I'm an alto, tenor, and soprano saxophonist, who's been playing for close to 25 years.  I also play the "EWI" (Electronic Wind Instrument).  I'm also a saxophone designer - "Santee Saxophones", was officially launched in January, 2007.  Before that, I spent over a year designing my Santee M27 Pro-Fusion professional saxophone line.  I'm very happy how these saxophones play! - and am praying many professional contemporary players will also!  (click HERE for a brief video clip of my playing Santee "M27 Pro-Fusion" tenor saxophone)

I'm also a saxophone educator and author - I've written a book on improvisation called "Jazz Improv Lab Dominant 7" (and created an accompaniment MP3 CD "Jazz Improv Lab Dominant 7 Tracks"); written two saxophone instructional books  "SAXOPHONE - Everything Sax Players Should Know!", and "JAZZ SAXOPHONE - Everything JAZZ Sax Players Should Know!", and designed a music Lesson Journal (temporarily un-available to order), and made an 11" x 17" poster print featuring some of my favorite Alternate and Altissimo Saxophone Fingerings.

My goal in life, NOW, is to praise Jesus Christ, and show through God's Word (the Bible) how people can get saved from eternity in hell.  I was pushing for a career in music (which I still am doing, but from a totally different perspective, which is MUCH more difficult than the ALREADY DIFFICULT road - my music MUST honor God, tough to do in a secular world!), but God caught my attention in 2004 by allowing me to get cancer, which I'm actually very grateful for!  That experience forced me to slow down, and it forced me to seriously think about my death and eternity.  Before that difficult time in my life, I THOUGHT I was a Christian, but thanks to the slowdown that God provided, God drew me to His Word, the Bible, and He drew me towards sound biblical teaching by programs by Adrian Rogers, D. James Kennedy, and John MacArthur.  Before all of this, I already knew that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh (John 1:1, John 1:14, etc.),  I knew Jesus Christ died on the cross (Matthew 27:35, 50), and I knew He rose from the dead on the third day (Luke 24:7, 24:36).  BUT I DIDN'T KNOW that Jesus' sacrificial death/shed blood upon the cross was done to pay the sin debt for anyone who will ACCEPT HIS OFFER to PAY FOR THEIR SINS.  I knew I was a sinner because God's law, the ten commandments, pointed out what sin is! (which Jesus further clarifies in the New Testament, like in Matthew 5:21, Matthew 5:27-28, etc.).

Here's an illustration: A person breaks the law, the judge says to the criminal "the penalty for your crime is $75,000.00 or 25 years in jail", the criminal responds "I can't pay that fine".  Then someone enters the court room and "offers" the criminal the $75,000.00 to pay the criminal's fine.  The criminal MUST accept the offer and pay the fine with that money, or he will go to jail.

Well, I found out that the Bible says "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." - Romans 6:23. Again, God judges us by His laws (the ten commandments).  We're all guilty of sinning at least one time in our lives (told a lie, or stole something, or coveted something that someone else has, etc.), and we need to repent (having a change of heart, hating sin and turning away from it).  We need to repent , we need to ask for Jesus' forgiveness of our sins, and we need to accept Jesus' offer to PAY for our sins!  "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.  For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.  And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement." - Romans 5:8-11.

I give all thanks and praise to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

"I WAITED patiently for the LORD; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry.  He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.  And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.  Blessed in that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies." - Psalm 40:1-4  (That was David writing in the book of Psalms, I can easily assume that my musical abilities are WAY less than his! - but can really relate to the text in general!!!)

