a bit about myself
I began my musical sojourn on 3 coffee cans with ballpoint pens as sticks at age 8...my father [himself a musician] found me one day in our living room [with light-colored carpet and couch] banging away at my “drums”...ink was EVERYwhere, and my dad quickly figured that I would soon ruin the house if a set of real drums was not found.
A real set [circa 1960s Ludwig] was procured from his boss and I began drum lessons on my ninth birthday. Not long after that, Dad & I found a restaurant close to our house in Kettering, OH that had live jazz 4 nites a week. That did it...I knew right then what the rest of my life would in pursuit of.
After much involvement in “sitting in”, starting at age 9, youth orchestra, jazz band at school [plus one outside of school], I began my undergraduate at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music in 1979, completing a Bachelor of Jazz and Commercial Music degree in 1983, and staying on to complete a Masters of Music in Percussion in 1986.
Then came New York City in 1989...I worked with a number of different groups, from jazz to 60s rhythm and blues. I was fortunate to work with Gerry Mulligan before he passed away, and other jazz artists such as Dr. Billy Taylor, Jim McNeely, Mike Richmond, Big Nick Nicholas, Jim Rotundi, Marlene VerPlanck and more.
In 1992, Nancy and I moved to Denver, CO and I have since been very active in the jazz scene, playing with folks like Eddie Daniels, Bobby Shew, Nick Brignola, Charles McPherson, Nnenna Freelon, Roseanna Vitro, Eddie Harris, Lew Tabackin, Rickey Woodard, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Ingrid Jensen, Jon Hendricks, Richie Cole, Javon Jackson, Red Holloway, Mose Allison, Bob Dorough and a host of others. I am also fortunate to work with some of the best players on the local Denver scene, including Ken Walker, Dave Corbus, Pat Bianchi, Eric Gunnison, Mark Simon, Greg Gisbert. Denver has a great jazz scene.
For an “official” resume, click here .