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Jim Lampi is a native of Los Angeles. Musically, he started out playing sax , guitar, and singing in local bands. He discovered the Chapman Stick from an article in the Los Angeles Times and later took lessons from Emmett Chapman, the inventor of the Stick.

The Stick© is an instrument with an unusual range (5 1/4 octaves) enabling the performer to apply the two handed tapping method to dazzling effect.

He moved up to the San Francisco music scene, performing with such diverse musicians as Tuck & Pattie, Michael Hedges, opened solo for the Jerry Garcia band, and played Bread & Roses concerts with Joan Baez and Maria Mauldar.

He then headed over to Europe, playing in a variety of clubs and festivals. Jim began to teach tapping, and performed with classical, jazz, and rock musicians. Based in Scandinavia and later Paris, he performed in clubs and Festivals such as Avoriaz Film Festival and the Arles Film Festival performing improvisational sound and visual shows with photographers.

Inevitably Lampi came to London, playing in the new jazz scene with Phillip Bent (GRP Records), Tony Remy, Steve Williamson (all of Jazz Warriors fame) and John Etheridge, (Soft Machine).

Lampi released his first solo album ,TV Weather, with a subsidiary of Polygram in 1992. Promotion and touring of the UK followed covering TV, radio,clubs, colleges. He performed at the Summer Jazz Festival in Warsaw featuring such stars as Chick Corea, Jack Bruce, John Mclaughin , Modern Jazz Quartet, and Steve Gadd. Other collaborations included a Sound on Sound Magazine project with Courtney Pine, more studio work and tours with singer Marie Claire D’ubaldo who was number One in Italy at the time, and with Zak Sikobi of Kenya in shows featuring Ali Hassan Kuban of Egypt at the Royal Festival Hall and the Shikamoo Jazz Band at the Astoria in London for festivals of African music.

Lampi finished his second solo album, Young Lions,’ in 1996 with following tours and support performances. At this time he began to perform in duo and band performances with the legendary John Martyn (Solid Air). The last years has taken them throughout the UK, Europe, and throughout the US with the Fleadh Festivals in NYC, Chicago, and San Francisco and the Glastonbury Festival in the UK. Performances have also included VH1, BBC, The Bottom Line, NYC, and a return to the Trobadour in LA. Lampi is also featured in a new documentary of John Martyn by Pulse AV entitled Tell Them I'm Somebody Else.

A new major collaboration project/CD of Australia Meets London Mix with producer Zeus B. Held and Australian musicians was released in 2004 . It includes a good share of composition, Stick, and windsynth performances from Jim. Also, Jim’s new CD of originals, Greazy, was released – a mostly instrumental collection featuring guest performances from John Martyn, Marie Claire D’ubaldo, and other wonderful players. Supporting tours will be anounced. Lampi has also been more and more involved with multimedia events, soundtracks, and online music and teaching tools.