My parents chose it.

I really enjoyed playing live when I use to do it. Especially with the guys that I was playing with. Incredible musicians. It's where you really grow as a player but it has been quite a while now. Playing live all of the time puts an edge on your skills as a player which unfortunately I've lost somewhat. I can still hold my own though. There use to be this hole in the wall in Charlotte called Mac Macs. We, (HangTime) had a standing Monday night gig there for a couple of years. The stage was just big enough for the quartet, drums, bass, vibraphone player who also played flute and myself on guitar. A lot of the players in town would come down and sit in the last couple of sets. Sometimes there would be a full horn section with us up on that little stage. Extremely crowed but the folks that came out to see us loved it. They drank some good beer, enjoyed the music and hooped and hollered. We're talking about the south now! We had a great time. We actually played for tips in that place and the four of us would leave there with about $150.00 apiece. Not bad for a nights worth of work back in the eighties. I do miss that. It's been almost 18 years since I've performed live due to my schedule as an airline pilot but I do keep my chops up and continue to compose and record in my studio. I'm home more and I'm just happy to fly my gig, come home to my wife and dog and create music. It's worked out well for me and I am happy with the way things are.

The internet has allowed musicians like myself, the ability to get our music out to the listening world regardless of what the labels are doing. I'm always amazed by looking at the stats page and seeing listeners from China, India, US, Canada, Germany, Iran, Japan, Afghanistan, Philippines, Australia, from all over the world come to the site and listen to my music. There are jazz fans in every corner of the planet. I've always thought that was pretty neat.

Deal with a major? For a jazz guitarist? Sure, but not likely. I'm not going to quit my day job. I'm content composing, recording and keeping the brain and fingers musically working. If something were to happen past that then I would have to cross that bridge when I got to it.

Attended the University of Miami school of music in the jazz program for a couple of years back in 1980. Moved back to Charlotte, NC in 85' and began playing around town in various pick up groups. Mostly straight ahead stuff. Was a founding member of the jazz quartet "HangTime" with Chris Peck, Flute, Vibraphone, Ben Williams, Bass and Scott Mclaughlin on drums. We stayed pretty busy in the Charlotte area. I was also the founding member of the "Trio Grande' " with Rick Blackwell, Bass and Michael Porter on Flute. Stayed quite busy doing that. Recorded my first project in 87' (To the Top) that featured some great musicians from Charlotte, Michael Porter, Flute, Donny Marshall, Drums, Mark Stallings, Piano, Rick Blackwell, Bass, Jim Brock, Percussion, Jon Thorton on Trumpet and Tim Gorden on Saxophone. Signed a P&D deal with ITI Records back in 88'. About a month before shipping the masters ITI went bankrupt. So needless to say, the deal was over before it started. I was starting to fly quite a bit at that time so I decided to pursue aviation as a career. Recorded my 2nd CD in 96' (Night Passions). Got a lot of good response from labels but no deals. Roster full for this year, check back next year etc.... Recorded two CDs of jazz standards (Out of Nowhere) 2001 and (My Favorite Things) 2007. Just released a new CD entitled (See You There) 2009 on CDBaby. So I'm staying busy keeping my chops up, writing, recording new projects and eventually uploading them here to SoundClick.com

Grew up listening and learning to play mostly rock & roll. My older brother played so there was always a guitar sitting around. Man, he use to beat my ass when I messed with his guitar. LOL I liked groups like Grand Funk Railroad, Doobie Bros, Allman Bros, Frank Zappa. Heard my first George Benson record (Breezin) in 78' and that was it. I was just fascinated by the way he plays, his concept of tonality, timing, sound etc.... He still to this day blows me away. Nobody's in George's league. This of course, led me to Wes Montgomery, Pat Martino, and a host of other great players. There's a guy by the name of Barry Greene that I like a lot too but my main influences of course have been George Benson, Pat Martino and Wes Montgomery.

Home. Always great to come home but I would also say Washington, DC. Going there and seeing the history of our country makes me damn proud to be an American.

Right now I'm playing a 1979 Ibanez GB-20. I also have a 79' Ibanez GB-10 and a 1990 Ibanez GB-12. I play them all through either a 78' Polytone 104 or a reissue of the original Polytone minibrute. A little compression and some reverb and that's it. I'll also use a Fender Strat played through a Digitech 2101 for rhythm parts, picked parts etc.... on the pop jazz things I write. I'm having a custom 16" archtop built by Fred Welker in Nashville, looking forward to getting that.

Yogi Berra Explains Jazz

Interviewer: Can you explain jazz?
Yogi: I can't, but I will. 90% of all jazz is half improvisation. The other
half is the part people play while others are playing something they never
played with anyone who played that part. So if you play the wrong part, its
right. If you play the right part, it might be right if you play it wrong
enough. But if you play it too right, it's wrong.
Interviewer: I don't understand.
Yogi: Anyone who understands jazz knows that you can't understand it. It's
too complicated. That's whats so simple about it.
Interviewer: Do you understand it?
Yogi: No. That's why I can explain it. If I understood it, I wouldnt know
anything about it.
Interviewer: Are there any great jazz players alive today?
Yogi: No. All the great jazz players alive today are dead. Except for the
ones that are still alive. But so many of them are dead, that the ones that
are still alive are dying to be like the ones that are dead. Some would kill
for it.
Interviewer: What is syncopation?
Yogi: That's when the note that you should hear now happens either before
or after you hear it. In jazz, you don't hear notes when they happen because
that would be some other type of music. Other types of music can be jazz,
but only if they're the same as something different from those other kinds.
Interviewer: Now I really don't understand.
Yogi: I haven't taught you enough for you to not understand jazz that well.
Well, there you have it, Jazz. LOL :)
Just want to thank all of the listeners who have visited my site here. I hope everyone found something that appealed to them and of course, you are always welcomed back any time.