Casper – Bass Guitar, Harmonies

I started playing drums at 6 and switched to bass at 14. So, of course, I was basically issued Rush albums to get started.  I grew up on rock, blues, funk, and honky-tonk and transitioned to jazz and fusion along the way.  In college, I DJ-ed most nights (hip hop & house, which is where I got my nickname of Casper) and played in bands whenever the chance came up. In 30 years, I have played with more bands than I can remember, from sleeping-in-the-car wannabe tours with a few no-name bands during college to arena shows with legitimately world famous Persian musicians, and I have recorded 17 albums and a few dozen singles both as a band member and a hired gun. Mostly self taught, but some formal education as well — Anthony Wellington, Victor Wooten, Kai Eckhardt, and lots of others.

Best musical experience — playing for a Nowruz festival just outside of DC in front of 15,000 people.

Worst musical experience — got hired by a name brand artist to play a gig. As it turns out, I got the privilege to fake playing while a backing track did the dirty work. I did not know that was going to be the deal before showing up at the venue (and had learned all the songs anyway). I would have walked out, but I gave my word, so I pretended to play and they pretended to pay me (stiffing me out a paycheck as icing on the cake).