Biography of Chuck Jonkey

Chuck Jonkey is an adventurer/composer/musician/filmmaker who transforms his wild experiences into sound, music and film. Chuck's exotic adventures have taken him to the furthest reaches of primitive worlds. Referred to as an "ethnomusicianthropologist" Chuck travels around the world in search of adventure among the world’s most isolated tribal groups. He has explored the deep Amazon and the rainforests of Thailand, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, and Mexico. Chuck’s travels have also taken him to West Africa, Borneo, French Polynesia, Morocco, Venezuela, Russia, China, India and many other countries.

Chuck owns Sonic Safari Music. He has produced and published over 110 CDs of exotic music. Chuck has also produced several TV shows and documentaries. He is the host of "Exotic Worlds" TV show (www.ExoticWorldsTV.com) that has aired around the world. He hosted the "Sonic Safari" radio show on KCSN. Chuck has given many audio/visual presentations to universities, schools, churches, the Adventurers’ club and other civic groups. He is a member of the Los Angeles Adventurers’ Club.

Chuck recently spent over 2 years working with Disney Imagineering composing music for the new Disneyland in Shanghai, China. He composed all of the background music for "Adventure Isle" - over 4 hours of music and 46 songs.

Chuck performed with the Manhattan Transfer on their CD "The Offbeat of Avenues" (they recorded one of his songs - "The Quietude"). The same song was re-recorded with a full orchestra on the Manhattan Transfer's new Cd "The Symphony Sessions". He was invited by RAVI SHANKAR to play with him at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.

Chuck Jonkey's music has been featured in the following feature films & TV shows: "Rambo 4", "In The Mix", "Survivors", "Proof of Life", "Flubber", "J.F.K.", "The Doors", "The Mighty Joe Young", "Heaven on Earth", "Travel Channel", "The Film That Never Was" and many more. He has worked with Danny Elfman, James Horner, Ron Jones, Steven James Taylor and other film composers.

"Travel Channel" aired a segment on Chuck as part of their "Amazing Vacation Videos" series. "Animal Planet" also has featured Chuck's exotic animal footage. Chuck composed several hundred musical pieces for MICROSOFT's software products.

He spent months journeying through Java, Bali, and the Gili Islands recording, filming and documenting native music and dance. Chuck's most recent expeditions have been to India, Thailand, Ukraine, Morocco and islands of the Carribean. He recently climbed Mount Kinabalu (on the island of Borneo).

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: Chuck has a massive collection of musical instruments from around the globe including: gamelan orchestras from Indonesia, African drums & percussion, exotic instruments from India, Nepal, China, Thailand, Mexico, Peru and many other countries. Amazonian log drums, Vietnamese dan bau, Gnawa sentir & clappers, Inca percussion, Afro-Peruvian quejada, Javanese angklung and lots, lots more. Chuck also makes many of his own instruments: glass marimba, multi-stringed toucan, balloon guitar, harp & drums... and many other strange sound generating devices.

EATING RAT IN THE AMAZON. One Amazon expedition included that very experience! Chuck was an honored guest of native amazonians who gave him a specially prepared rat for dinner. He lived in South America for 2 years (speaks fluent Spanish) where he started his collection of exotic artifacts. His collection of strange musical instruments is enormous.

PEYOTE CEREMONY. Chuck was invited to a Ute-Navaho Indian peyote ceremony where he documented and recorded the entire ritual.

NAKED HOLY MAN? A journey to India proved most interesting when Chuck was invited to an audience with a naked holy man. This small isolated sect of Jain holy men has renounced everything worldly (including clothes)!

CAVE MUSIC? One of Chuck's expeditions was to the depths of the Indonesian jungles to record Cave music.