I first picked up the trumpet in 2000. I was 30 years old at the time so I guess you can call me a late bloomer. Most cats who pick up trumpet later in life are comeback players. Prior to that my only experience with an instrument was time half-heartedly spent playing clarinet and bass clarinet in elementary and high school. I had never touched a brass instrument in my life.

I had zero experience with jazz back then. We listened to a lot of different music when I was growing up but honestly I don't ever remember hearing a jazz record. Growing into my teenage years I found myself listening to a lot of hip-hop. Run-DMC, LL Cool J, Tribe Called Quest and others dominated my CD player and ears. Being in the Washington, D.C. area I also listened to my fair share of Go-Go.

At some point hip-hop no longer appealed to me like it used to. While I still consider myself a fan I reached a point where I was disconnected with what they were saying (and selling). I found myself in musical limbo for a while until I stumbled on a CD by Ronnie Jordan called The Antidote. To my ears now Antidote is like a fusion of jazz and hip hop. I still enjoy it today. On that CD was a remake of the Miles Davis classic - "So What." Curiosity lead me to purchase the album Kind of Blue and I was done. Jazz had my heart and soul. Today I would say that 90% of my listening time is spent on jazz and nothing else.

The music grabbed me so hard that I was not content to just listen. I had to get involved and play it. Other than singing I had never really SERIOUSLY studied an instrument or music. At least I did not study it to the level required to become a good jazz musician. Since Miles was the catalyst that lead me to jazz I chose the trumpet as my voice.

Why didn't I check with someone first? Trumpet has got to be the most difficult instrument to play. Miss a day of practice and it shows. Progress comes in slow steps. I have endured days when I felt I could do no wrong followed by days when NOTHING worked for me. Eventually things get somewhat consistent and you learn what to expect. The good news is I love jazz so much that I have no problem putting in the work to get better.

I've been taking lessons regularly since the beginning and that helps a lot. I also take part in a twice a month jazz master class which allows me to get regular exposure to playing with other musicians. I also have a bunch of comrades who get together for jam sessions once or twice a month. Every now and then I go to some of the local jam sessions around town to learn from the masters. I play with my church band and I gig or sit in whenever the call comes down - it happens far more frequently than I thought it would.

Even though music consumes my thoughts and actions I don't do this for a living. By day I work as a Systems Analyst for a law firm in DC. Web development is my specialty. All that said, I put no limitations on where I can take this. I even see myself leading my own regular working band one day. I love trumpet and jazz so much it doesn't feel like work to walk in the door after a 9-5 job and practice for two hours. I have days when I can't touch the horn because of family obligations but I'm always listening and getting new ideas.

Since starting I have developed an admiration for a lot of cats but the mainstays have been: Chet Baker, Woody Shaw, Lee Morgan, Kenny Dorham, Blue Mitchell, Freddie Hubbard, John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, Sonny Rollins, Donald Byrd, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Wayne Shorter, Roy Hargrove, Terence Blanchard, Ingrid Jensen, Nicholas Payton, Brice Winston and Jeremy Pelt. In their own individual way, each guides my ear and ideas right now. My playing style is laid back and swinging. If you're into pyrotechnics with high notes and insanely fast runs I'm not your cat. Scream trumpet has never been my bag. Not only does it not move me it makes my ears hurt. :-)

Miles Davis is KING to me. There is nothing that he hasn't played that doesn't thrill me in some way.

About this Site

This site is an online journal of my journey to learn jazz and the trumpet. My first entry goes back to 2002. I think I've come a long, long way since then and I hope beginners can learn from my experiences. When I first started playing it seemed like every web site was about players who had chops. No one really seemed to talk about the hard work and patience that is required to get good at this. My journal entries will hopefully inspire beginners to keep working hard at it - enjoy the process and eventually you'll get where you want to go.

In addition to the journal I've got a section that talks about the different recordings that I enjoy and a section with photos from some of my gigs. There is also a listing of jazz/trumpet links that you might find useful and interesting.

I've had so many people help me along the way either by lessons, emails or invitations to sit in and jam. I want to take this moment to thank each and every one of you for your support and encouragement.