About me
I am a multi-instrumentalist and a writer.
My musical home is rooted in traditional folk (from Appalachian Banjo to Irish Fiddle), classic rock, and a hint of power pop (I played Celine Dion covers on the banjo at a Cabaret).
My Story
My musical journey began in fifth grade when choir became mandatory at school. The music teacher was a stern woman who played a few notes on the piano and asked me to sing along. She gave me a funny look and then plucked me out of elementary school obscurity; I was placed in a select chorus and given the solo—the Kermit the Frog song, “It’s not easy being green,” which I sang in front of the whole school (an honor but also traumatizing). I was then put into a choir for the best singers in the district where I had a tendency to do ridiculous bows at the end of each song which got me into trouble. It was also around this time that I got my hands on an Irish tin whistle—my first foray into Irish music—and learned to play “Amazing Grace” through my nose and the whistle was subsequently taken away.
But the Kermit song was not done in vain; when my friends formed rock bands in high school, they remembered the solo and asked me to be their lead singer. As with most teenagers, music became all—encompassing; I rehearsed weekly with bands and played shows in the basements of churches. I found my brother’s guitar, and he taught me how to play. I found that practicing music was the only thing I could do for hours without getting bored.
After high school, I focused on languages, studying Spanish and Chinese. I studied in Spain, China, and finished university in Chile, buying a cheap guitar in each country to mess around with and leave behind.
I then landed in New York and fell into the theater world, first as an actor and then increasingly as a musician, composer, and music director. For a production of As You Like It, Shakespeare’s most musical play which was set in a shanty town in the great depression, the director asked me if I played banjo. I shrugged and said, “Sure, I play the banjo,” which was not true. I had never touched a banjo. But I practiced everyday for 45 days until the production began and then I never stopped.
Seeking a medium to combine my love for music, travel, writing, and languages, I traveled back through the history of the banjo for three years, in the U.S., Caribbean, and its precursors in West Africa. This journey became a live presentation combining music, photographs, history, and stories from the road. Along the way, I’ve continued performing and teaching music, especially Irish and Appalachian styles, while writing about the places and people I’ve met along the way.
Casablanca, Morocco · 2024