Professor Weik is an associate lecturer at the University of Toledo, where he joined the faculty in 2006. He is the leader of the Zen Arts Ensemble, a member of Crosscurrents which released their first recording in 2012 which features Gunnar Mossblad, Tad Weed, Norm Damchroder and Olman Piedra.. He and has also performed with Vic Juris, Jon Hendricks, Gene Perla, Gary Peacock, Claude Black and others. In 2013, Jon Hendricks composed lyrics to two of Jays jazz compositions - "Watz for Isabella" and "He's Not Gone." and in 2012 was a featured performing artist at the Jazz Education Network Conference.
In 2007 he performed and recorded John Coltrane's opus "A Love Supreme" with John Hendricks and the University of Toledo Jazz Faculty. This performance received positive review by noted Jazz scholar and critic Ashley Kahn. Jay also plays the Shakuhachi (Japanese Bamboo Flute) which he has studied with Michael Chikuzen Gould Sensei. He has performed with the Toledo Jazz Orchestra, is a frequent highlight at Crystals in Toledo and has performed as guest soloist with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra.
He is the internationally published author of two Mel Bay Books 'Daily Dexterity Studies for the Guitarist' and 'Daily Sight Reading Studies for the Guitarist." He is a recording artist and composer, is featured on “One Way Ticket” on the Dharma Communications label.
In 1977 Jay began studying the guitar, and in 1987 he won the Jim Hall Jazz Masters Scholarship Award and relocated to Boston. After graduating from Berklee College of Music in 1990, he went on to earn a Masters Degree with academic honors in Jazz Studies from the New England Conservatory in 1992, and has studied extensively with Jerry Bergonzi, Mick Goodrick and Charlie Banacos. He was a Boston based studio guitarist and worked with producer Miguel Pessoa. Jay has taught music at several New England area colleges, and has a full private guitar lesson studio.
Jay is a Sadowsky Artist and has played Sadowsky guitars exclusively since 1992.
Rev. Jay Rinsen Weik, Sensei is Abbot of the Great Heartland Buddhist Temple (Dashin Koku-ji) of Toledo where he serves as its senior priest and head teacher. He is a fully transmitted Zen teacher acknowledged by Rev. James Myoun Ford Roshi in both of Roshi's lineages: the ordained Soto Zen lineage of Jiyu Kennett, and koan introspection lineage of John Tarrant. Additionally, Rinsen's Dharma teaching is influenced by his longstanding study, practice and teaching of both Aikido and Jazz music.
He received Denkai Transmission from James Myo'un Ford Roshi in 2014 and Denbo in 2015. After his Denkai ceremony, a public celebration with the Sangha was held at the Temple. Rinsen was invited to participate in the first-ever Next-Generation Dharma Mahasangha Gathering that took place at Garrison Instutite in July of 2011 and served on the planning committee of its second meeting which took place at Deer Park Monastery in 2013.
He began his Zen studies in 1987 at Zen Mountain Monastery with John Daido Loori Roshi. In 1998, he receved the sixteen buddhist precepts and the Dharma name Chikyo (Wisdom Mirror). In 2001 he moved to Toledo and co-founded the Toledo Zen Meditation Group with his wife Rev. Karen Do’on Weik. In 2004 he continued his zen study with Bonnie Myotai Trace Sensei, Daido Roshi’s first dharma heir, and what began as the Toledo Zen Meditation Group evolved into the Toledo Zen Center. In 2007 Myotai Sensei acknowledged him as Shuso (head monk), he began giving Dharma Talks and members of the community started podcasting them as ‘The Drinking Gourd Podcast.’ In 2008 he received the Dharma name Rinsen (Wheel Turning Wizard) From Myotai Sensei and founded the Drinking Gourd Institute, a 501c3 non-profit organization that evolved from receiving a grant to support the podcasts. Rev. Rinsen also studied the Dharma with Fr. Kevin Hunt Sensei, OCSO from 2006 to 2009 and in 2009 he became a shoken student of James Myo’un Ford Roshi who is the primary center of gravity for his continued study of the Dharma today.
Jay Weik Sensei is a Godan (5th degree black belt) in Aikido and is the founder and head instructor of Shobu Aikido of Ohio.
He began his study of the martial arts with Karate in 1977, and in 1987 began his study of Aikido with Bill Gleason Shihan at Shobu Aikido of Boston. In 2001 he moved back to his home town of Toledo to found Shobu Aikido of Ohio, and in 2005 began co-leading intensive Shobu Okugyo retreats with Gleason Shihan which focused on Kototama and Aiki Principle.
in 2013 he was awarded the rank of Godan (5th Degree Black Belt) by Gleason Shihan.
Jay appears extensively in Gleason Sensei's 2001 Video 'Aikido and Japanese Sword' as well as his 2009 book 'Aikido and Words of Power.'
Jay's dojo is an affiliate of Aikido Schools of Ueshieba, and he has studied with Mitsugi Saotome Shihan and Hiroshi Ikeda Shihan at numerous Seminars, and also studied internal power and Aiki training with Dan Harden and Howard Popkin.