Playing Since: 2012
Experience Level: Just Startin'

Interests:
[Teaching] [Jamming] [Socializing] [Helping]

Occupation: Computer and Telecom Consultant

Gender: Male
Age: 69

My Instruments:
Acoustic 6 string Martin, Takemine, Alvarez and Yamaha guitars, 12 string acoustic Taylor guitar, Roland Synthesizer Guitar and Epiphone Electric Bass. Numerous assorted percussion instruments, Hammond Aurora 6000 Organ, Encore banjo.

Favorite Bands/Musicians:
Bela Fleck, Sam Bush, Tony Rice, Michael Hedges, Adrian Legg, Jerry Douglas, Mark Holdaway, Tony Furtado, John McGlaughlin, Frank Zappa, The Byrds, The Beatles,

Classified Rating: not rated
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Profile Info:
Visible to: Public
Created 6/18/2012
Last Visit 8/6/2012

I live to play music with friends in the cactus forests of Tucson Arizona where I have flourished since 1987. I was born on the southwestern hills of Pennsylvania and was raised in a family where music from a variety of sources influenced my style. Over the past 40 years I've been a member of bands in New York City, Eugene, Oregon, Seattle, Washington and Tucson, Arizona. I lead a group called the Ocotillo Geo Treo and play a number of guitars both electric and acoustic. Last year my group Indigo Spirit played at the Tucson Folk Festival and featured such eclectic instrumentation as the Halo Drum, the Mandola and the Marimbula. The Treo has also played the Folk Festival in support of some excellent songwriters including Acoustic Vimala. I also played in the Stephen Baird band at the Festival. I periodically play with Black Man Clay's One Heartbeat and have appeared at the Tucson Peace Festival, The Tucson Solar Potluck, The Fourth Avenue Street Fair, Occupy Tucson and numerous other non-profit events. I am perhaps most well known at the lead guitarist in a popular hippie band called Lovecraft which was a mainstay at the now defunct Casbah Teahouse. Years ago, I had the great honor of having my tracks overdubbed by Bela Fleck on a recording I made with his brother Louis in 1980 long before I had any idea of a newgrass revival. Now I find myself picking up a banjo and wanting to learn how to add this to my performances. I got my first banjo in June 2012 after seeing Roger McGuinn play one at the Fox Theater. He learned how to play banjo and later transferred the style to Rickenbaker 12 string guitars and developed the now famous jingle jangle sound so associated with the Byrds music. Think Mr. Tambourine Man, Turn Turn Turn, Eight Miles High, Hey Mr Spaceman, Chestnut Mare and you hear how influential banjo techniques were to the success of their music. His most important contribution to music may be his efforts in supporting public domain music through his folk Den project, playing uncopyright material from Appalachia and other indigenous areas around the world where music flourished for generations without copyrights or commercialization. Think Folkway Records and you know what I mean.