So I'm still obviously going forward musically (and with musical instrument design, and teaching!), re-grouping music-wise, the project that I'm slowly (VERY slowly!) pursuing is a form of jazz/fusion that showcases creativity, intricate musicianship, a variety of emotions that are still God-honoring (so at times, music can be intense, but I aim to keep a rebellious nature completely absent from intense musical landscapes - boundaries like that - so probably no wah-wah pedal and distortion on EWI, or trash ride cymbals used in a manner of keeping time, etc.).  Jazz/fusion HAS an audience, I believe, that is more devoted and appreciative to the smaller details, than the current radio-friendly 'smooth jazz' genre has - so it's not a numbers thing to me, it's about being true to the musical abilities and musicianship (especially in a jazz/fusion format I think!) that God has given me, and it's very important to me to take what God has given me musically, and to try my best to honor Him with every note played!  So it's gotta be done the right way, and that will take more time, but it will be worth the wait I believe!  so I'm very discerning/picky when it comes to what I play, how I play it, what the message is (if there are lyrics), what kind of venue I'm playing anything in (I do not want to perform in venues that make most of their profits by selling alcohol, reason being, God makes it clear we are to avoid moderate drinking of alcohol (1 Peter 4:2-3, Proverbs 20:1, 1 Corinthians 6:10, Galatians 5:21, etc.).  The ballgame has changed - I can't be playing music that promotes values that dishonor God - so the dream I've had since I was in High School, to get my 'big break' by touring as a sideman with world-renowned secular acts, well, 99% of 'em are, sad to say, belting lyrics that promote fornication, rebellion, drinking, living it up, hatred/violence, love of pleasure, love of money, etc. - and a lot of the national acts are flat out into the occult believe it or not! (check out the free video seminars by Jeff Godwin here).  All I know is, life is VERY short, eternity is forever, and it just plain makes sense to get right and say right with God TODAY, because NONE of us are guaranteed tomorrow!!!  Decide today who you will serve - God, or something else?  I choose to serve God, and I'm gonna try my best to do so while I'm still here - and I hope you will choose to do so also!

My educational background:  I received scholarships to attend both Berklee College of Music (in Boston, MA), and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.  While at Berklee, I played tenor sax and EWI in their "Steps/Stern/Scofield Ensemble", and tenor and EWI in Berklee's "Freshman Combo" and studied saxophone with saxophonist George Garzone.   I also studied Electronic Wind Instrument (EWI) with Paul Wagner (contributing writer for Saxophone Journal magazine) and studied ear training with Brazilian vocalist Luciana Sousa.  Also, while at Berklee, I attended a series of saxophone repair master classes by legendary saxophone repairman Emilio Lyons (of Boston's Rayburn Music).

Some of my main musical influences include:  Michael Brecker, David Sanborn, Everette Harp, Nelson Rangell, George Garzone, Joe Lovano, Najee, Dave Koz, Michael Paulo, Greg Vail, John Coltrane, Sonny Stitt, Joe Henderson, Grover Washington Jr., Steps Ahead (with Michael Brecker), the Brecker Bros., etc..

Some of my previous teachers include: Curt Eddie, George Garzone, John Bleuel, Curt Hanrahan, Michelle Hussey & Gerald Olson - and have learned a lot through a few great discussions with saxophonists Joe Lovano and Michael Brecker.  But I also learn from my students, by breaking-down all aspects of playing and learning the saxophone in lessons, I end up putting my own technique and musicianship under the microscope as well!  I have a lot to learn (as we all do), and I pray I never stop learning!

We are all given gifts by Jesus Christ, I'm just trying my best to honor and praise Jesus using the gifts Christ has given me.  I hope to do a lot more recording and performing, God-willing.  I've recorded and/or performed with many different groups over the years - ranging from classical (way back with the UW-Milwaukee Symphony Band, Wind Ensemble, and Sax Quartet) to big band (also w/UW-Milwaukee), and from jazz to funk to rock.  Recorded and performed horn section work and soloing in swing band settings (such as with the "Mr. Lucky Swing Syndicate" band), combo and even a jazz (well "jazzish") trio setting (the fun but short-lived "SPB Projects"), but I have had the most fun playing in contemporary jazz groups (Shammah and Urban Jazz).  I'm currently writing for (off and on), and will hopefully soon be looking forward to recording, my first solo project (when the extra funds needed to do so are available) - but for now, I'm just trying my best to just keep involved in the industry to some degree, and praying Christ wills for me to eventually get my break!  I would love to get the chance to tour as a sideman with a national act someday, or to tour with my own group eventually, but I don't run things, God does, so I trust in Jesus Christ for Him to allow what's best for me, at the TIME that's best for me! (hope that will be soon!).