2023
In 2023 I completed a percussion quartet entitled aji molido. This tune started in Cincinnati as an experiment with a large jazz ensemble i had the pleasure of writing for. It was a lot of fun and we got a decent recording of the original arrangement. The tune stayed with me for many years in the back of my mind. When my son showed an interest in mallets, I was reminded of this tune and thought it would translate well to a percussion ensemble. So here I present ‘aji molido’ named after the hot chili flakes for which my son and I share an affinity.
Parts and score available via Sheet Music Direct.
I also released a record with my ensemble Blue Door Records. The release included both standard and deluxe versions of the record as well as four singles.
In 2023 I also completed a second Flecktones arrangement for large jazz ensemble. Flight of the Cosmic Hippo is a tune written by Bela Fleck and performed by Bela Fleck and The Flecktones on their album of the same name in 1991.
I arranged and published this tune for large jazz ensemble as guitar, bass and bari sax feature.
Parts and score available via Sheet Music Direct.
I also collaborated with Germaine Franco on the score for the Netflix film, The Mother.
2021-2022
2021 & 2022 I spent mostly songwriting. During this time I tracked the rhythm section for what would become Blue Door Records debut record release. I also completed three works for big band.
Changes is written as a trumpet feature though we recorded it as organ feature below. I wrote the tune just before the world shut down for the pandemic. My family had gone out shopping for the afternoon. I worked out the melody, and decided to set it for four different harmonizations, hence the title ‘Changes.
parts and score available via Sheet Music Direct
Pedigree is written as a Euphonium feature with large jazz ensemble. The piece is dedicated to Ms. Zoey Jaffa because every young woman deserves to play euphonium in the jazz band.
parts and score available via Sheet Music Direct
Sinister Minister is a tune written by Bela Fleck and performed by Bela Fleck and The Flecktones on their self-titled debut record in 1990.
I arranged and published this tune for large jazz ensemble as guitar, bass and bari sax feature
parts and score available via Sheet Music Direct
2020
In 2020 I scored the film The Zim with Alex Kovacs
I also scored the political action thriller, False Colors.
And while the world dealt with Covid, Germaine and I were able to put together scores for the Universal Beijing Kung Fu Panda Land of Awesomeness, the Netflix films, The Sleepover & Work It and Curious George Go West Go Wild.
2019
In 2019 I joined composer Germaine Franco’s team. That year we completed scores for Dora and the Lost City of Gold and Curious George Royal Monkey.
2017-2018
In 2017, I scored season 1 of the series Compersion and Season 2 of the animated series Battleclaw for Mattel.
In 2017 I also launched Velvet Green Music, an independent production music record label. I actively ran VGM full-time from 2017 till the universe shut down for Covid in 2020. Between 2017 and 2020 Velvet Green Music released 300 production music albums. Each record is themed around a specific genre. All tracks are currently available to license via Bulletproof Bear.
2016
In 2016 I scored the actions film AWOL-72 & Code of Honor and music supervised the indie family drama Quality Problems.
2015
In 2015 I scored the action-horror film The Horde, the romantic-comedy film November Rule and the psychological thriller Stranger in the House.
2014
In 2014 I released a number of production music albums with Liquid Cinema. I also scored the slasher flick The Divine Tragedies.
2013
In 2013 I had the opportunity to provide the Discovery channel with a ton of tracks for their show Alaska The Last Frontier and write the score to my first video game (Strider HD) & documentary (We The Parents) as well as the short film Farewell My King
2012
In 2012 I had the opportunity to score a psychological thriller entitled Tunnel Vision.
2011
In 2011 I was privileged to be offered my first feature film as a composer. I’m still quite proud of this score for Identical
2008-2010
From 2008-2012, I was very fortunate to work for composer John Powell as a technical assistant. John was a wonderful mentor and I would work by his side as a support member of his team on over a dozen films.
I also scored Trapped, a short film detailing a pianist’s struggle with the terrible disease that is ALS. From that film I released a short rhapsody for solo piano.
Sheet music available from Sheet Music Direct
2007
In 2007 I attended the USC Film Scoring Program. There I scored a dozen or so student films and learned the business of media music. For the next 15 years, I would devote my entire musical focus toward commercial music production.
2005 – 2006
For my master’s recital I presented 3 Pieces for Solo Piano, a work for solo electric guitar, a chart for large jazz ensemble and a 5-movement saxophone quartet entitled Funk-in-the-Box which served as my master’s thesis.
3 Pieces piano sheet music available from Sheet Music Direct
While studying at CCM I met a young pianist names Jacob Rhodebeck. Jacob commissioned myself and a number of other young composers to write works for solo piano based on the classic Lewis Carroll text Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland (1865). This was dubbed ‘The Alice Project.’ I contributed a 7+ minute work entitled metamorphosis: advice from a caterpillar.
Sheet music available from Sheet Music Direct
Funk in the box is a 5 movement work for saxophone quartet. The work features Alto and Bari solo movements (with foot stomps), two full quartet movements and 1 one TTB (ATB optional) trio movement. The rhythms are funky throughout and the textures range from typical soli-16th style writing to more minimalist and aleatoric passages. Harmonically, chord progressions are ocassionally implied however the embellishments give the entire a free, almost atonal post-jazz feel. It is suggested that this work be broken down into its individual movements. Thus giving the ensemble the opportunity to practice and perform the individual movements in a modular performance setting, in addition to presenting the entire work. I composed this work in 2005 as my Master’s Thesis while attending the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati. I appreciate your interest in this work.
Parts and score available via Sheet Music Direct.
I was also privileged to have my first experience working with an orchestra while attending the Aspen Music Festival and School.
2004
From 2004 – 2006 I lived in Cincinnati, OH. I attended CCM for my master’s degree. I studied jazz arranging and minimalism and self-released an EP ‘Many Faces’ around this time.
2003
I spent 2003 preparing for graduate school by slinging guitars at Taylor’s Music Store in West Chester, PA. I spent my weekends playing guitar and arranging with The Slicked Up 9’s. This year I also did my first tour as a solo electro-acoustic performer. Taking a page from ‘Keller Williams’ I took my guitar and my loop pedals to 13 venues across 2 weeks in the Northeast US. A couple real fun local spots. I even shared the stage with Hot Buttered Rum @ Nectar’s one evening. I was hocking some home-made CDs cut from live performances of this tour back then.
2002
From 2000 to 2002, I completed my undergraduate education at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. Here I honed my guitar chops in the Criterion’s big band while learning the fundamentals of Western concert and electronic music. Around that time I was also gigging with an ensemble we called ‘Spaghetti Belly.’ We were something of a post-Zappa leaning jazz quartet with guitar, bass, drums and vibraphone.
1999
1999, I begin college studying music at Bloomsburg University. 10/31/99 I give a solo acoustic performance of my songs at Phillips Emporium.
1998
The first time I start creating music it’s 1998 & I’m a teenager living in rural Bloomsburg, PA. I’m gifted a 4-track Tascam Portastudio with which I’m able to cobble together my first set of multi-track song recordings. Super crude, but not bad for 17 year old coal-country kid in the 90s.
