About John

John has had a long-term love affair with music. At the age of 6 he began to play violin, but became frustrated with the physical and technical challenges of the instrument. His career as a violinist was short lived, but the love for music still burned in his heart, and his intrigue for rhythm began to blossom. John began studying orchestral percussion at the age of 7, and he received his first drum set at the age of 8, the only caveat being he must receive formal instruction. John began studying drum set with Mike Brennan at the age of 9, learning the fundamentals of reading, coordination and independence, rhythmic ear training, etc, and he continued to study with Mike until age 16. In 2002, Mike told him it was time to take the next step, as he had taught him everything he knew. John then received instruction from Tom Hayashi, studying funk and jazz. In 2003, he was accepted to the University of California at Santa Cruz, and when he discovered that the university drum set instructor, George Marsh, lived close to his hometown, he began taking private lessons with him. Once in Santa Cruz, he was fortunate enough to study and play with fantastic musicians such as Stan Poplin, Ray Brown (trumpet), and Rob Klevan. In 2008, John was accepted to the California Institute of the Arts to pursue a Master’s Degree (MFA) in Jazz Studies; it was here that he began to develop a high level of musical prowess and creativity, studying with many of the top players and educators in Los Angeles. These include Joe LaBarbera, Aaron Serfaty, Randy Gloss, Larry Koonse, Darek “Oles” Oleszkiewicz, Alphonso Johnson, Charlie Haden, Vinny Golia, Howie Shear, Alfred Ladzekpo, and Andrew Grueschow. John’s experience at the California Institute of the Arts has been paramount in his life as a musician, and with graduation in sight, he looks forward to the next step in his professional life.

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