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,
• Jazz conference in Santa Barbara, Ca where my group was voted best new jazz group of 2004.
• Oakland blues & Heritage Festival, Oakland. CA 2006.
• Longhorn Jazz Festival Austin, TX 2006.
• Mellon Jazz Festival, Philadelphia PA. 2007.
• Syracuse Jazz Festival 2007.
• Capital Jazz Festival, Washington, DC. - Performed with Nnenna Frelon 2007.
• Burlinton Discover Jazz Festival, Burlington VT. - Performed with Marcia Ball, Eddie
• Allen, Byron Stripling, and Donald Harrison. 2008.
• Topeka Jazz Festival Topeka, KS. 2009.
• Jazz Showcase, Chicago, IL. - Performed with Nicholas Payton, 2009.
• Dimitriou's Jazz Alley, Seatle WA. 2009

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.