At 10 years old, I held a pair of drum sticks in my hand for the first time. It was one of the first days of fifth grade, and I remember the excitement of renting my concert snare drum from school and lugging it home on my back. In the years to follow, I found myself truly comfortable for the first time in my life, like I had found my place in the world. Music and rhythm came naturally to me. As I got older, I continued in concert band, competing in percussion ensembles and playing in garage bands. Throughout high school, I became obsessed with blues music; the artists, the guitar, and of course, the sound. As a result, after a few years of begging my parents, I finally got my first guitar, which I think my parents thought would be a flash in the pan. However, after 15-plus years of playing, I think it’s safe to say that guitar offered a form of melodic expression and exploration that complemented my studies in drums & percussion.

Below, you’ll find tracks from my acoustic EP from years back. Influenced by my blues, folk, and slack key heroes of the guitar, this short album of all original instrumentals is something I’m still proud of today. You can also find my former band’s album - Crystal Lotus, “Mellowtonin’ below as well.