I love to work with students to help them find their musical voice. From beginners to experienced professionals I work towards the goal of erasing the instrumental barrier and finding joy in music making on any level.
I have been playing music since I was a teenager…over 30 years ago…and teaching for over 20 years. I find teaching to be a constant learning experience with no two students alike and I thoroughly enjoy working to discover what makes each student unique and compelled to make music.
I have taught in many locations and in many different settings from one-on-one instruction to ensembles of many shapes, sizes and age ranges to residencies with in Ears ‘n Eyes. Here is a list of where you can find me or you can contact me through the email link at the top of every page of this site or any of the other social links; Facebook and Twitter. I look forward to hearing from you and getting the opportunity to explore the possibilities of finding your musical voice.
Sound Playground – formerly in Eliot Maine, now remotely from North San Juan, California – This is my home studio where I offer one-on-one instruction in Saxophone and improvisation. I also teach beginning to intermediate players on Clarinet, Flute and Trumpet. If you would like to discuss availability and pricing contact me through this site (email link at the top of the page or through Facebook or Twitter links also at the top of the page)
Portsmouth Music and Arts Center – Portsmouth NH – I taught at PMAC for over 15 years. I coached youth and adult jazz ensembles and I also taught private lessons on saxophone. I now teach remotely for PMAC. To inquire about lessons at PMAC click here or contact me through the links at the top of the page.
Concord Community Music School – Concord, NH – I taught at CCMS for over 20 years. One of my closest friends and musical collaborators, David Tonkin, was the Jazz Dept. Chair and he is the reason I taught at CCMS. I now teach remotely for CCMS. If you would like to inquire about one-on-one saxophone instruction at CCMS, click here or contact me through the links at the top of the page.
Part of teaching is learning! MOST of teaching is learning! I’ve got a LOT to learn, man! Here’s some stuff I’m working on…
What am I currently working on!?
081220 – I’m up here on the North San Juan ridge in Northern California. We relocated here to be closer to my son, grandson – who live here – and my daughter who lives in Eugene, Oregon. We’re renting a spot for our camper just outside of town and we’re working on getting some land nearby to build a small home on. I’m still teaching for CCMS and PMAC in the east. I’m looking for some musicians out here to make some sounds with. We’ll keep you posted! Come visit!
10/25/18 – Thursday afternoon just coming in after working on the woodpile. I think we’ll be warm through March at least! Rediscovered Tim Davies’ site last night and it’s got me all fired up to clean up some old arrangements I did for some of my ensembles. Tim is a MACHINE and he’s very opinionated and I LOVE it! Check out his site and some of his music and you can’t help but be inspired to do SOMETHING!
NH Jazz Allstate auditions are in the rearview mirror and I can’t say I’ll miss “How Long Has This Been Going On?”! A lot of talented students worked hard on preparing for those auditions and THEY are inspiring too! If you made it, great job! If not, great job trying! It’s good to have a goal in your practice. Keep it up. Set a new goal. Learn a new now. Write a new etude for the auditions next year and submit it to NHMEA! Learn the blues a five new keys. Write five melodies for blues in Gb. Listen to “Mr. Day” by Coltrane. Who needs a V chord? Okay, I gotta go chop more wood before I head into the woodshed to practice some Dolphy tunes for a gig coming up. Wahooooo!
7/15/18 – Sunday morning. Catching up on website stuff after a busy week of PMAC Teen Jazz Camp and weirdturnpro record release rehearsals, radio appearance and show at the Dance Hall Kittery this past Friday. The camp was a great time this year. We had a perfect number of students – 12 – and some young ones too! Chris Klaxton and I each took a combo and we also worked with the entire group in a big band format. These young musicians worked on material ranging from Benny Golson’s, “Blues After Dark” to Curtis Hasselbring’s, “Sacks on the beach” with some free improvising and group jams in between. Our show at the 3S Loading Dock series on Friday was a ton of fun. These students were an inspiring group.
There’s a new weirdturnpro recording out and you can get it on VINYL too! Beautiful artwork and graphic design to support some beautiful music composed and arranged by Mike Effenberger and brought to life by the group. We did a radio show at Concord’s WKXL with Rob Azevedo for his show “Granite State of Mind”. Part of the video is on my home page. You can hear the whole show here.
12/3/17 – Just got back from a gig with Bill Wightman, Dave Clark, Tim Gilmore and Giacomo Gates. You know, laid back people are a gift to humanity and I’m a better person for having shared the bandstand with these gents this evening. Giacomo has a way with a song and an audience that puts everyone at ease. There is a LOT to be said for that in my opinion. His book is tidy, correct and full of great tunes that he KNOWS! A pleasure! We kicked off the night with “Lady Be Good” which I have a new appreciation for since I’ve been trying to get it under my fingers and behind my eyeballs on piano. This was opening night on the 26th year of JOSA. Bill Wightman has kicked ass keeping that series going. Thanks Bill. You’re a badass.
3/3/2017 – Whoa, a year and a half since my last entry?! LAME! Today I’ll head down to Chelsea to rehearse with old pals Charlie Kohlhase, John Carlson, Matt Wilson and John Turner for a CKQ reunion show at Third Life Studios in Cambridge. I have been refreshing my memory on Charlie’s music this past week of February vacation. I’ve also been working on improving my range on the bass clarinet…but, I took that beast to John Melisi for a tweakage session. The upper register is just not working properly and I want to know if it’s the horn or ME!?! PMAC Jazz night is next week so rehearsals start on Sunday. Two night this year. 100 years of Jazz! Some tunes I’ve been working on this week; Slush – one of mine I wrote for the Duet gig with Tim Gilmore. Buggy (Lacy) – same deal, this one is quirky rhythmically and intervallically. Here’s a copy fo yo’sef to twist your fingers and toes around. I got caught with my pants down on “Half Nelson” by Greg Abate at JOSA this season so I’ve been working on that one AND, while I was working on that, “Milestones” – the John Lewis or Miles Davis tune, depending on your point of view – popped up and I started working on that too. Great tune! I looked for a chart in my archives but couldn’t find one so I found this on the web. OKAY! What are YOU up to?
10/02/2015 – School is back in session and my ensembles at PMAC are firing up finally! I’m working on getting a repertoire together for each ensemble that suits the personnel, is challenging but not daunting and makes everyone pumped to play. Last night I listened to a bunch of Robert Glasper stuff. Love that man’s concept and playing. A few years back I started working on my own saxophones. My tenor is the focus right now…there are few pesky leaks and whil practicing yesterday I was zeroing in on them. I’m still getting used to playing on a Jody Jazz hard rubber mouthpiece…don’t know if I’m convinced yet. It’s warm but i still feel it gets buried when things get amplified…I’ve also been working with my vintage Dave Guardala mouthpiece I got from him in ’83. The thing is a barker for sure but some of this shit I recorded on that back in the day still sounds good to me (the sound, mind you…I don’t know if I’ll EVER enjoy listening to my own playing!!) I’ve definitely matured and the brightness of it bugs me but I like it when I need to cut through the din! I took a guitar lesson the other day from guitar god Jason Crigler and I’ve been talking to Zach Lange about guitar stuff too. I’ve been practicing on Taylor’s acoustic…gonna take a LONG time!