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The tour with Ricky Liontones was a success–we hit up Michigan, Nashville, Indianapolis, and Iowa. During that week I played a whole lot of bass but not much piano, and no tuba at all. I’ve been spending the last two weeks getting back into playing shape for some exciting projects I’m taking on in the Fall.

Last week I had a busy slate of Chicago shows at Reggie’s On The Beach, Fitzgerald’s, and Liar’s Club. Next month I have even more shows, including some major events that I’ll be announcing very soon. I also resume teaching at St. Xavier University next week for my second year as an adjunct faculty member. With such a busy schedule, it seems like the dog days of summer are long gone for me… but I wouldn’t have it any other way!

This July I’ll be hitting the road with Ricky Liontones and crew in support of the upcoming EP “Thot Boi Summer”. Kicking things off with a stint at The Good Old Days music festival in Grand Junction, Michigan, we’ll then be making our way to Nashville for several shows at The Cobra, The Dive Motel, and Bowie’s. Following that we’re off to Indianapolis to perform at Black Circle Brewery, and wrapping things up at The Washington in Burlington, Iowa. It’s going to be a blast!

In the meantime we’ve been hard at work in the studio, laying down all new tracks for the upcoming EP. Compared to the bleak, guitar-driven elegies of “2020 Vision”, this next Ricky Liontones release will be fun, fresh, and form-fitting for a fantastic Summer. If you like the music of Prince, then you’re going to love this one. Stay tuned for the release very soon!

This past Sunday I performed with an orchestra for the first time in over two years. Instead of the usual tuba, I played ensemble piano.

The featured work of the evening was Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances, a beautiful piece and a fun one to learn and perform. In an interesting twist, we also performed an arrangement of Journey’s greatest hits, thus fulfilling the advertised program of “Rach and Roll”.

Fittingly, this performance was with the Lakeshore Symphony Orchestra under Russell Vinick, the same orchestra that I performed with in February of 2020. I also played keyboard then as well—in that case, it was the celeste part for Holst’s The Planets. Maybe someday I will play tuba with them in a performance… or both!

After a short break following the holidays, the Taylor Street Organ Trio is back at it with multiple shows in the coming months. With Aaron Gordon on guitar, Will Gingrich on drums, and yours truly on the organ, the Taylor Street Organ Trio features an eclectic mix of jazz, blues, funk and rock that’s guaranteed to keep things fresh and fun for all audiences.

Our first set back is this Saturday at 7PM, at One Allegiance Brewery in Chicago Ridge. I’m looking forward to bringing some of our favorite jams to a fresh audience, and debut some new tunes as well. It’s going to be one hot Chicago summer for this group, and I hope you can catch us for a show if you’re in town!

The Presidio Brass April tour was a blast! We got the chance to teach music students around the country, and performed our touring show “…And All That Brass!” for a host of fantastic audiences.

After that tour is was only a matter of days before I was back on the road again, with a Ricky Liontones show at Last Rites in Milwaukee last Wednesday, and an engagement in Hinsdale on Easter Sunday. Next month I’ll be traveling out to Berwyn and Chicago Ridge for some more fun shows on keys and bass, and I’m sure there will be more shows to announce as venues finalize their schedules.

Touring has been a constant source of opportunities for working musicians throughout history, and yet we’re just now emerging from the only time in living memory that this hasn’t been the case. After being shut down for so long, I’m incredibly grateful for every opportunity I get to travel for my trade. That being said, I’m also interested in new ways of applying myself at home. Between remote teaching, Slapsauce video and merch production, and local gigs, there’s plenty to keep me occupied within city limits.

I’m looking forward to spending more time at home this Summer to develop some fun new projects with friends and band mates in Chicago. Be on the lookout for announcements on these projects and more in the coming weeks!

In just three days I’ll be flying out to Memphis to rehearse with the one and only Presidio Brass! We have a busy tour planned, including residencies in Mississippi and Kansas. Along the way we’ll be giving several clinics for musicians ranging from elementary school to university level.

I’m super excited to be taking our touring show, “…And All That Brass!”, back on the road. This isn’t our first tour since the pandemic, but after all the tribulations of these last two years I still feel grateful every time I get to perform for live audiences. After the Presidio Brass tour I have dates in Chicago, Milwaukee and Hinsdale, so there’s no shortage of reasons for me to be grateful!

It’s a new year, and I’m pretty happy about it. For the first time ever I got to perform on New Year’s Eve, at a country club in Lisle, Illinois. I played alongside Ricky Liontones, a singer/songwriter who rocks as hard as anyone I’ve ever had the privilege of jamming with. I’ll be playing lots more with Ricky in the future, so stay tuned for future gigs and maybe even a commercial release someday!

Aside from that, 2022 brings other new challenges, including a new brass methods class I’m teaching at Saint Xavier University, another touring season with Presidio Brass, and the dreadful monument that is my 30th birthday.

I’ve lately started playing keys with an awesome new band called Alley Light. Consisting of five of the best young musicians in Chicago, Alley Light plays jazz fusion music with a penchant for electrifying jam sessions. We have been working hard to put some of our favorite music together, and we’re excited to be bringing it to Reggie’s Rock Club tonight!