I believe that the best way to do this is by being truly present and open with each other in studio and stage, focusing outwardly on the moment and our collaborators.

I delight in subtly helping other performers turn "red light jitters" and "nerves" into fuel for powerful, moving performances. I've seen firsthand, again and again, that making bands gel and having fantastic chemistry is dependent on explainable, repeatable factors, and I know how to get there.

I use my jazz background, study in emotionally intense acting techniques, and my profoundly synesthetic perception of sound/motion/color/energy to quickly learn arrangements, intuitively develop right-brained parts, and groove really, really hard... from the moment the red light goes on or the curtain goes up.

I really love vintage instruments. I've studied the physics of drum/cymbal construction and deeply know the history of the craftspeople who have built them. I maintain a rather comprehensive stable of snares and kits because few things delight me more than being able to get the sound that inspires both me and my bandmates. Calfskin heads, concert toms, extreme sizes, non-western percussion, bizarre modifications: nothing's off limits.

I am a percussionist whose favorite place is the point where Americana and the avant-garde collide.

In addition to my work in others' studios (primarily the NYC metro area, the Hudson Valley, and Nashville), I have a studio of my own in Newburgh, NY. Located in a formerly abandoned barbershop, it's equipped with digital, tape, and direct-to-disc (record lathe) capabilities, as well as a collection of inspiring instruments, like a 1948 Hammond CV organ, a Deagan vibraphone, and, of course, at least a half dozen vintage drumsets at any given time.

It's an intimate, cozy space set up for making music in my preferred manner: with maximum eye contact, full body language, using the minimum isolation possible. Here, we utilize whatever form of recording technology best serves the project, be it the beautiful, edit-free, one-take zen of a historic 1950's record cutter, the crunchy experimental goodness of mid-fi 1/4" tape, or the creative possibilities of contemporary digital recording.

Title photo and quotes photo by John Fell. http://johnfellphotography.com

I accept a very limited number of serious* students for private study, in my studio (Newburgh, NY) or via Skype.

While I have a curriculum, the application and delivery of said curriculum is tailored to help each student achieve their individual goals. Topics of particular focus include listening skills, developing vocabulary, writing effective parts/arrangements, mindset/conceptual work, physical efficiency and habit-understanding, and the technique of performing (be it in studio or live situations). Physical technique is addressed to the degree that it expands creative options and supports a lifetime of healthy music-making: I do not address technique as an end in itself.
 

Rates are $80/hr, taught 1-hr/week, with a 4-month contract after an initial "first date" lesson.

I offer, and encourage, lessons in longer than the 1-hour format, especially for students preparing for collegiate musical education or in the early stages of a professional career; call or write to discuss options.

*Seriousness denotes intent and mindset, not level of accomplishment, technical faculties, age, or professional/amateur status. With an effective mindset and preparation, I've seen even "beginning performers" deliver powerful, emotionally powerful performances to their audiences... so I have no interest in discriminating among my students on so-called "technical ability."