My goal in life is to praise Jesus Christ.  God had caught my attention in 2004 by allowing me to get cancer.  That experience forced me to slow down, and it forced me to seriously think about death and eternity.  Before that difficult time in my life, I THOUGHT I was a Christian, but thanks to the slowdown, and being physically damaged/limited (I'm ok now, left w/a few scars to remind me!), God drew me to the Bible, and 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 (aka "the Word") 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' death upon the cross was done to pay the sin debt FOR THOSE WHO WILL ACCEPT HIS OFFER TO PAY FOR THEIR SINS.  I knew I was a sinner because God's law, the ten commandments, point out sin (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.

Although I know that within my lifetime, my playing will never get to be good enough to adequately praise and glorify Him, nonetheless, I hope my mention of this here will help give Christ a little more praise than I could ever offer in just my saxophone playing alone.  I give all thanks and praise to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

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, and made an 11" x 17" poster print featuring some of my favorite Alternate and Altissimo Saxophone Fingerings.

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!). 

Over the last 5 years (roughly), and more so today, I've learned through the reading of God's Word (the Bible, an accurately translated one that is!!! = KJV) that I need to be careful, to showcase what I can do and to do (my best to do!) everything to the glory of God, but also to be humble about it (God says He gives grace to the humble) and to have the music I play to be God-honoring, which is VERY tricky sometimes - a VERY fine line to walk! - 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 sell alcohol, which obviously limits just about EVERY musician who plays contemporary jazz!).  Reason being, God makes it VERY 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.).  So... what direction will I take?  Wait and see :)  A dream of mine is to play with very skilled like-minded Christian musicians who are able to AND WANT TO walk that fine line, using our musical gifts to skillfully and creatively praise Jesus Christ.  I'm a BIG fan of contemporary jazz (fusion), there's space to have extended soloing; arrangements that are not as bound by time, which are mapped-out in a thoughtful, creative, and tricky manner (whatever the music calls for).  I'm really diggin' the "fusiony" stuff that Everette Harp gets into on a few specific tunes off of his latest CD (released in 2009).  I also am inspired by Steps Ahead (their earlier recordings from the 80's especially), Mike Stern, Nelson Rangell (especially his playing/compositions done around the time of his "In Every Moment" recording), David Sanborn's stuff he did in that 80's and early 90's era... also Michael Brecker (especially his recordings from the late 80's and early 90's), the Brecker Bros., etc. (it's pretty obvious!), so we'll see if that's the direction God will point me towards.  I really want to get into this project, and want to get some music up here asap, but this has been a slow process getting this new thing together, and I apologize for this, so please pray this little snowball will start rolling down that tall hill soon!!! :)  Thank you!