Fifth grade came along and while I was pursuing the quick lived hockey career, the music/band teacher strolled into class and asked if anyone wanted to be in the school band.  At the time I had been studying piano for two years and figured, why not give the drums a shot and 'voila' here I am sixteen years later chasing a music career.

Early on, rock-n-roll was the thing for me.  Whatever was on the radio in the early eighties would jar the ear:  Journey, Rush, Def Leppard, Aerosmith and the like.

One night in late 1983 (sixth grade) I saw and heard the Trooper video by Iron Maiden and that really steered me on to a new road.  I was hooked.  In the seventh grade, I came home one day to find a new drum set in my bedroom (it was my birthday).   The two drummers that were in Iron Maiden, Clive Burr and Nicko McBrain were my first two influences.  From there came bands like Kiss and then Neil Peart of Rush would become a mainstay throughout high school.  I also discovered groups like Spyro Gyra, Pat Metheny, Steely Dan, Yes and other 'fusion' groups.  While studying with Jonathan Mover (GTR, Joe Satriani, Alice Cooper), I asked to borrow some of his massive Frank Zappa collection and I have been all over it ever since.  By the time I was a senior in high school I became a huge fan of other drummers such as Dave Weckl, Vinnie Colaiuta, Omar Hakim, Simon Philips, Dennis Chambers, Steve Jordan, Jeff Pocaro and Manu Katche and Terry Bozzio.

The college years at the University of Nevada Las Vegas saw me become heavily influenced by all the 'fusion/jazz' groups:  Chick Corea Elektric Band, Steps Ahead, Michel Camilo, Al DiMeola, Allan Holdsworth with and whomever Vinnie Colaiuta was playing.   The last two years of college was buried in jazz music, all of it.  Standout drummers are all of the obvious players:  Tony Williams (especially), Philly Joe Jones, Elvin Jones, Art Blakely and of course Jeff 'Tain' Watts.  After graduation from college I began the upward road of a music career.  I began studying with Zoro (Lenny Kravitz, Bobby Brown, Frankie Valli) and he turned me on to all of the R&B sounds including soul and funk which has become a very important influence on me.

While at UNLV I studied quite a bit of percussion.  I won a first place prize in the Percussive Arts Society International Marimba Competition in November of 1993.  I was also awarded in that same year, part of the Buddy Rich Memorial Scholarship.   Performances with the Nevada Symphony Orchestra also proved to be very helpful.  Also while at UNLV, I began performing with Geoff Neuman, bass player of Epstein's Mother.  Earlier while I was in high school, I was chosen to perform with the National High School Honors Orchestra, which performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.  I was also chosen to many honors performing groups such as the Massachusetts Northeast District and All-State Orchestras.

Various jobs in and around the Las Vegas area have supplied me with much experience and dues paid.  My experience in playing Top 40, R&B, country, various jazz gigs and a mobile percussion ensemble that performs at the Fremont Street Experience is something that has helped me develop into who I am as a percussionist.  I also performed in the summer of 1997 with the Old Moscow Circus in Tokyo, Japan.

Drumming in Epstein's Mother started off as a challenge because I had never played modern rock until then, but it was an optimum move.  I enjoy being in a group where friendship is just as important as the music.  I look forward very much to the avenues that we will journey.
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