After decades of creating and performing music and other creative pursuits; today, my focus is on composing and recording downtempo, ambient jazz and solo guitar music.
My story in a dozen bullet points:
Grew up in the Minneapolis area. Lots of great music people around.
Took up the guitar at age 15, won a scholarship to music school (North Texas State), where I studied privately with the great Jack Petersen and played with the famed 1:00 Lab Band and guests Thad Jones & Mel Lewis, Patrick Williams, and Tony Bennett.
Went on the road with showbusiness acts and touring Broadway shows. Led the band for a tour of “Godspell.”
Moved to Las Vegas, where I worked with legends like Pearl Bailey, Mitzi Gaynor, Dean Martin, and more.
Returned to Minneapolis. Worked in studios (Sound 80, Cookhouse, Creation Audio, New Life) and backed Joel Grey, Julie Andrews, “Doc” Severinson, Paul Williams, Teresa Brewer, Margaret Whiting, and Bob Hope. Also produced recordings for Rockie Robbins, Josh Weaver, and others.
Featured soloist with the Minnesota Orchestra on their staging of the music from Abba’s musical, “Chess” and performed with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.
Performed with jazz greats Bobby Hackett, Louis Belleson, Brother Jack McDuff, Marvin Stamm, and Julian Priester
Played in touring regional rock and R&B bands: The Mystics, Good Vibrations, Class Action, Lover, and Zenner
Composed music for film, TV, and advertising, along with a few big band charts (published by Steve Wright Music Endeavors), and an orchestral composition which was premiered by the LA Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl
Took a position as an audio engineer at a video production company. Advanced to Creative Director.
Left to start “Flying Colors”—an award-winning video and event production company.
Today, I’m back to composing, performing, and recording music.
Late-2013 Mac Pro (3.5GHz 6-core, 64GB RAM, 1tB flash storage + two 500gB ext. Thunderbolt 2 SSDs
32″ UHD display
2022 MacBook Pro 13″
MUSIC & VIDEO SOFTWARE
MOTU Digital Performer
Virtual Instruments from MOTU, Spectrasonics, Native Instruments (Komplete), UVI, 8dio, Rob Papen, Soniccouture, Soundiron, East West, Spitfire Audio, Heavyocity, Vir2, Zero-G, and more
Waves, Brainworx, Wavesfactory, Vengeance, Eventide, SPL, PSP, UVI, Valhalla DSP, Kush Audio, AudioThing, Final Mix, IK Multimedia, iZotope, and other assorted effect plug-ins
Finale
Avid MediaComposer
Apple Compressor
STUDIO HARDWARE
Roland A-88 keyboard controller
Apogee Quartet audio interface
Genelec 1032a (w/1092 sub) and Westlake BBSM4 monitors
Dorrough 20-A2 analog loudness meter
Neuman TLM-103 and Shure SM-57 mics
Focusrite Platinum VoiceMaster mic pre-amp
iCON Platform Nano controller
AKG K712 and Focal Spirit Pro headphones
GUITAR RIG
Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion III (modified)
Fender ’65 Deluxe Reverb guitar amp
Roland Cube 60 guitar amp
Roland GP-100 Guitar Preamp/Processor
Pedalboard from Accel Audio with pedals by T-Rex, Pettyjohn, Wren & Cuff, JHS, Moorer, Universal Audio, and Fulltone