Biography

I started taking music lessons at the early age of 5. I played piano, guitar and drums in elementary school, eventually taking lessons in saxophone and trumpet through post-high school. After I entered high school, I made a big switch to the Trombone where I played with the Ozanam Strings Orchestra throughout my high school years. After graduation I attended Indiana University for composition, then after one year I moved to Ohio to sing and play with the R&B group called the Gibson Brothers who had two major hits and toured the United States and Canada.

After Canada I went to Buffalo, NY. and got a chance to do some backup horns with Rick James in the studio. Returning to Pittsburgh I recorded an album with an R&B group called Chaz. I went back to New York City, to act in two gospel plays called the Preacher Wife and the Last Days, directed by Bishop Melvin Long.

The next few years I formed my own Jazz group who toured with organist Richard Groove Holmes and did several concerts in NY, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Boston for the Jazz Festival. I also played with the R&B group from Pittsburgh called House Of Soul. During that time, I went back to New York to record my own Jazz Solo Project called"C- Train," which was released in 2000. I also made guest appearances with Maynard Ferguson and Stanley Turrentine, and was featured soloist with the World Famous Cotton Club Band of New York. I also recorded a CD with Floyd King called "Sincerely", which is on Turbo Records.

Places and events that I have performed at are: Mellon Jazz Festival 2001, Long Beach Ca, Jazz Festival 2001-04 . Atlanta, Ga Jazz Festival 2003, Ingolstadt Germany Jazz Festival, Cite Dela Musique Club Paris France 2004, Wayne State University, Detroit MI. 2005, and the jazz conference in Santa Barbara, Ca where my group was voted best new jazz group of 2004. Some artists I have performed with are George Clinton and the P-funk All Stars, Curtis Lundy, Jeff "tain" Watts, and Dave Stryker. I also did some modeling with International male models. I performed at Mellon Jazz Festival in Pittsburgh presented by University of Pittsburgh Jazz Seminar Think Tank, in 2001. Idris Muhammad, was another artist I performed with.