From Doncaster, England, I learnt trombone competing in the National Festival of Music for Youth. Twice a winner with Edlington Comprehensive School formations, yearly appearances at the Royal Festival hall culminated in an invitation to the last night of the schools proms at the Royal Albert Hall. I concurrently played in various formations in the Doncaster Jazz Association where I was inspired by my first trombone teachers Winston & Dennis Rollins (National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO), Jamiroquai, US3, Brand New Heavies, Blur, Aswad etc) and other influential members such as Jonathan White (Bass: Groove Armada & NYJO ) Mark White (then Lead Trumpet: NYJO) and Andy Cato, young Jazz Musician of the year 1996 and co-founder of Groove Armada.
London: back into the groove
After completing a Chemical Engineering degree I was invited to join the show band for The Wiz, the famous funk soul musical, at the Hackney Empire. Re-inspired, I dove into jazz and latin funk, touring with Malcolm Catto´s Soul Destroyers. I also extended into latin rhythms, recording for diverse artists including Le Picó (- aka, Erik Aldrey, composer, producer &live engineer of Venezuelan superstars Los Amigos Invisibles - ) and Venezuela´s Dioslepague.
Buenos Aires 1: Con la musica a otra parte
In 2004 a six month trip to Argentina became a 14 year residence where I played with diverse local bands and artists including La Peluquera, Brass Pitt, Cliptomacos, Incosmos, La Burla, Mariana Paraway, Tomi Lebrero, Alfonso Barbieri, Pollera Pantalon, Juan y Hernan Jacinto, Dizzy Espeche & touring with national reggae favourites Nonpalidece to mention some.
Buenos Aires 2: pop rock & fuzzy psychedelia:
In 2007 I took a break from regular trombone work and began to experiment with guitar, bass, effects, synthesis, composition, sequencing and singing all of which resulted in my first solo album 'My Dirty Linen'.
Buenos Aires 3: Heroes past and present
Work on my second album Republica, was a huge amount of fun. Not only did I deepen a wonderful friendship with my producer Mariano Ondarts but was able to fuse my ideas with those of some other hugely experienced musicians and friends that I profoundly admire.
Later I fulfilled the dream of playing Afrobeat with a drummer who truly dominates the style by playing with Mauro Ferriello´s Luka Afrobeat Orquestra whose front women Irina Ferriello and Florencia Font graciously added some backing vocals to Republica.
Afrobeat:
São Paulo:
Here I have had the pleasure of experiencing carnaval´s exalted musical culture playing with the street bands or 'blocos,' Cumbia Calavera and A Espectacular Charanga do França, as well as getting my chops back properly with the mainly Count Basie arrangements of Bracco BigBand, having previously been most active as a private tutor reinventing myself due to the COVID pandemic.
