About
I have been making music for the last 40+ years primarily as a keyboardist. I plays the piano, organ, synthesizers and various percussion. My musical style, while being primarily instrumental, has been highly influenced over the years by my musical heroes: Vangelis, Brian Eno, early Tangerine Dream, Wendy Carlos and Jean Michel Jarre.
I also compose, perform and record soundtrack scores for short films.
In addition to playing keyboards, I am also a composer, drummer and artist.
Feel free to listen to some of my music ranging from solo albums to live concerts and other musical collaborations.
Bio
I was born on October 6th, 1968 in Houston, Texas.
When I was two years old, my parents gave me a toy grand piano as a gift on Christmas morning 1970. I actually remember it very vividly. Because as soon as I unwrapped it and put it together, I realized that I needed a bench or somethin gto sit on, so I looked around and saw the lid of a puzzle box, placed it under me and began to play away on it.
Always drawn to music from a very early age, some of my earliest musical memories around age 4 was looking at the LP record labels and their logos in the center of the vinyl records and the sounds of Henry Mancini, Quincy Jones, The Steve Miller Band, Joe Walsh, Star Wars, Tomita, Jazz, Pop, Funk and Soul Music.
I think I had synesthesia back then because I could actually feel something just by looking at the logos and colors on the records. And I realized that I loved soul and funk music, even at that age.
My musical training didn’t officially begin until the age of ten when I began taking piano lessons and continued for the next seven years. In the sixth grade, I began playing the trombone in the junior high band and continued for the next four years.
1983, as a freshman at Dulles High School, I performed in the marching, concert and jazz bands and competed in UIL tournaments in performance and marching.
In 1984, I began attending Subiaco Academy, a College Preparatory Boarding School in Northwest Arkansas. I began studying classical music during his sophomore, junior and senior years. While there, I was exposed to the compositions of J.S. Bach, Johannes Brahms and Erik Satie.
It was at Subiaco during my junior year that I discovered synthesizers. My first portable keyboard was a Yamaha PSR series synthesizer with half sized keys. I also performed with fellow musicians in my first band “Blind Vision” in 1987 and participated in the school’s Handbell group my senior year.
After Subiaco, I attended The University of North Texas from 1987-88. While at UNT, I was fortunate to have a plethora of other musicians to collaborate with on projects and learn musical techniques from.
It was in my freshman year that I learned how to multi-track with a Tascam 4-track recorder and various other keyboards. I also had the amazing opportunity to access the school’s midi lab with another student and use a full array of high end digital equipment including samplers, synthesizers and music software.
1989, I bought a Casio keyboard with full-size keys and a built in phrase sampler.
In 1991, I began to teach himself how to play the drums while sitting on other people’s kits. This would continue until 2007 when I finally got my own 6 piece jazz fusion drum kit.
The turning point was in 1992 when I received a Korg M1 Music Workstation. It featured a digital 8-track sequencer, 76 full size keys, built in effects, 200 sound patches plus additional sound cards. This was truly the beginning of my musical compositions coming to life. Once a piece was complete, it was recorded onto a cassette and kept as a master. The composition process eventually became very organic with a hybridization of real time playing mixed with sequencing.
Over the years, I added additional synthesizers, percussion and learned how to play the organ. In 2003, I bought his first 88 weighted key synthesizer and a Tascam Digital 8-track recorder.
Currently, I play an Alesis Fusion 8HD, a SK-1 Hammond organ, and a Deepmind 12, plus a few other analog synthesizers.
I also learned how to mix tracks and edit the wave files using music software and use a midi controller to trigger sound patches.
I have recorded over 200+ original songs and performed with my bands Escher’s Elevator about 8 times, and Magpu in over 108 concerts in 4 states.
I currently compose, record, mix and create the artwork for my own musical projects and soundtracks for independent films. I also perform LIVE Electro Acoustic music with my band Escher’s Elevator and with fellow musician Cliff McCarthy.
In addition to being a musician, I am an accomplished and innovative artist specializing in a variety of creative mediums ranging from pen & ink, airbrush & digital illustration to animation, album covers and graphic design.