1. When did you decide that a career in music was for you?

Music is always something I have loved and even from my early years until now, it has taken
me to places and venues I never would have gone otherwise. It’s a universal language and I’ve
also been able to connect with other musicians from around the globe.

2. Who are your musical inspirations and why?

My inspirations are quite varied and come from different parts of my guitar journey so far! Jimi
Hendrix was the reason I picked up a guitar. My first live concert was seeing Santana but a few
years later seeing artists like Steve Vai and Dream Theater perform had a lasting effect on me
as an electric guitar player. Eddie Van Halen was also an early influence. Classical guitarists
such as Segovia and John Williams were influential in that aspect of my playing and later on,
jazz players like Pat Metheny also sparked my interest (seeing him live is recommended for
guitarists of any genre!).

3. Can you tell me 3 things about yourself that people might not already know?

1) One interesting thing is that I am left handed and actually started playing guitar lefty. I had
never received formal lessons until a few months into playing when my teacher suggested I try
switching to right-handed guitar since fretting notes might be easier and I will have an easier
time as a guitarist in general. So I switched, hated it at first but stuck with it and eventually
decided it was a better fit. I still thank him to this day. The rest is history!

2) I come from a science background having studied chemistry in college and worked in a lab
doing cancer cell research. I have done poster presentations showing my findings and
published journal articles.

3) I have a traditional classical guitar background and when I incorporate those elements into
my playing it is coming from that world. I have also competed in a number of classical guitar
competitions in my formative years and still love playing and performing.

4. What song of yours best describes you and why?

It’s hard to pick one! From my latest album I’d say one would be the title track “Revenant City”
which has heavy riffs, epic leads (everything from crystal clean to searing high gain), and a
grand scale with the orchestral elements. It has pretty much everything I like in instrumental
music with those elements combined. Also, the solo acoustic guitar track “Tower of Waves” is
another major work as it’s one of my favorite songs on the album because it’s a very organic
piece that has haunting, nostalgic melodies that convey a special feeling to the listener. It is the
longest work on the album but also during it’s 7+ minute time, tells a story from beginning to
end. Storytelling in music is important since having a voice and something to say is part of
what makes music great in my opinion.

5. What has been the best gig you have done to date and why?

Well, my most memorable gig for sure was when I was invited to go open for Yngwie
Malmsteen and Steve Vai in Miami. It was part of a larger guitar festival and such an honor to
have been on the same stage as people who I looked up to for such a long time. No added
pressure, but Nicko McBrain from Iron Maiden was a few feet to my left side-stage watching
my set. He was very friendly and down-to-earth!

6. If you could perform a gig at any venue where would it be and why?

Since I am from northern New Jersey, I have a lot of memories of going to Madison Square
Garden to see big shows. It is such an iconic venue in an iconic city, it only seems fitting to one
day have the honor to play there!

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7. What has been your best achievement to date and what would you like to achieve in the
future?

It’s hard to choose one! There are many things that come to mind. One thing I am proud of in
music is working with one of my musical idols, keyboardist and prog-legend Jordan Rudess.
We became friends several years ago and have spent a lot of time in the studio jamming and
working on music. Recently I was fortunate enough to play on his latest studio solo album
Permission to Fly, having tracked all rhythm guitars and even some leads, like on the intro to
his song “The Alchemist.” It was a daunting task and undertaking to record everything as he is
such an accomplished musician with many layers to his music. I had to use the full set of my
skills playing everything from heavy 7-string electric guitars, to classical style nylon, and
acoustic 12-string guitars. We are looking to record another follow-up album in the future. I’m
also looking to continue writing and performing my own music in the meantime! In addition I’m
proud and thankful for the endorsements and support I’ve received over the years with the
companies that believe in what I do, looking to continue growing those connections. Ultimately
music has introduced me to so many incredible people I never would have met had I not done
music and that is also something to be proud of.

