Teacher Profile: Zeke Wakefield

About Zeke Wakefield

Zeke Wakefield is a local multi-instrumentalist singer/songwriter who fronts his own band, The High Council on lead guitar and vocals. Zeke was lucky enough to be born with a quick ear and a natural sense of rhythm. Growing up around an eclectic group of folk musicians, Zeke found his way to guitar at the age of 13 and discovered an innate musical ability, of which he has been pursuing ever since.

Although originally from the Big Island of Hawaii, Zeke would come of age in Port Townsend, WA. It was here where the first and last Centrum School of Rock camp took place. Seattle's Jay Roberts and Don Mock taught guitar during the week-long summit. At the age of 16, Zeke won a scholarship to attend the program and with Jay as his teacher, and the two spent most of the lesson time jamming together. Zeke also attended the annual Centrum Blues workshops, where he studied with legendary bluesman Louisiana Red. It was during this time period when Zeke opened for blues artists such as; Roy Rogers, Deborah Coleman, Walter Trout, and Guitar Shorty.

After moving to Seattle, Zeke infiltrated the local reggae scene. Playing guitar with numerous local bands like Kore Ionz and Two-Story Zori, and he has had the privilege of opening for acts like Bunny Wailer, Al Anderson (guitarist for Bob Marley), The Flaming Lips, Ernest Ranglin, Kolohe Kai and Clinton Fearon.

Zeke Wakefield heartily believes that playing music with other people is 70% listening and 30% playing. That belief is exemplified in his own band, The High Council. Blending feels of rock'n'roll, funk, jazz and psychedelic-americana, to name a few, could be lazily summed up as a: "Jam Band" but they prefer not to be generalized! Besides, it's hard to generalize a band that's done 3 grassroots/DIY tours of Southeast Asia! Over the years Zeke, with The High Council, has shared the stage with artists such as; Melvin Seals, Rusted Root, Zac Deputy, Yak Attack, Acorn Project and Adrian Xavier, to name a few.

With a natural musical intuition and a thirst for improvisation, Zeke Wakefield looks forward to nurturing and cultivating new, young musical warriors of all kinds.