Orchestral beginnings
My introduction to musical performance was via my elementary school orchestra (I’m the one in the top row, left). And while I did enjoy playing the flute, it didn’t really stick. But the seed was obviously planted, and in Junior High School some friends and I started a band — for which I wanted to be the vocalist.
Transitioning to the bass
We lacked a bassist, so naturally I picked up the instrument and started playing along with my singing. That band lasted all the way through High School graduation. We performed at parties and school dances, and it was a blast the entire time: I was hooked.
After high school I joined up with a group called Electric Blue as their new singer. Soon the bass player quit, so once again I was doubling on bass and vocals. We recorded a few albums and did some regional touring up and down the coast of California — eventually making it as far east as El Paso, Texas. (35 plus years later I am still friends with all of those guys, and we play several shows a year.)
During the band’s tenure, we were fortunate enough to share the bill with artists such as Johnny Winter, Merle Saunders, Eric Burdon (from The Animals), Robbie Krieger (from The Doors), [seminal rockers] Blue Oyster Cult, and Gregg Allman — to name a few.
Playing music full-time
From 2002 to 2012 I made my living as a full-time working musician, playing in several bands covering multiple styles of music. We worked at bars, nightclubs, weddings, corporate events, and casinos. Yeah, it was a grind, yet I loved every minute of it! To make ends meet, I supplemented my gig income by running sound in local bars and clubs.
The prog rock / jam band years
By 2014 I was finally able to put down the bass and concentrate on being a lead vocalist, joining the prog rock / jam band fusion outfit known as WTFB. That is where I really developed my chops at the microphone.
On the one hand, WTFB played the music of early Genesis, early Yes, King Crimson, Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, Frank Zappa, Rush, and Led Zeppelin. But we also performed Jam Band classics by Phish, The Grateful Dead, moe., the String Cheese Incident, ALO, and others. Blending those two styles of music may have been unorthodox, but the listeners loved it. Besides being a lot of fun, the group drove exponential growth in my vocal range, control, and power.
Joining Savor
I’ve always been drawn to the music of Carlos Santana, and in fact most of the bands I’ve been a member of have featured Santana tunes — albeit not with the attention to detail with which they are played in Savor!
So when the opportunity presented itself to join Savor as a vocalist and perform his music so accurately — and in front of such enthusiastic audiences — I jumped at the chance. And beyond the music, the band vibe is extraordinary. It’s a joy to be working with such a group of talented and dedicated musicians who are committed to performing the music of Santana at a level that would make Carlos proud.