Biography
I’ve been a working musician and teacher in the Bay Area for more than 30 years. Here’s some information on my background.
Performing and Recording
• Performance at the Stanford University Jazz Workshop Faculty Concert Series
• Appearance on the National Public Radio series Riverwalk Live from the Landing playing the music of Django Reinhardt
• Bay area performances and national touring with Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks
• Appearance at the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee
• San Jose Jazz Festival
• Fillmore Jazz Festival, San Francisco
• Villa Montalvo Concert Series, Sunnyvale, California
• Britt Music Festival, Jacksonville, Oregon
• Green River Festival, Greenfield, Massachusetts
• Breckenridge Music Festival, Breckenridge, Colorado
• Russian River Jazz Festival, Guerneville, California
• Collaboration with jazz poet David Meltzer at the 50th anniversary celebration of Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl,” San Francisco Public Library, Main Branch
• Music for the Stanford Harold Pinter Festival production “The Lover”
• Cathi Walkup’s CD release “Living in a Daydream”
• “Cats to Corelli” CD featuring members of the San Francisco Symphony
• Dennis Finigan’s CD release “Starting from Here”
• CD release “Trio de Swing”
• “Paul Dorr and John Clark” CD
Teaching Experience
• Faculty, Stanford University Jazz Workshop
• Guitar, upright and electric bass instruction at the Capp Street Community Music Center in San Francisco
• Guitar, upright and electric bass instruction at Bronstein Music School, South San Francisco
• Private instruction provided to students of guitar, upright bass and electric bass
Background and Training
• Private study of guitar and piano at elementary school level
• Guitar instruction at the Old Town School of Music, Chicago
• Training in symphonic music from Joseph Pruessner
• Bass instruction from world-class bassists Ray Brown, Buster Williams, Ray Drummond, Harvie Swartz, John Clayton, Dean Reilly
• Piano and theory instruction with Debra Poryes
• Master classes in music theory with noted pianist, author and educator Mark Levine
I have also played countless local gigs in the Bay Area over the years and have helped hundreds of students. Many of them have gone on to professional and semi-professional careers.