BACKGROUND

I love what I do.  Writing songs, traveling the country, collaborating with some really amazing people across a broad range of talents - working in a creative field is a dream come true. But it wasn't always apparent to me that this was my calling...

My interest in music started when I was a teenager, the first time I took apart one of my dad's old tube amps (an Ampeg Jet 15 from the 50's) and I quickly discovered my curiosity for tinkering. After some Spending most of my adolescece taking apart and putting back together every piece of music equipment I owned, I sought to further my education as much as possible leading me to my time at university.  It was there I got into an intense electrical engineering program and quickly realized that it was going to take my full attention and would have to put music to the side.  I enjoy engineering, creating something out of nothing, and having to think outside the box in order to solve a problem is a really rewarding feeling - but if it wasn't for being a musician, I would have never gone down that road. Music is and always will be what I’m most passionate about.

I've always worked my hardest to be a versatile guitarist, composer and producer. I have spearheaded, been featured, produced and released work across a wide range of original music projects.  Some more notable projects I took part in were The Autumn, Circadian Rhythm, The Andrew Pinto Project, Lighthouse, The Shape, and most recently, Wayward City and Tzarina (formerly Deafmute). Tzarina's first debut LP is slated for release in March of 2024.

Guitarist

For me, the pursuit of being a musician begins and ends with a guitar in my hands. It has been a lifetime of work that has taught me as much about myself as there is to learn about playing - and there is always room to grow. To this day, I'll sit in a room for hours trying to learn something new or perfect something I'm working on. Playing with others, getting ready for a tour or writing a body of work so that it's ready to bring to a studio is what I do best and I absolutely love it.

Over the years, I've performed with dozens of artists.  Whether it's a small jazz combo or a massive avant-garde heavy metal project, I'm jumping in with both feet.  Some of my favorites that I've had the opportunity to play for are Jeff Cavenaugh, Larry Corban, and Tattoo Money, all based in NYC (you should check them out). I've also performed up and down the northeast solo and with my own original bands.

New Haven and NYC are  my scenes.  They are two of the most prominent musical communities in the country - and two that I'm extremely proud to be apart of.  Whether I'm playing at Toad’s Place in New Haven, Space Ballroom in Hamden, or Webster Hall and the Knitting Factory in NYC, I know I'll always feel at home when I'm on one of those stages.

Along side my live and studio performances, I also work as a guitar instructor and have maintained a roster of students who have ranged from 8 to 40 years of age.  Though most of those students are either beginners or intermediate, I'm more than happy to take on those who are more advanced and are looking for lessons and/or coaching for upcoming performances or tryout preparation.

What's the point if you don't pass it on, right?

Orchestration& Arrangement

More recently, I've extended my work to composition, scoring and arrangement.  I've written, produced and mixed both big band and orchestral arrangements for studio sessions/projects as well as developed music for a few small indy projects.  Most recently, I did a track off of Wayward City’s forthcoming EP, of which I wrote and produced a full 24 piece orchestral arrangement. Alongside that, I have written and recorded multiple arrangements that are to be used in an upcoming - yet to be titled - documentary.  If you want to hear some of the arrangements I've put together, feel free to click the Music tab or check out my Bandcamp page.

Production & Engineering

Being a musician has piqued so many interests in my life. Half the reason I got into electrical engineering was because it lends itself some of the skills and knowledge to work and manipulate sound both in the studio and in a live setting.  Some of that work has taken me to some great studios such as The Audio Foundery in Beacon Falls, CT, The Vault in Queens, NY and The Bunker in Brooklyn, NY.  There I would work with the artists to help them capture the the best performance and did my best to ensure it sounded exactly how they wanted.  Outside of the studio, I have gathered extensive experience running live sound behind the mixing board for music venues of all shapes and sizes.