Originally from Queens, NY, I grew up listening to my older brother’s records, playing along with the radio, performing in school concerts, and writing songs about my observations as a young, disgruntled teen. After several years of piano lessons, I attended the High School of Performing Arts in Manhattan and Berklee College of Music in Boston, where my lifelong dream of playing in bands was finally realized! From there I went to Los Angeles and began playing in r&b bands, where I opened for Harold Melvyn and the Blue Notes and played keyboards with the late Martha Reeves, all of which taught me how to be a rhythm section player – much like a jigsaw puzzle where all the parts need to fit together to impact the listener as a BAND, not just as individual players.

My first original band was a true labor of love, as I got to write songs and record on ‘spec’ at Lion Share Studies (then owned by Kenny Rogers) — my first time EVER inside a studio, and it was surreal not knowing (or caring) whether it was day or night! After that I continued writing and recording original music while becoming a full-time working musician, which had me playing every type of gig imaginable… the Hollywood club scene, concerts, festivals, casinos, bars, restaurants, wineries, house parties, swap meets, bowling alleys, and everything in-between! I also did some recording sessions, had my instrumental music placed through Omni Music and got to write jingles for Hansen’s Soda and Dodge Colt.