Teachers
I’ll start by acknowledging the excellent saxophone teachers I’ve had the good fortune to study with over the years: Dave Tofani, Frank Foster, Warne Marsh, Gary Klein (U. of Bridgeport), Nathan Davis (U. of Pittsburgh), Bob Kolb (during high school), and Richie Grando (informal lessons on the bandstand). Combining their teachings with listening to so many great players in all genres of music has played a large part in my development as a musician, and I’m grateful for that.
Influences
Music is a continuum, and we all draw on the inspiration we gain from others, past and present. There have been many great musicians I’ve listened to over the years who’ve had an impact on helping me develop my own voice as a player. Those who particularly resonated with me include John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Wilton Felder, Grover Washington Jr., Michael Brecker, Hank Mobley, Dexter Gordon, Art Pepper, Cannonball Adderley, Lenny Pickett, and David Sanborn.
I also still love listening to old ’50s rock and R&B tenor saxophonists on popular recordings from that era by artists such as Fats Domino, Little Richard, The Coasters, etc. The big, boisterous sound those players had has always attracted me.
My Musical Journey – Early Years
After failed attempts at learning piano and violin, my musical journey began in Westport, Connecticut when I started playing the tenor saxophone the summer before I entered 9th grade. Although I began learning the instrument 4 years later than most of my classmates I caught on quickly, and in my senior year I landed a spot in the McDonald’s Tri-State High School Jazz ensemble. After studying for a year at the University of Pittsburgh, I returned to Connecticut and earned a degree in Music Education at the University of Bridgeport. At Bridgeport, I received the Orlando Vitello award for most promising incoming jazz player and the Presser Award as the top music student entering senior year.
During my high school and college years I got a great education in the nuances of playing in large jazz ensembles from Neal Slater and Bill Finegan at the University of Bridgeport, and Tom Alberts at Staples High School. While attending high school and college I also played with and eventually became musical director of the Fred Robinson Orchestra, a group for high school and college musicians that exposed me to many of the great big band hits from the swing era.
Following college I was able to further develop my knowledge and experience with large jazz ensembles when I formed my own big band, which I led for three years. During that time I also studied arranging privately with Bill Finegan, and I still sometimes write my own big band arrangements and horn charts for bands I play with now.
Formal education aside, during my formative years I learned a great deal at the legendary blues jam sessions held at CD’s Cafe in Norwalk, CT during the 1980s. I met many musicians there who I still play with, and those contacts led to many gigs with a wide variety of musical groups that further enhanced my developing style in rock, funk, and blues. Of those, I’d like to acknowledge The Boomers, Billy & the Showmen, and Big Eric & the Budget Crunch as providing particularly valuable and fun experiences that I will never forget.
I also have many great memories from playing in original rock bands led or co-led by John Lamb during the 1980s, including Revelations and The Five O’Clocks. I got my first studio recording experiences with those bands and we played at some legendary New York City clubs that are no longer in existence, including CBGB, The Peppermint Lounge, and The Bottom Line.