I was born in California in 1967 and started playing the sax when I was 9 years old. In junior high I began studying with local sax teacher and performer Don Hawkins, who stressed the importance of playing by ear and listening in general. I continued studying with him until going away to college. Attending Indiana University, I studied with David Baker, who helped me learn to integrate my singing my hearing and my playing. Transfering to Berklee School of Music I studied with Bill Pierce who helped me a lot with technique and George Garzone who focused on the more conceptual elements of improvisation. Finally, I graduated from the New School for Social Research where I studied again with George Garzone and with Reggie Workman who also helped me with a conceptual understanding of music. Between going to Berklee and Graduating from the New School, I lived and played in Portland Oregon for a year and then moved to Japan, where I played and studied Zen meditation for almost 5 years before moving to New York. Now, I've been in New York for 5 years and am living and playing local gigs and occasional tours, please check my calendar for dates and locations.