James Poke (born 1963 in Dorking, England) is a musician, primarily known as artistic director and co-founder of the ensemble Icebreaker.[1]
Poke studied music at the University of York and composition with Erich Urbanner at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Vienna. With John Godfrey he founded Icebreaker in 1989. As well as running the group, he also plays flutes, pan-pipes, keyboards and WX11 wind synthesiser in the ensemble. He has arranged many pieces for Icebreaker and produced or co-produced several of Icebreaker's albums.[2] He also works as a music copyist.
He also has a strong interest in politics and is currently chair of the Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign, chairs the West Surrey branch of the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign and has twice stood for election as a councillor for the Green Party in Mole Valley.