About Me
Born 8 July 1980, the "iconoclastic drummer and composer who has persistently challenged himself to break new boundaries" (Jackson Moore, New Languages Festival), is becoming one of New York City's most vital voices in today's jazz and creative music scene. Originally self-taught in composition, piano, trombone, and percussion, he has worked with various chamber ensembles, Muhal Richard Abrams, Hamiett Bluiett, The High Mountain Symphony, John Zorn, The New Jersey New Music Ensemble, Don Braden, David Maxwell, The Gateways Orchestra at Eastman School of Music, Rufus Reid, Michele Rosewoman, Vijay Iyer, Armen Donelian, David Binney, Wadada Leo Smith, James Moody, Steve Lehman, Anthony Braxton, Dave Douglas, Steve Coleman, Pete Robbins and Silent Z, Matana Roberts, Mike Moreno, among many others. He is also co-leader and co-composer of the collaborative trio Fieldwork (also featuring Steve Lehman and Vijay Iyer) whose album, Door, is receiving critical praise. His debut recording THAT/NOT (Firehouse 12 Records) has baffled many critics, becoming one of 2007's most critically acclaimed recordings. Described by All About Jazz's Nic Jones as a recording of "downright iconoclastic music," THAT/NOT has been feted as the year's top debut by the Village Voice jazz critic's poll, and described by Steve Smith in Time Out New York as "a vivid impression of [his] range." He is a faculty member of the Brooklyn-based School of Improvisational Music, and a private instructor in the Jazz and Contemporary Music at New School University in New York City. He is a recipeient of the Van Lier Fellowship as well as the Jerome Foundation's Emerging Composers grant, and is currently working on "Wu-Wei", a multi-chapter work commissioned by Roulette Intermedium (some of which has been premiered in the Spring). THAT/NOT can be purchased from firehouse12.com, Amazon, CDUniverse, Downtown Music Gallery, iTunes, and other music distributors. Thank you for visiting.
