After returning home from the Philippines recently, I’ve found myself reflecting quite a bit — not only on music, but on purpose, community, hospitality, education, and the relationships that shape a life over time.

The past several months have felt…

There have been many chapters in my life as a musician—performer, educator, promoter, organizer, student, traveler, and bandleader. But after more than fifty years in music, I have come to believe that the most important lesson music ever taught me…

I recently had a piece published in Jazz Guitar Today titled Playing Honest.

It’s something I’ve been thinking about for many years—how what we play is inseparable from who we are.

Writing it clarified some ideas, but also left…

Live music has long been part of the restaurant experience. From piano lounges and jazz trios to solo guitarists and small ensembles, music has the ability to transform a dining room from simply a place to eat into a place…

The Power of Music in an “Empty” Room

Not too long ago, my bass-and-guitar duo was hired to play in a newly renovated building.

There were no seated guests.
No dinner service.
No dance floor.
Just an empty space.

Ten…

Live music doesn’t fail because musicians aren’t good enough.

More often, it fails because a venue’s identity, expectations, and responsibilities aren’t clearly aligned. Drawing on decades of experience performing, booking, and working internationally, I explore why some music programs thrive…

As the holiday season winds down, I find myself feeling especially grateful — grateful for community, for shared experiences, and for the simple joy of making music in a room full of people who genuinely care.

This past Saturday night…

As we move into Thanksgiving week, I find myself filled with a deep and genuine sense of gratitude—not only for the exciting musical opportunities unfolding around me, but for the relationships that have shaped, supported, and inspired my journey this…

There are various elements to what constitutes the perfect gig in my opinion, and it's not only about the money one makes. It's also about WHO you're playing with, and WHO you're playing for . . . i.e. the environment…

The other night, during a break from our trio show at Vivaldi's Restaurant in The Symphony Hotel in Downtown Cincinnati, I met a charming couple, the wife from Cincy and the husband from Eastern Pennsylvania/New York. The man commented on…