James Pugliese (born Newark, New Jersey, 1952) is an American percussionist, drummer, composer and international recording artist on over 150 CDs of experimental, jazz and rock music.

He spent twelve years as a member of Dean Drummond’s Newband and The Harry Partch Ensemble, studying and performing microtonal music.

For the last thirty years, while living in the East Village of New York City, Jim has been improvising recording and touring with many of downtown's most prominent composer/improvisers including John Zorn, Marc Ribot, Zeena Parkins, Bobby Previte and Anthony Coleman.

One of his latest projects "Phase III" is a continuation of his ongoing quest to combine his diverse performing experiences into a single new sound with its base in rhythm.

His other current projects include a collaborative band "IDR" with Marco Cappelli, exploring the relationship between Southern Italian Folk Music and Improvisation and his newest project “Big Easy” Pugliese currently teaches composition and percussion at New York's Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts.