I am a full-time professional keyboardist. Play all styles of piano, but lately jazz, funk, fusion, r&b, rock, latin, blues and musicals. Attended McNally Smith College of Music in St. Paul for Keyboard Performance. I have had additional private study with Jackie Okoh (classical), Tom Hunter (blues), Nachito Herrera (jazz & Latin jazz), Laura Caviani (jazz & theory), and the late great, Bobby Peterson (jazz & theory).
Me? Primary keysman in 7 Twin Cities bands:
8 Switch (rock/funk/r&b)
Rare Medium (jazz/funk/fusion)
The Dee Miller Band (blues)
The Tesfa Combos (jazz)
Manguito (latin jazz/salsa/bossa nova/tropical)
Native Sons (alt rock/psychedelic)
Big Toe & the Jam (variety)
Currently also perform as a sub or add'l player with:
Memphis, Funktasia, The House Band, Tom Bright, Dan Ristrom, Power of Ten, Jistoray, Roger James Quartet (jazz).
Available and open to all genres. The more I play, the more I learn. The more I learn, the better I can enhance your band.
Previously played in these bands:
The Phat Four (fusion), Hopkins High Jazz One (big band), NIK NYC (hip hop), M Theory (rock & soul revue), UST Jazz Ensemble (big band), Jeff Wenberg (rock), Prior Avenue (classic R&B/soul/funk), as well as numerous college ensembles and throw together bands (mostly jazz).
Available as a session keyboardist and have references available from several engineers and producers.
Also currently contract with St. Paul Public School District and many churches to accompany and/or music direct their plays and musicals.
Influences
Marcia Ball, David Benoit, Dave Brubeck, Michel Camilo, Chick Corea, Claude Debussy, Dr. John, George Duke, Danny Elfman, Hiromi Euhara, Bill Evans, Donald Fagen, Vince Guaraldi, George Gershwin, Michael Giacchino, Herbie Hancock, Nachito Herrera, Tom Hunter, Irakere, Bob James, Keith Jarrett, Yoko Kanno, Alicia Keys, Mike Kindred, Chuck Leavell, Michel Legrande, Ramsey Lewis, Tanya Maria, Kieko Matsui, Bruce McCabe, Les McCann, John Medeski, Thelonious Monk, Ennio Morricone, Jelly Roll Morton, Maceo Parker, Bobby Peterson, Oscar Peterson, Ricky Peterson, Billy Powell, Professor Longhair, Greg Rolie, Joe Sample, Horace Silver, Chester Thompson, Hiromi Uehara, Chucho Valdéz, Tom Waits, Steve Winwood, Stevie Wonder, Mitch Woods, Joe Zawinul
Equipment List
Currently use my Nord Stage 88, Roland FP-3, MicroKorg Synth/Vocoder, JBL Eon2-15s for performance. I'd like to add a Nord C2 to fill out my organ selection.