Education :

Jazz Major at North Texas State University - '79-'80
and the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee - '80-'84.

Bio : (in no particular order)

'97 - '04 World Tours, two CDs and live 2004 DVD from Ludwigsburg, Germany with the Al Dimeola Electric Band.

12 years and 2 cds with Ramsey Lewis.

Tours with Joe Williams, Wyndham Hill flautist Douglas Spotted Eagle, Blue Note’s Patricia Barber, saxophonist Art Porter, saxophonist Stanley Turrentine, singer Dianne Reeves, percussionist Bill Summers.

Concerts with Jazz singer Kurt Elling, LA session legend Jimmy Stewart, Yanni's violinist Karen Briggs, Fusion bassist Billy Dickens, Smooth Jazz saxophonist Steve Cole, Jazz guitarist Phil Upchurch, Baabe Irving III - mid-'80's keyboardist for Miles Davis, Melvin Rhyne - original organist on the Wes Montgomery Trio’s first three recordings, concert with Stanley Turrentine and special guest Dizzy Gillespie, keyboardist Bobby Lyle, Jazz saxophonist Richie Cole, James Moody with bassist Rufus Reid, Buster Williams, singer Ursula Dudziak and Joe Zawinul, Slide Hampton, Frank Morgan, Arturo Sandoval, Jazz organist Charles Earland, Wynton Marsalis Septet trombonist Wycliff Gordon, pianist Michael Wolff, trumpeters Marvin Stamm and Clark Terry, Pharoah Sanders, Ahmad Jamal, saxophonist James Spaulding, The Bodeans.

Gigs and CD with Kenny Drew Jr. 3 gigs and CD with Anthony Jackson.

Clinic with bassists Victor Wooten and Steve Bailey. Organ concert and clinic with organists Jack Mcduff and Joey DeFrancesco. Gigs and CDs each with trumpeter Orbert Davis and Jazz vocalist Grazyna Auguscik. Saxophonist Red Holloway. Jazz, Funk and Worldbeat concerts under his own name.

Recordings: over 60 plus recordings with different groups of various styles. In particular: Recorded Al Dimeola's 1998 CD "The Infinite Desire" and 2002 CD "Flesh On Flesh" with Anthony Jackson on bass. Live DVD in 2004. Recorded Ramsey Lewis' 1999 CD "Apassionado" and 2002 CD "Meant To Be" with Nancy Wilson.

Performed and co-wrote the soundtrack and appeared in The 1995 motion picture "A Family Thing" starring Robert Duvall and James Earl Jones. Also, Gumbi Ortiz’s Latin CD with Kenny Drew Jr.

Recorded Michael Cunningham's cd with bassist Jimmy Haslip of the Yellowjackets and NY guitarist Mike Stern. Yet to be released.

Involved in the Chicago / Milwaukee and National Jingle Scene for the past 15 years. 

Teaching Experience: in 1995 became a Ravinia Jazz Mentor - a program that allows me to go to Chicago's Inner-City High Schools to tutor young drummers and percussionists to prepare them for professional gigs as well as impart on them lessons in life skills.