Digital Media and Studio Services

I am a metalhead who plays gospel music and works with Hip-Hop and R&B artists. Confused yet?

My parents raised me in an environment constantly saturated with music. I took piano lessons, sang in the church children's choir, and sang along with pretty much anything else: TV shows, tape cassettes, my dad's guitar, or whatever else I could find. From an early age my enjoyment or music was largely based on my ability to participate in it. At the age of 12 I got my first electric guitar, and from the moment I played chord, I knew I had found my match. In middle school and high school I played in rock bands for school talent shows and charity events, as well as playing guitar for rememberance day events and singing in theatrical productions. I also learned the trombone and contributed to the school concert bands and jazz band. Outside of school I honed my musical trade by writing songs and playing praise songs at summer camp. After quitting piano lessons I began to take guitar lessons where I learned not only about rock music, but classical, acoustic fingerstyle, and jazz.

The biggest step for me musically was becoming involved in playing black gospel music in a church with my friends. I was introduced to a whole new way of playing music, thinking about chords, and a new concept of where the guitar fit as a building block in the structure of a band. With a core group of friends known simply as "Pulse" and a local Christian rap group called "Church Boyz", I got to share the stage of the Maja Awards gospel music award show with the likes of world class gospel singers Trin-i-tee 5:7 and Dr. Bobby Jones of BET fame. Church Boyz and Pulse also performed at the 2007 Grey Cup Festival for Mike "Pinball" Clemon's gospel explosion alongside artists like Aileen Lombardo, The University of Toronto Gospel Choir, and Marvin Winans. The band and I soon became involved with the up and coming R&B and Hip-Hop scene in Toronto through the Remix Project, a government funded program for aspiring young people who want to be involved in music, business, production, film, etc. Through the guidance of one of my fellow band members, I ended up at Bunker 8 where I am currently expanding my musical horizons and learning the truth about what it takes to make music today.

My personal ambition in music is to be as good as I can be. Having been raised in church, I can see the striking difference between purposeful, emotional music and the storm of garbage that is the present day mainstream music scene. I am not, nor will I ever be, the greatest musician in the world. The skills I do have I can only use to help other people. Whether I'm playing for new artists who are chasing their dreams, writing my own songs, teaching kids guitar, or just leading out one of the good old hymns at church, I always keep in mind that if music doesn't benefit others, it benefits no one.