WMU’s faculty jazz ensemble received a four-star review from storied jazz magazine Downbeat for Free Fall, our recent CD. Writer John Ephland praises Free Fall’s many “nice surprises” and remarks admiringly that the group “places academic acuity on the back-burner” in favor of a more “impressionistic” approach.

The WJQ will celebrate the CD’s success with a special release concert in Kalamazoo at Dalton Recital Hall on Friday, September 12. In October, we’ll spread the Free Fall love in Indiana, performing at Indiana University in Bloomington on October 13th and at Butler University in Indianapolis on October 14th.

I’ll be heading to to Monterey, California where I’m representing Yamaha at the Monterey Jazz Festival from September 19-21, performing with saxophonist Caleb Curtis. I’ll be playing their amazing hybrid piano, the Avant Grand, which features the real action of a piano but produces recorded sounds. All of the specifics are here!

I’m looking for house concert hosts for two tours: June 30-July 6 in New York, Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois; and August 9-15 in Northern California, Oregon, and Washington. Look at the new “House Concerts” section for more info.

I’m proud to be Artistic Director of the brand-new American Jazz Pianist Competition in Melbourne, Florida. Check out the website for more info!

Check out the link for a review of my performance of Duke Ellington’s music at the Gilmore Keyboard Festival.

I’ve been elected chair of the WMU Piano Department starting in Fall 2014. Hail to the chief!

I’m heading to Bangkok for 10 days to teach at Rangist University for the Thailand Jazz Workshop led by Dr. Gene Aitken.

Check out my new books – piano four-hands versions of famous spy songs. It’s called “Double Agent” and it’s a whole lot of fun!

I’ll be representing Yamaha a the Monterey Jazz Festival in September – more details to come!

The wonderful Julia Bullock will premiere arrangements I’ve written for her at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and at Merkin Hall in New York City.