About

Origin Story

Music has been a part of my life since an early age. My Dad sang and played guitar to me since I was little and my Uncle also impressed many with his guitar playing. My Grandma had a piano and an organ, and when inspired, she could play a mean stride piano. Artists I remember listening to from my parents include, Bruce Cockburn, Ry Cooder, Dire Straits, Sting, Herbie Hancock, The Travelling Wilburys and Bob Marley to name a few.

When I decided to pick up a guitar at 14, I taught myself how to play She Talks To Angels by The Black Crowes. I started taking guitar lessons and soon found myself learning pick and finger style guitar. Winning some awards for my guitar playing during this time built my confidence as a musician and motivated me to develop my craft.

School of Rock

In high school, I joined a band that became Mercy Blues. This was an important time for my musical journey as I built a repertoire of blues and classic rock songs and improved my singing, guitar playing and confidence as a performer. Some of my favourite guitarists from early on include Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton, Duane Allman and Jerry Garcia.

Grown Up Music

I went on to teach guitar after high school and I started learning piano in my early 20s. When Mercy Blues broke up, I ended up with a basic drum kit in my Dad’s basement, but I didn’t have a chance to play it much until later in life. Although I was accepted into a University music program in Toronto, I decided instead to pursue a degree in Communications. In spite of my academic choice, music has been my lifelong passion. After University, I returned to music with the purchase of an electric piano, an audio interface, and a computer. This was when I started learning to use a digital audio workstation and virtual instruments and began composing as a multi-instrumentalist.

GSM Beats Studio

In 2009, I started building a recording studio in my basement. The studio is fully equipped with all the instruments and recording equipment I need to create. I believe that designing and investing in my own recording studio has given me the flexibility to grow as an independent artist has given me the opportunity to collaborate with independent artists from around the world.

Continuing Education

I also studied classical piano with a local teacher and I studied at the Dave Weckl Online School to learn about jazz drumming. But, no music education is complete without listening to a wide selection of genres. My musical tastes and influences have changed over the years and I have slowly built a library of music including pop, jazz and classical recordings, which I am documenting on Discogs. My top ten albums of all time (so far, and not in any particular order) include:

Herbie Hancock – Headhunters
Pink Floyd – Animals
The Black Crowes – The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion
J Dilla – Donuts
Miles Davis – In A Silent Way
OutKast – Aquemini
The Grateful Dead – Workingman’s Dead
Quincy Jones – Walking In Space
Steely Dan – Aja
Led Zeppelin – Presence