Musical Profile

Music has been at the core of my entire life. For over 40 years, my primary interest and instrument has been the guitar. In my teens, I became very interested in composition and devoted time and study to this area of my musical development. Attending Berklee College of Music, and composition classes at Harvard University, as well as studying with some of the leading teachers in the Boston area laid the foundation for me to compose original compositions on a professional level. My compositions have been heard on National Public Radio, The Discovery Channel, and national documentaries, including The American Experience. I have also composed music to support advertising, public service announcements, and industrial videos.

The majority of my work, however, has been centered on writing music that stands on its own and is not intended to be support materials for other mediums. In 1996, I wrote, recorded, performed, and produced my first solo CD entitled West of Everything. While I have greatly enjoyed working on other musical projects and CDs, "West of Everything" holds a special place for me because of the personal statement I could make by being the solo artist.

I have played and studied the guitar for over four decades, exploring many musical genres. My main interests include jazz, rock, classical, Celtic, and Brazilian guitar styles. I have been involved with various jazz, rock, and experimental groups. I have also played in a variety of styles on numerous occasions as a session guitarist. Additionally, for the last 25 years I been teaching guitar, focusing on fingerstyle, electric/acoustic improvising techniques, and my personal workshop “The Guitarist as a Composer.”

Currently, I am working on a series of original guitar duets with my long-time friend and playing partner, Kevin Smith. Kevin is a wonderful musician and one of the finest guitarist I know, having helped lead me through the trenches of learning fingerstyle and classical guitar, I feel blessed to be working with such a creative talent. We are hoping to have our CD released sometime in the next year or so.

Please visit my guitar and instruction pages for further details on my musical thinking and background. If you’re interested in hearing audio samples of my compositions, please visit the audio clips page.