8. Tell me a story from backstage or after a gig?

Prior to that guitar festival at soundcheck I plugged my guitar in and realized that no sound
was coming out of the cabinet. We had a wall of Marshall 4x12 cabinets and JCM 800 heads
(in true Yngwie style, who graciously provided the backline). It was pretty nerve-racking and I
thought something was wrong with my guitar because someone just plugged into that head
prior to me and everything seemed fine. So Thomas Nordegg (Vai’s tech at the time) who is
also an absolute legend came out and took my guitar on his bench and offered me one of
Steve’s guitars to play but I didn’t dare take it! He opened my guitar up and worked his magic
on something that he found needed fixing. When I got back we also found one of the tubes
had just blown but luckily there was about another dozen heads or so to use! The show went
on without a hitch but was certainly a tough situation to be in before going on. I recently saw
Thomas at this year’s NAMM at Ultimate Jam Night and we had a good laugh about it. Fun
times!

9. What has been the best gig you have been too as a fan and can you tell us about it?

I’ll share a couple cool ones. My first live show as I mentioned was seeing Santana at the PNC
Bank Arts Center in New Jersey after his Supernatural album came out. While I was only in
junior high, I worked my way up to the front of the stage and a security guard pushed me away
from the stage, but Santana reached over to let him know it’s ok and he handed me his guitar
pick during a solo. I was speechless and still have it to this day!
When I was in high school I saw the G3 Tour with Satriani, Vai and Malmsteen in New York City.
It felt like every guitar player in the city was out that night as I ran into people I hadn’t seen in a
long time that I met over the years playing, from summer camps, etc. During Summer Song,
John Petrucci came out as a special guest and the place erupted; they had just released their
Train of Thought album that day and I had a copy with me as there was a rumor he may be
playing. I was waiting outside the venue and John came over and when I handed him the
album to sign he said “Ah, the first one!” and signed it.

10. Do you think social media and the internet are a good thing in the music industry?

I think like anything they have their place; it certainly has made making music and releasing it
more accessible than ever. But with lowering the barrier for entry has allowed for saturation
that many artists may feel its difficult to stand out or get their music heard. I think generally it

has been a good thing from an artistic perspective as musicians from all parts of the globe who
may not have had a path to showcase their talent can do so for next to nothing. Also in the
past, writing, recording, mastering and releasing an album was something really unattainable
without label support and backing. Today people can release music independently and build a
following on their own very successfully. But in other ways it has taken away the ‘mystique’ of
an artist since fans can have access to seeing and interacting with their favorite artist at all
times, which before was reserved essentially for live shows. It’s worth mentioning there is also
the negative aspect of social media such as making music or content to satisfy an algorithm to
be visible or worrying about things pertaining to the platform that are irrelevant to the music
itself.

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11. What was the first record or song you purchased and why?

One of the first records I remember buying was Electric Ladyland by Jimi Hendrix. At my
school we had a short cycle class where we played guitar for a few weeks. The music teacher
at the time mentioned his name saying I should listen to “Purple Haze”. I went to a record store
and they didn’t have “Are You Experienced” so I picked an album they had. When I turned it on
I eventually heard “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)” and thought that was the coolest thing ever. It
really ignited my passion for wanting to learn guitar.

12. If you could collaborate with any other band/singer or musician who would you choose and
why?

In one way think it might be interesting to collaborate with someone who is not a guitarist so
we can play off each other’s strengths to create something unique. I’ve always loved
composers in the VGM space like Nobuo Uematsu, known for his work in the Final Fantasy
series or Joe Hisaishi (of Studio Ghibli fame) who I’ve met and seen in concert would also be
really fun since I think it could also utilize the full range of the style of guitar playing I do. I can
see incorporating not only the electric guitar sounds but also the 9-string classical guitar as
well. As far as bands go and as someone that gravitates towards lead playing, I think jamming
with bands System of a Down or Gojira would result in something killer as well!

13. What things make you uncomfortable?

When you’re re-stringing that high E string and it’s getting closer and closer to pitch and you’re
not sure if the string is going to break in your face or not. If you know, you know!

14. What has the rest of the year got in store for you?

I’m looking forward to releasing my second solo studio album “Revenant City”, there are some
guitar clinics and appearances in the works. I have some ideas for a side album, an acoustic
only one featuring my 9-string classical guitar and new singles to work on. Stay tuned!