I started playing when I was 9 years old, using my older brother's practice pad for a snare and text books for toms.  I set them up on the floor and played to LPs I found around the house.  I tagged on my older brother's coattails, listening to him, my cousin and their friends jam in various basements and when my brother was out of the house, I would play his drums. I eventually was allowed to sit in on one of these jam sessions in my cousin's basement.  It led to my first professional playing gig at a "go-go" bar in downtown Louisville at the age of 15.  During my senior year of high school, I was playing with a few popular bands, which led to an opportunity to back Bill Withers in front of 35,000 spectators at the age of 17.  

At the age of 24, I landed a gig with guitar legend Jimmy Raney for the next 7 months 4 nights a week.  When that ended, Jimmy urged me to move to New York City, which I did. .  Jimmy started gigging around NYC and hiring me where I met, and played with various bassists including Michael Moore, Chuck Israel, Dennis Irwin and Steve Gilmore.  Michael ultimately recommended me to Zoot Sims.  That relationship opened the door to gigs sharing the stage with Jackie Byard, Teddy Wilson, Jimmy Rowles, Pee Wee Irwin, Don Friedman, and many others.  I performed with Zoot, Jimmy and Michael at jazz clubs across the country including the Village Vanguard and Fat Tuesdays in NYC. 

I joined the fusion band C'est What recording 2 albums with them and touring for a number of years.  I worked with a number of local rock, fusion and blues bands during this period and then was called to tour with the Main Ingredient ("Everybody Plays the Fool", "Just Don't Wanna Be Lonely" and many other hits).  I toured with the Main Ingredient and then later with their lead singer Cuba Gooding Sr. playing concerts and venues across the country for the next 3 years.  I have shared the stage or the studio with many great players (in addition to those listed in my discography and groups already mentioned).

I currently live in Westchester County, New York and enjoy working regularly with jazz, blues/rock and big bands.

Discography

Carl & Joanne Barry, Holding On (Carl Barry, Joanne Barry, Steve LaSpina, Eliot Zigmund)
Zoot Sims, Passion Flower (Jimmy Rowles, Michael Moore)
Zoot Sims, A Celebration of Duke (Jimmy Rowles, Michael Moore)
Zoot Sims, The Swinger (Jimmy Rowles, Michael Moore)
C'est What, Balance (Matt Balitsaris, John Wunsch, Paul Adamy, Jeff Berman, David Dunaway, Guilherme Franco)
C'est What, Still Waters (Matt Balitsaris, John Wunsch, Paul Adamy, Jeff Berman)
Mr. Spatz, Dream Patrol (Steve Evans,June Bisantz, Steve Swallow, Thomaz Ostegren, Bob Moses, Don Alias, Mike Stern, Gerry Niewood)
Mr. Spatz, Love Speaks (Steve Evans, June Bisantz, Will Lee, Bob Moses, Richard Hill, Billy Martin, Lew Soloff, Nelson Rangell, Cliff Korman, David Gross)
Richard Shulman, Open Spaces (Richard Shulman, Tim Moran, Greg Cohen)
Jeff Berman, Things She Said, (Jeff Berman, Peter Herbert, Matt Balitsaris)
Eric Wood, Letters From the Earth (Matt Balitsaris, Jeff Berman, Peter Herbert)
Vinnie Bianchi, Little Melodies (Vinnie Bianchi, Richard Shulman, Jack Dryden)