2010 in review

Wow! 2010 flew by! After all the ups and downs of the year, I can look back and say I have no regrets. Through all my musical and non-musical ventures, I was reminded of how lucky I am to have the love and support of all my family and friends.

My first record was released in 2005, with a live DVD recording in 2006 a few months later. Needless to say, it's time for a new project! For the last year, I have been feverishly working on new music. I've been playing some really exciting gigs as a leader, and I'm really looking forward to sharing that music with you. More on that soon!

Earlier this year, I had the wonderful opportunity to work with Dave Douglas (along with 10 other great composers from all over the world) at the Carnegie Hall Jazz Composer's Workshop. A week of writing and rehearsing, culminating in a few performances, the last of which in Carnegie Hall. It was a blast!

Tchaicovsky Concert HallAs a sideman, I had some really amazing opportunites this year. All of which continue to keep me humbled and constantly challenged. Since 2008, I've been performing with Bobby Watson's Live and Learn. We had a few performances this year with our last one at the Tchaicovsky Concert Hall. The concert was great, the people were really wonderful, and the Hall was breathetaking.

In 2010, I got to work with one of my childhood heroes - Trumpeter, Nicholas Payton. It is such an honor to listen to him, let alone be asked to play in his big band (which I'll be doing again for the first week in March in NYC). It will be a memorable show.

This past year, I started touring with 9-time Grammy-winner, Eddie Palmieri. The gigs are always eye-opening, and never lack in excitement. I will be joining Eddie Palmieri's Latin Jazz Band again in April, during tour through France, Italy, Turkey, and Switzerland. Needless to say, it's going to be an incredible experience.

It has been a great year, in addition to the above, I still have the pleasure to play a lot with the Curtis Brothers & Insight, as well as Tim Warfield, Greg Tardy, and many others. I've been in and out of the the studio a lot, recording as a sideman on a number of other recording, and continue to travel giving masterclasses and guest appearances as well as performing with the non-for-profit educational group, Jazz Reach.