I’ve been a roadie for swordsmen from the Burmese border, a cook for a Miami Beach ashram, curator for a tiny San Francisco venue, an intern at a drum & bass label, a producer of folk-music sessions in China, a studio musician on albums of Sanskrit chants, and a chronicler of bass-guitar stores in Japan, but there’s nothing like live performance.
As a drummer, bassist, and percussionist, I’ve been blessed to visit five continents and collaborate with great musicians in many styles.
R&B, FUNK, FUSION, and HIP-HOP
I’ve had a ball playing bass and drums with cover bands Thunderpussy, Divalicious, and 14-piece Michael Jackson tribute Foreverland. I’ve also enjoyed touring and recording with jam-band stalwarts ALO, backing up soulful songbird Maya Azucena, as well as playing live hip-hop with Company of Prophets and G-Koop & O-Man.
ROCK & ROLL, JAZZ, and BLUES
I’ve been honored to play New Orleans-style second line, African-American gospel, as well as folk, rock, blues, and jazz in the pit for a Berkeley Playhouse production of Memphis and with Hamid Drake, Brass Monkey Brass Band, MoonCandy Live House Ensemble, Forest Sun, Sparlha Swa, and Father Roberto DeHaven of the St. John Coltrane Church.
CIRCUS, DANCE, PROTEST, AND EXPERIMENTAL MUSIC
I’ve had fun playing with the San Francisco Mime Troupe, the New Pickle Circus, choreographer Susan Marshall, storyteller Tim Barsky, vocalist Kid Beyond, LEMUR (the League of Electronic Musical Urban Robots), at rallies with Art & Revolution, as a dance-class accompanist at ODC and Dance Mission, at Burning Man, and at San Francisco street-theater and puppet festivals.
WORLD MUSIC
I’ve enjoyed playing with masterful tabla artist Suphala, qawwali singers Riffat Sultana and Sukhawat Ali Khan, cumbia/salsa/hip-hop stars La Gente, Nigerian Afro-house artist Wunmi, Afrobeat band Tinsaedu, Indian pop singer Shakti, and many kirtan singers, including Jai Uttal, Karnamrita Dasi, Gaura Vani, the Mayapuris, and Donna De Lory. I also loved drumming for Polish reggae band Village of Peace and being a roadie/photographer/drum apprentice for the Ranganiketan Cultural Arts Troupe from Manipur, India.
