My Band is basically me... I play Piano/Rhodes, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Harmonica, Sing...
Anyone that has been playing for 26 years should pretty much be a one person band!!!
The songs you hear on my site here were recorded by me and my great friend Jake Szott when I was living at THE SURF HUT, 2606 Ocean Street 2, Carlsbad, CA.
We are the dynamic duo when it comes to writing songs together. I've never met another musician that I wrote and produced music with as well as Jake... we just gel.... that's all there is to it.
I play with Rheanna Downey, Andy Powers, and other fine musicians on occasion.
I also play every 1st weekend of the month at North Coast Calvary Chapel with BUZ, Scotty G, Greg, Jung, Roy, Joel, and a handful of other great musicians and other wonderful people. If you want to come and see me play my Rhodes piano, that's where I love to play the most.
Other musicians I play with on a regular basis are Chad Brienza a.k.a. Chad Matthews, Chad Cavanaugh, Erik Fritzvold, David Eilert, Dr. Tim "Cornbread" Barber. I am just looking to set out and get some gigs here for the summer, and possibly do a small tour in the Spring with Matt Hopper, Terry Matsuoka, and some other way cool cats... definitely on a mission from the big man upstairs.
Influences
Wow, this could get pretty lengthy. I have to say that I grew up listening to my parents 8-tracks and records, which included The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Winchester Cathedral, Gerry Lewis and the Playboys, The Eagles, The Allman Brothers, the Doobie Brothers, Motown, Dusty Springfield, and quite a few others.
Then I got heavily into 50's rock-n-roll, which later led to an obsession with KISS, 80's Rock, and The Beatles.
I had a few bands in High School with my good friend Chris Lutz, Scott Burkhart, and Chuck Lymangrover, and we played a lot of cover tunes. Chris and I locked ourselves in his room one weekend when we were kids and played through the entire Complete Beatles and Beatles Anthology books from cover to cover before we let ourselves out.
My sister and I were HUGE Black Crowes fans. When Shake Your Money Maker came out, our jaws dropped and we were hooked. I've followed the Crowes every album since and even through their solo albums when they split.
In College I got heavily into Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Allman Brothers, The Grateful Dead (had a cover band called The Happy Campers with Kyle Pulk of 16 Tons), all the great bands of the 60s and 70s, lots of blues, and lots of Southern Rock and Roll.
I had a girlfriend (and wonderful best friend) by the name of Mandy who turned me on to Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Bob Dylan, Blues Traveler, Phish, and numerous other bands. I owe a lot of my college music influences to her.
I am mainly a blues and rock and roll player. I love blues guitar and rock and roll. Clapton is an all time favorite. Marc Ford is my favorite guitar player, hands-down.
I could go on and on about Jake Szott, and Steve Forgacs, and Aaron Sandock, and Jeff Harrison, etc., but that'll have to wait for another day.
Word to Jeffrey Rinna!!!!!!!
My main reason for playing music today is to use the talents and gifts that God gave me. I wasn't put here to be a great shining rock star... just a messenger.
First of all... I used to have a photo on here of my dad back in the 1970s, you can still see it in my photo album... It really reflects his personality. He is such a cool guy, and I love him more than anything, so I had to put that picture on here. He made sure I had a good childhood and a good relationship with Jesus Christ throughout my life. He made me take piano lessons when I was 7 years old, and I will always be indebted to him for that gift. Thank you DAD!
I began playing the piano when I was seven years old from Herbert A. Anderson. I got into recording through watching my friend Brian Pierce in his studio and taking mental notes on how he mastered the art of shaping sound. Then, after hearing Keith Paraska lay it down on the Fender Rhodes, I helped him find one in mint condition at an old church, and the quest was on to find my own. I started to collect Fender Rhodes Pianos (5 so far), and now I'm a session musician. I studied piano theory under: the late Herbert A. Anderson, Mishawaka, Indiana; the late Ms. McNease at the Witmer-McNease Music Co. Inc., South Bend, Indiana; Keith Paraska, South Bend, Indiana; and Frank Puzzullo at Ball State University; and my late great grandmother, the master of rag-time honky-tonk, Esther Ruffner.
At a young age, I taught myself how to "play by ear" to the point where I listened to something once or twice, sat down at the piano, and played it.
I have been playing for 26 years.
My musical style is centered around blues piano, played on a classic Fender Rhodes 73 or 88. However, I also play guitar, bass, drums, harmonica, cajone, etc.
My influences are many, but I would have to say Ray Charles, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Lavelle, Ed Harsch from the Black Crowes, and by listening to the great southern blues and rock-n-roll guitarists have influenced my style and helped to give me the edge that I continue to hone.
I have played in several bands across the USA and in Europe.
I'm also a surfboard shaper and hollow wood surfboard fanatic (Thanks to Paul Jensen). I build boards under my own label, Artisan Surf Designs which I formed with my buddy Jerry Ingham. I've been building boards since the early eighties.
I've played piano and Rhodes for quite a few people in the industry, and have played with quite a few bands and Musicians:
Chris Lutz; Chuck Lymangrover; Scott Burkhart; The Mushroom Head Experience; Steve Krojo; Aaron Sandock; Brian Pierce; Kieth Paraska; Jeff Harrison; Jacob Sandock; Alibabba's Tahini; Jake Cinnenger; Kyle Pulk of 16 tons; The Happy Campers; Dry Rain; Aaron Hatton; Nate Rowe; George Anagnos; Doug Lambert; Brad Swinney; The Why Store; Strawberry Larry; Dr. Tim "Cornbread" Barber Beadhead Blonde; David Eilert; Dr. Erik Fritzvold; John; Chad Brienza a.k.a. Chad Matthews; Ten Foot Gun; Mike Sellis; Aqualino; Brain Buckit; Bull Goose Randall; Remmy Ziffel; Strongheavy Revelation; Lord Rochester's Monkey; Jake Szott; Halo Complex; Sons of Thunder; Chad Cavanaugh; and Rheanna Downey, to name a few.
So that's who I am... I am just living my life in Southern California trying to use the gifts and talents that I have been blessed with and trying to treat others as I would want to be treated myself.
My music, art, surfing, board building, and teaching are all for me to share with the world, to see that people are treated equally... regardless of race or color or creed... a message for the world to hear about treating others as equals, and as brothers and sisters... for we were ALL created in the image of God, our father... this I believe... I think Bob Marley said it all in two words -- one love.
Merry Christmas Brother!! Miss ya much man - good things are in the works and you are never far from my mind. What are the chances I can get ya up to LA for a nite or two of jamming?
