Career highlights:

    I've played and endorsed Fibes drums since 1999. Their reputaion for quality is legendary. Watch www.fibes.com for some great news coming soon! I am indebted to Tommy and Stacy Robertson for their support and generosity.

    I play Xilxo Cymbals exclusively. Owned by my good friend Erce Gohkan, Xilxo cymbals are made in Turkey. Available through www.cymbalhouse.com and at Cymbalhouse in Covington, KY. Check out Xilxo and get to know Erce - you can thank me later. Erce is the only person I've met who can find a gem better than I can.

    From 1999 - 2010, I was an endoser for Istanbul Cymbals. For the first 4 years, the North American distributor was less than ten miles from my house! Literally, they'd call me when a crate from Istanbul arrived. I'd help get the crate off the truck, open it, and then have first choice of anything I wanted out of thousands of cymbals - every other month! You could say I was a little spoiled, but in the process I developed a great ear for choosing cymbals. I've helped drummers everywhere choose cymbals.

    From 2006 to 2007 I had the honor of playing with sax legend Leroy "Hog" Cooper (RIP) as a member of Orlando-based Smokin' Torpedoes - Leroy was bandleader for Ray Charles for 20 years.

    In 2005 I was invited to teach at the World Music Festival at Berklee School of Music in Boston, MA along with Horatio Hernandez and Kenwood Dennard and other drumming greats. It was an honor to be invited to perform at the post-festival faculty blowout at the Berklee Performing Arts Center.


People I've been lucky to work with (some long term, others a one nighter):

    Chris Stovall Brown (Boston Blues icon, W.C. Handy nominated producer)
    Danny Morris (Nighthawks fame)
    Gary Swinard (UFO, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame)
    Aiyb Dieng (African percussionist, Herbie Hancock et al.)
    Harold "Jiggs" Lemley (pedal steel player with Patsy Kline, Hawkshaw Hopkins, Grand Ole Opry)
    Billy Fayard (New Orleans pianist, The Stokes, Allan Toussaint)
    David Antonio Herrero (Chicago)
    Felix Reyes (Austin - Atlanta - Chicago)
    James Peterson (RIP)
    Ralph Gillotti (RIP, original member of Wilmer Alexander & the Dukes (Geneva - Rochester, NY)
    Steve Piper & Roadhouse (Springfield, MA)
    Alan Qualtieri's Bagfull of Blues (Boston, MA)

In the Orlando region:

    Buster Kelley - B.K. & the Broilers
    The Jeff Willy Blues Band
    The Smokin' Torpedoes - featuring Leroy "Hog" Cooper
    Bird Dog Bobby & the Honeyhounds
    Art Harris & the Z-Tones
    Sarasota Slim
    The Road Dawgs
    Big Rick & the Troublemakers
    King Rockahula - had a CD that got tremendous airplay
    Kid Dutch & the Perseverance Hall Jazz Band - New Orleans Jazz
    The Porchdogs - Cajun/Zydeco festival band.
    Teague Stefan band
    Tom Evan Trio
    Doc & the Healers

 

Prior to moving to Orlando, in Fort Myers I performed with:
    Greg Stott (RIP) & the Windy City Blues Band
    Punda Melia Reggae Band
    Sundown - CMA Award winning band
    Anti-M
Professional Studies
    Jim Chapin (Author, Advanced Techniques for the Modern Drummer I & II RIP)
    Les DeMerle (Sinatra, Manhattan Transfer, Les DeMerle Transfusion featuring Bonnie Eisele)
    Frank Briggs (L.A. session great, author of several acclaimed instruction video/books)

    Robert K. Schmidt (noted Broadway Pit Drummer/Jazz Master)
Recordings
    The Paul Stott group
    King Rockahula - Ain't Doin Too Bad
    Porchdogs - Fido on the Bayou
    Anti M/Fluffy Gun
    Sundown (FL CMA Band of the Year)
    Punda Melia
    Numerous tracks at Schuler Studios in Framingham, MA and Club 69 Studios, and Full Sail in Orlando, FL
    Dozens of band demos

about