My dad was a jazz and blues fan, and I’ve been hearing the likes of Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Big Joe Turner since I was in the womb. My dad used to claim that I was conceived to Big Joe Turner singing “Cherry Red,” but I recently discovered that he recorded that tune when I was about seven years old. Still, it’s a good story.

When I first started playing guitar I was a hardcore blues fiend, and I played my Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters and Memphis Slim records until I wore out the grooves.

But the jazz influence was never far from my mind, and I soon started to gravitate to more complex harmonies and scales. I spent many hours listening to guys like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus and Gil Evans, occasionally slowing down the record to 16 2/3 RPM so I could pick up on the licks they were playing.

My favorite guitarists include Larry Carlton, Lee Ritenour, the incomparable Ted Greene and, last but not least, Pat Martino, whom I consider the greatest jazz guitarist in the history of the genre. Aside from observing his almost superhuman chops, just listen to him play a straightforward melody and you’ll see what I mean.

My dad was also a writer, and I must have inherited his drive to create original art. And as my playing became more accomplished I began to compose original material that would more fully express my vision. My favorite composers include Charles Mingus, Miles Davis, Gil Evans and Chick Corea.

I consider myself a conscientious composer, and I try to go beyond simple AABA structures to include such compositional devices as breakdowns and interludes to enhance the listening experience and to provide the players with challenging material to sink their teeth into. Rather than sticking to one discrete feel throughout my tunes, I seek to have different sections have distinctive thematic elements, enabling the listener to know where we are in the tune.

I hope you enjoy listening to my record as much as I enjoyed making it, and I look forward to seeing you at one of my upcoming gigs.