I was born and raised in Binghamton, NY.  At nine years of age I was given a set of bongo drums.  And thus began my lifelong love affair with drumming and music.
  I began studying with a local drummer named Tony Monforte who had just returned from a few years on the road after completing a stint with the U.S. Army band. He was just beginning his career as a teacher and I was one of his first students.  It was a well-rounded education that prepared me for my life as a professional.
Tony became a legendary teacher in upstate New York, because he knew how to motivate his students, hold their interest and create a player who was prepared for any musical situation.

At 16 years of age I became a student/teacher for him. I studied with Tony for a total of  10 years before making  the move  to New York City, where  I continued  my studies  with  one of the  world's most  prolific  authors of drum method books, Sam Ulano.  I  also  studied with  one the  kings of groove, Bernard Purdie