The picture there on the right is me playing my bass at the Monterey Jazz Festival my senior year in high school. I'd actually graduated by then (and so had the drummer, for that matter), but I was still helping the band out that semester. The festival occurred either right before or right after I turned 18.

I started learning bass when I was 14, and learned rather quickly due to my existing musical abilities from plaing piano since the age of six. I took formal lessons until I graduated high school. I taught myself the upright bass primarily for classical music when I was 16. I wanted to play that in the jazz band as well but since the school only had one upright bass (and I wasn't about to be able to afford one myself) and three jazz bands that played at the same time, I wasn't able to use it in rehersal and therefore the director didn't want me to play it at the concerts. Once in college (for the semester I was there) I was able to start playing upright in the jazz band.

I also played jazz piano during junior high and my freshman year in high school, but I never got the hang of it quite as well as I did jazz bass. I still enjoy listening to the jazz piano (either solo or in an ensemble) but when it comes to playing I usually stick to classical music.

Check out some of my favorite artists at CDNOW:

• Miles Davis
• John Coltrane
• Charlie Parker
• Chick Corea
• Cherry Poppin' Daddies
• Squirrel Nut Zippers
• Swing Kids Soundtrack
• Other Jazz Artists