Bio
Amsterdam, the summer of ‘05
I’m a native of Escondido, California, a city just North of San Diego. My immediate family lives in or near town, and I grew up in a very creative-friendly environment, my own creativity much nurtured by my family. I began playing music in middle school, playing tuba in the band. I was fortunate enough to get accepted into the Coronado School for the Arts, or CoSA. It’s special school inside of a normal public high school that offers a college-esque experience in terms of music education. I attended your basic slew of high school classes, then I got take courses in music history, theory, technology, conducting, just to name several. Those of us in the Instrumental Music Department of CoSA got to get together and play, form groups, write songs, etc… We were free to explore our passions in whatever direction we wanted. We were classical violists, aspiring jazz trombonists, Celtic fiddlers, singer-songwriter guitarists, heavy-metal bassists, composition-minded French horn players, folk-fusion mandolinists, and many others, all put together and free to mix and mingle. Our department was headed by Dr. Carl Hammond, who bravely took on the responsibly of wrangling all of us in. Even though I auditioned as a classical tubist, I began to take up playing the piano. Over the course my high school days, I played less and less tuba and more and more piano, focusing primarily on jazz. Myself and some other guys in the program who were too interested in jazz formed a little jazz quintet called Heat Activated Rhythm, and soon we were the vanguard ensemble for CoSA, being sent out to play various events and representing the school. We also got gigs ourselves (CoSA gigs didn’t pay that often, unfortunately), and I was able to write music specifically tailored for the band. Playing together was a great learning experience for all of us, I think. We’re still good friends and continue to play together. Music is still a major factor in all of our lives. Looking back, being in CoSA was directly responsible for me wanting to become a musician, and subsequently enrolling at San Diego State University as a jazz piano performance major. I’m currently in my senior year there. Besides playing in school, I work and play with many talented San Diego players and bands, including Chris Klich and his jazz quintet, blues-rock band Maddox Revolution, funky New Orleans group The Big Mo’ Band, smoky jazz vocal stylist Joanna Royal and her trio, as well as others. I also write music, and am currently working on an album of original jazz. It’s still a concept, of course, but I’m determined to make it a reality before long.
I’ve been implausibly lucky in my little life. I’ve had the invaluable support of my family and friends, the tutelage of remarkable teachers like Dr. Carl Hammond and Rick Helzer (my current instructor at SDSU), and countless opportunities to play with great players here in San Diego, both in and out of school. I am truly grateful.