I have created a repertoire of genres, styles and purposes for music. I experiment, first and foremost, and whether the result is folk, noise or film music, there is a spirit of searching in much of my work.

Biography:

I was encouraged at around the age of 6 or so to take up the violin. My grandfather rented a half-size instrument and it spent most of its time beneath my bed. No lessons or plan was prescribed, merely that if I found it compelling, I ought to begin some sort of instruction. I did not. I found the dull scratching and bizarre inconsistency of the thing quite disheartening. How long, I thought, would it take me to sound like the my grandfather? He was, by that time, pushing 80 years of age.

In hindsight,  I wished my parents and grandparents would have not left that decision up to me. If I had started then, who knows where I would be? “What ifs” are certainly not particularly constructive and, luckily, I did find an instrument that suited my fancy around the age of 12; the guitar.  My grandmother played the guitar, as she was back-up for her husband for 50 years or more; they learned old-time fiddle music, pop country hits from the 30s, 40s and 50s. Later on, in retirement, they traveled to old-time fiddle competitions that my grandfather remarked, with a chuckle, increasingly won him “Oldest Fiddler” awards, rather than placing in his division.

I have to admit, it was not the allure of country and western cowboy songs, or old jigs and rags that incited my interest in the guitar. Like a lot of young people that love music, it was rock ‘n’ roll and blues. I took lessons for a few months and was soon reciting my favorite Beatles, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin tunes. Not long after that, I became more heavily interested in jazz, began singing choral music and playing in bands.

I have been a musician of varying skill and enthusiasm for over 20 years. My aural palette is endless and I never tire of the paintbox I have accumulated over the years. And, while, that may be nice to tell myself, I certainly do have a streak of the sentimental, the oblique and even the violent and destructive tendencies that abound in music.

Primary Instruments:

1964 Gibson ES-120 Hollowbody Electric Guitar

1993 American Fender Stratocaster Electric Guitar

1964 Gibson LG-0 Steel String Acoustic Guitar

1978 Gibson RD Artist Electric Bass Guitar

2000 Vineyard Steel String Acoustic Guitar – Buzz Vineyard, Luthier

1982 Korg Polysix Analog Synthesizer

1980 Tandy/Radio Shack Concertmate MG1 Synthesizer (by Moog)

Amplification:

1954 Fender Princeton

1964 Gibson Falcon

Microphones:

2 X Studio Projects C4 Small Diaphragm Condenser

Chameleon Labs TS-2 Large Diaphragm Tube Condenser

Michael Joly modified MXL R44 Ribbon

Michael Joly modified MXL V67 Large Diaphragm Condenser

Sennheiser ME66/K6 Hypercardioid/Shotgun Condenser/Power Supply

Shure 57 & 58 Dynamic

Sony ECM-MS907 Stereo Electret Condenser

Recording:

Metric Halo LIO-8/4 Preamplifier Option

Apogee Duet 2 USB Interface

Joe Meek VC6Q “British Channel”

ART VLA Optical Tube Compressor

Daking Mic-Pre One Preamplifier

AVID Pro Tools

2 X Genelec 1030A Powered Monitors

Radial ProRMP Passive Reamp

Effects, etc.:

Greedtone Overdrive Silver

Roland RC-30 Loop Station

Ernie Ball Volume Pedal

Electro-Harmonix Cathedral Stereo Reverb

Dunlop Cry Baby Classic Wah

Digitech PDS 2000 Digital Sampler

EBow Plus Electronic Bow

Odds & Ends:

Dusty Strings 12/11 Hammered Dulcimer, various Mouth Harps, Electric & Acoustic Mandolins, Violins, Yamaha FM Synth MIDI keyboard, Casio PT-1 keyboard, Roland VS840 and other odd and ends.