Instruments:
-- guitar (main), violin, sharod, sitar, tampura, Hungarian flute
Interests:
-- jazz, free jazz, funk, ethnic and folk music, classical music
-- in Honolulu playing with String Theory
-- in Budapest playing with the Szapudi-Nagy-Gavallér Trio
Studies:
-- Peabody Conservatory, Baltimore, (1992-1994) Classical Guitar under Nat Gunod, Theory under Brunot Amato, Solfege under Clinton Adams. Attended Master Classes of Manual Barrueco. Guitarrist of the Peabody Jazz Ensemble under the direction of David Bunn.
-- Regular at Jam Sessions at Fred Anderson's Velvet Lounge in Chicago, (1994-1997)
-- Lead violin in Vadkelet Ensemble in Toronto (1999-2001)
-- Some of the people I had the privilege to share stage with over the years in performances and jam sessions include:
Ajaramu , Fred Anderson, Jim Baker, Gary Bartz, Bill Brimfield, David Bunn, Tony Bunn, Malachi Favors Maghostut, Von Freeman, Will Goffigan, Arthur Taylor
Among these masters, Ajaramu had the most profound effect on my playing, and on my whole existence. A mentor from outer space, he should be remembered as one of the greatest jazz musicians and a beautiful human being.
About the songs:(presently all live scratch recordings without overdubs)
--Lonely Woman is by Horace Silver; with String Theory
--Milestones is by Miles obviously, I play it in Indian style, preceding it with an alap; special tuning
--Soul Cowboy is by Pat Metheny; with String Theory
--Chris is by Pat Metheny; special tuning
--Nanea Kou Maka I Le’ale’a is a song by the late Ray Kane and it is a tribute to the great Hawaiian Slack Players; hybrid tuning