I have loved, studied and played music since I was a young child. After high school I toured the U.S. extensively and taught percussion classes in my home town of Albuquerque, NM when I wasn't on the road. After a few years of touring and teaching, I received the Jazz Bird scholarship for jazz performance at Arizona State University where I studied under Chuck Marohnic (pianist for jazz drummer Buddy Rich) percussionist J.B. Smith, and Latin percussionist Dom Moio (author of Latin Percussion in Perspective). While at ASU I had the privilege of working with Gunther Schuller, the legendary composer and champion of 'third stream' music who worked with such legends as Miles Davis and Charles Mingus. After college I returned to touring, performing my own style of electronic and percussion music and sitting in with many different bands from rock and blues to jazz to country. In 2007 I relocated to Portland, Oregon and quickly became immersed in the local music scene, playing in numerous bands around town. These days I stay busy as a music professor at Portland Community College, teaching privately, composing and performing for my current project Small Skies, while also contributing to many other acts in Portland.

 

Musicians I've played shows and/or worked with: Spoon, The Raincoats, Aurora, Com Truise, Gunther Schuller, Maynard Ferguson, Bobby Shew, Starf**er, Poolside, Passion Pit, Explode Into Colors, Pure Bathing Culture, Wild Ones, Antibalas etc...