Born and raised in Poughkeepsie NY I always had a love of music. My three older brothers were all involved in the high school music department in one way or another. Brothers Evan and Reid both played brass instruments, however brother Jason played my fathers old drumset. As i watched my brothers on stage with the jazz band i became interested in the look and sound of the saxophone. Around the age of 10 i picked up an Alto sax from my elementary school, and couldnt play a damn thing. I enjoyed figuring out music from albums or television (the first thing i ever transcribed happened to be the theme from Star Wars). It wasnt until riding in my grandfathers old car that i was first exposed to Jazz. My grandfather Vincent "Chippie" always listened to jazz in his car, mostly Louie Prima and Ellington. Grampie knowing that i was interested in the saxophone would play Sam Butera's massive tenor sound in my ears and tell me "now thats a saxophone". It wasnt until i turned 14 that I even knew that Baritone Saxophone existed. The moment i picked one up, i was hooked... the moment i heard one played by a pro i thought to myself "nah grampie.... THATS a saxophone". I began playing Bari exclusively, yet i had to switch to lead tenor years later, but i never turned my back on Baritone...
Growing up in Poughkeepsie i became exposed to almost every music out there. Being the "ghetto" high school i was brought up around a lot of hip-hop, funk, alternative rock, ska, soul, and our music teacher always drilled into our heads that music should be fun. Having a laid back atmosphere to practice, create, and explore; i began joining and forming various local bands with my musical cohorts. Late in my Senior year of high school i began to understand the high that came with performing and creating music. I decided to continue my studies at Rowan University in 2001 to study with an idol of mine Denis DiBlasio. Stuck in the armpit of southern New Jersey i started to come into my own among my peers and experiencing lessons for the first time. Hanging with the Jazz crowd at school blew my mind, before that i had never listened to John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, John Scofield or Chick Corea and later became obsessed with HardBop. With the endless support of my teachers and peers, i began to love music more than anything. I recently graduated Rowan in 2006 and am making my living as a professional musician, playin where i can.
Oh, what's so great about discovery? It's a violent, penetrative act that scars what it explores. What you call discovery... I call rape of the natural world.
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I Drank What?-Socrates
In a moment of self realization I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates who said... I drank what?
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You Stay Classy
