CURRENT
PROJECTS
The
Silver Nature - four-piece
group writing and performing original material
The Babylonians – six-piece instrumental ska/reggae/jazz combo
jww - solo project combining live instruments with contemporary digital sounds and rhythms
Lighthouse - an artist-run space for incubation, rehearsal and presentation of multimedia events
Factory of Light - music for a film by Ottawa artist Pixie Cram (shot July 2006) - music pre-production, composition & arrangement
Into the Heart – arrangement / composition for a choral folk project (recordings, live shows)
RECENT PROJECTS
Pyjama Warriors - pre-production composition of music for an outdoor performance series by Montreal-based trapeze artist Anna Ward (April - June 2006)
Penombra - a series of live performances exploring voice as instrument in collaboration with vocalist Rafaelle Maca
EDUCATION
B.I.S. - Bachelor of Independent Studies: University of Waterloo 1994-1997
this unique program stresses individualized study, including a two-term thesis project completed in close collaboration with faculty advisors
focussed on the integration of music, visual arts and computer science
designed and implemented an art piece combining animation and music
FURTHER MUSICAL EDUCATION
primarily self-taught - classical guitar method, computer-based production
studied Indian sarod with Rajeesh Mudra, a veteran All India Radio performer, in Benares, Uttar Pradesh, India (1998-1999)
studied jazz with Andy Scott, jazz guitarist based in Toronto, Ontario (1998)
INSTRUMENTS
guitar (acoustic, electric), bass guitar, sarod, banjo / mandolin / bouzouki
percussion, beat production, computer / synth
RECENT EVENTS (in Montreal unless otherwise noted)
01/24/07 Babylonians (6-piece reggae/jazz band) – La Plage – electric guitar
09/06/06 Throwdown -- Boudhi Lounge – DJ set
07/23/06 Factory of Light – film shoot, La Petite Mort, Ottawa, Ontario – bass guitar, composer
06/17/06 Anant Jesse, Laughing Lotus, Greenwich Village, NYC – acoustic guitar
06/16/06 Anant Jesse, World Yoga Studio, Manhattan, NYC – acoustic guitar
06/04/06 Rafaelle Presents Penombra, Mouse House Studio – live vocal sampling, electric guitar
05/03/06 The Grain, Salon Divan Orange – bass guitar
04/07/06 The Grain, Kelp Records 12th Anniversary, Navy Club, Ottawa
03/22/06 The Grain, Salon Divan Orange
03/17/06 John W. Williams & Mike Ayles, "Daybreak Radio" CBC 88.5FM - production, live mixing
03/14/06 jww, "Modular Systems" CKUT 90.3FM - live laptop set, mashup set, DJ set
12/03/05 second night of Ambient Session following "Constellations Dynamiques", Société des Arts Technologiques (SAT) - production, live mixing
12/02/05 Ambient Session , SAT - production, live mixing
10/26/05 Anna Ward, TOHU, Cité des Arts du Cirque - presentation of musical edits / arrangements during trapeze performance
10/16/05 The Grain , Salon Divan Orange
10/14/05 Opening of the Lighthouse - DJ set, event promotion
08/25/05 Memetics presents Indira Sessions II (Mixsessions), SAT - DJ set, production, sarod
06/20/05 Memetics presents Beats and Breaks from the Four Corners, Main Hall - DJ set
04/08/05 Memetics Mashup Battle, Main Hall - DJ set
03/22/05 Kalmunity Collective (live improv), Sablo Café - acoustic guitar, sarod
02/17/05 Memetics presents Indira Session (Mixsessions), SAT - sarod, production
01/21/05 jww - CD Release, Main Hall - guitar, bass, live mixing
05/22/04 Moondata presents LABProjects #11 (live improv), O Patro Vys - acoustic guitar
02/29/04 Flight 714 , final weekly performance at the Old Orchard, begun 08/01/02 - acoustic guitar
12/03/03 jww, Sala Rosa - production, acoustic guitar
09/26/03 Moondata presents LABProjects #05, O Patro Vys - acoustic guitar, sarod
ROLES PLAYED IN RECENT PUBLIC PERFORMANCES
Creative Lead - designed pre-recorded music tracks to accompany performers in a live setting
Performer - interpreted music, improvised on sarod, bass guitar, acoustic guitar
Musical Prototyper / Maquette Maker - created quick demonstrations of musical possibilities in response to clients' ideas
Event Organizer - found venue, negotiated price, booked/paid opening acts / interfaced with technical staff
Promoter - designed flyers, distributed to contacts, maintained email lists
Session Leader - organized rehearsals, interfaced between musicians of different musical backgrounds
Sound Editor - tailored music tracks to given cues, lengths
Music Consultant - assisted in digital organization of source material, suggested appropriate soundtrack ideas
Producer / Engineer - led recording sessions, created a relaxed atmosphere to capture good performances from musicians, provided a musical framework for others to work within
RECORDING / SESSION WORK
07/06 Pixie Cram - film shoot for “Factory of Light” - music arrangement, bass guitar
01/06 - 04/06 Rafaelle Maca - recordist, production, arrangement of 3-track demo
11/05 James Edwards Steel Band , Oscar Peterson Concert Hall - bass guitar
09/04 Mike O'Brien, McGill University Studio One - studio session led by producer George Massenburg for recording students at McGill University - bass guitar
06/03 Abigail Clarke , Oscar Peterson Concert Hall - recording of compositions commissioned for an installation at the Banff Centre for the Arts - mandolin
19/03 Moondata, O Patro Vys - live recording of track 8 on the CD "Satellite - LABprojects 2003-2005" also featuring DJ P-Love - acoustic guitar
01/03 Rafaelle Maca, Oscar Peterson Concert Hall - added guitar arrangement to demo by vocalist - acoustic guitar
10/02 Zen Nakamura , Oscar Peterson Concert Hall - added rhythm and lead parts to a latin-themed recording - acoustic guitar
PUBLIC PERFORMANCES (1992 – 2002)
09/27/02 Jim Good & John Williams , Yellow Door, Montreal - acoustic guitar
08/10/02 Heather Cameron Band , Montreal Celtic Festival - acoustic guitar
1996-2000 Upper Canada Ceili Band , traditional Celtic quintet - bi-monthly performances in Guelph, Ontario and throughout the region - acoustic guitar
1997 Newgrange, Celtic and early music trio - perfomed regularly at the Moondance cafe, Waterloo - acoustic guitar
1997 Steve Eelhardt Ensemble , hybrid classical/jazz quintet - weekly gigs in Waterloo and Guelph, Ontario - electric guitar
1996 Laura Cannell group, performed at folk festivals throughout Ontario - bass, acoustic guitar
1996 F. Tyler Shaw, songwriter - several performances in Waterloo, Ontario - bass guitar
1994-1996 The King Street Bread Machine, 10+ piece experimental group - series of shows in Toronto's Kensington Market (Club 52 Inc., Goulash Party House, The Tryst) - electric guitar, composer, arranger
1996 Expression Sessions , a multimedia show featuring live computer music, musicians, DJ sets, and audience interaction - Button Factory, Waterloo - live sample mixing with custom software
1993 Lisa's Beast, folk quartet - summer festivals in Kitchener-Waterloo - acoustic guitar, bass
1992 The Dervishes, (monthly performances throughout 1990-1994) - live television broadcast at the YTV Achievement Awards in Ottawa, Ontario, as the recipients of the Achievement Award for Band - bass, songwriter