music theory. Five years later, the lure of popular musical genres drew his attention. While attending high school at Kipling Collegiate Institute in Toronto, he took saxophone classes under J.B. Gosse and became a member of the school’s Jazz Ensemble playing tenor and baritone sax.
These years also saw his growing interest in folk, rock and blues. He played in a number of local bands including: "H," (vocals, keyboards, saxophone); The Rob Hilliard Band, (keyboards, saxophone); Jump (vocals, guitar, keyboards); In Slow Motion (vocals, guitar, keyboards) and as a solo performer: C.J. Earl (vocals, guitar), gigging around Toronto and throughout Ontario. Initially a self-taught guitarist, Chris’s love of the instrument led him to private studies with Dan Ellison and Ian Thompson, both in Toronto, and later with John Jordan in Barrie, Ontario.
Although still maintaining his interest in music, Chris was also exploring writing and visual art. He studied Journalism at Humber College in Toronto. After working for several years in community newspapers and radio in York Region and Simcoe County, Chris decided to formally study art. He graduated from York University in Toronto in 1980 with a B.F.A. in Photography and Painting: followed by an M.A. in Art History, also from York, in 1983. After completing his M.A., Chris moved to Calgary, Alberta and launched a career as an art curator. Working in the Art Department at Calgary’s Glenbow Museum, he worked his way through the ranks to the position of Senior Curator of Art. Chris returned to Ontario in 1995, and held positions as Associate Curator and Acting Head of Programs at the Art Gallery of Hamilton, Director-Curator of the Latcham Gallery in Stouffville, and Head of Programs and Interpretation at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg. Chris also taught art history courses through the Continuing Education Departments of McMaster University and Mohawk College (both in Hamilton); the History of Design at Sheridan College (Brampton) and The Social History of Canadian Art for Laurentian University’s university partnership with Georgian College (Orillia).
After leaving the McMichael, Chris returned to his first love: music. During the summer of 2005, Chris began intermittently teaching guitar to friends’ children in Orillia. In 2010, he founded The Ta’MaSam Guitar Workshop, specialising in acoustic guitar lessons for adults.
Chris is a member of the Orillia and District Arts Council (ODAC), and has served as an ODAC board member and Treasurer. He is also a member of the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals.
His first formal involvement in music was as a chorister at St. Bride’s Church (Anglican) in Clarkson where he rose to be Senior Chorister and Soloist. While at St. Bride's , Chris attended the Anglican Diocese of Toronto’s annual Summer Choir School at Trinity College in Port Hope for five sessions. While there he studied under Dr. Healy Willan and Dr. Walter McNutt. Chris was a member of the 1965 Anglican World Congress Choir under John Sedgewick in Toronto and the Peel Deanery Festival Choir in 1966.
At 10, Chris began his instrumental studies with Alfred Roberts, organist and choirmaster at St. Bride’s, studying organ and music theory. Five years later, the lure of popular musical genres drew his attention. While attending high school at Kipling Collegiate Institute in Toronto, he took saxophone classes under J.B. Gosse and became a member of the school’s Jazz Ensemble playing tenor and baritone sax.
These years also saw his growing interest in folk, rock and blues. He played in a number of local bands including: "H," (vocals, keyboards, saxophone); The Rob Hilliard Band, (keyboards, saxophone); Jump (vocals, guitar, keyboards); In Slow Motion (vocals, guitar, keyboards) and as a solo performer: C.J. Earl (vocals, guitar), gigging around Toronto and throughout Ontario. Initially a self-taught guitarist, Chris’s love of the instrument led him to private studies with Dan Ellison and Ian Thompson, both in Toronto, and later with John Jordan in Barrie, Ontario.
Although still maintaining his interest in music, Chris was also exploring writing and visual art. He studied Journalism at Humber College in Toronto. After working for several years in community newspapers and radio in York Region and Simcoe County, Chris decided to formally study art. He graduated from York University in Toronto in 1980 with a B.F.A. in Photography and Painting: followed by an M.A. in Art History, also from York, in 1983. After completing his M.A., Chris moved to Calgary, Alberta and launched a career as an art curator. Working in the Art Department at Calgary’s Glenbow Museum, he worked his way through the ranks to the position of Senior Curator of Art. Chris returned to Ontario in 1995, and held positions as Associate Curator and Acting Head of Programs at the Art Gallery of Hamilton, Director-Curator of the Latcham Gallery in Stouffville, and Head of Programs and Interpretation at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg. Chris also taught art history courses through the Continuing Education Departments of McMaster University and Mohawk College (both in Hamilton); the History of Design at Sheridan College (Brampton) and The Social History of Canadian Art for Laurentian University’s university partnership with Georgian College (Orillia).
After leaving the McMichael, Chris returned to his first love: music. During the summer of 2005, Chris began intermittently teaching guitar to friends’ children in Orillia. In 2010, he founded The Ta’MaSam Guitar Workshop, specialising in acoustic guitar lessons for adults.
Chris is a member of the Orillia and District Arts Council (ODAC), and has served as an ODAC board member and Treasurer. He is also a member of the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals.
