Meep and Myrna Productions

Performance

Above everything else, I am a guitar player. I simply love to play the guitar, and everything else that I do with music stems from my passion for this beautiful and versatile instrument. I compose so that I can play my tunes on the guitar. I draw up charts so that I can play my compositions and arrangements with other musicians. I got interested in recording and production so that I could record myself playing the guitar. And so on.

I have been playing for over 25 years, and I have been influenced by a diverse list of guitarists that includes Jimi Hendrix, John McLaughlin, Robert Fripp, Frank Zappa, Joe Pass, Jim Hall, Wes Montgomery, Pat Martino, and Pat Metheny. When I first arrived in D.C. in the late ’80’s, I took a few lessons from Steve Abshire before pursing an extensive period of study with Paul Bollenback. I have experience playing in a wide variety of styles, including jazz, rock, funk, blues, R&B, bluegrass, etc. I have played in many bands in the Washington, D.C area since my arrival in 1988, including One Color Coalition, Thin Air, On the Rocks, The Dark Aether Project, and the Jazz Detour. Go to my biography page for more information.

I am presently playing with two groups. The first is Outta Scope, a quintet featuring electric violin, keyboards, bass, drums, and of course, guitar. Our diverse range of styles can be heard on our debut CD, "Time Machine," which was recorded here in my studio, called (naturally) Meep and Myrna Studios, and released on my independent label, called (naturally) Meep and Myrna Records. Click here to go to Outta Scope's website to learn more about the band and our CD.

The second group with whom I am playing is a power trio called 3 Piece Suit. Our debut CD is called "Try It On For Size". It was also recorded in my studio and released on Meep and Myrna Records. Click here for more information.

And let's not forget that most guitar players are closet bass players. I play bass on many of my own recordings, and I am the house bass player in the choir at Berwyn Presbyterian Church in Berwyn Heights, Maryland, under the direction of the wonderfully talented Gabriel Ruiz-Bernal. We rock the joint with some fun gospel tunes, and occasionally Gabriel and I will jazz up some hymns for the prelude or postlude.

In the photo below you can see my arsenal. The guitar I am holding is a Gibson ES-335, circa 1971. This is the main guitar I use for gigging and on many of my recordings. I love this guitar; I can get a full range of sounds out of it from a deep, rich tone for jazz to a screaming, edgy tone for rock.

My other guitars, from left to right in the photo, are as follows:
  • Gibson ES-175, circa 1974: Great jazz guitar with a full, deep, rich sound. Once I got truly interested in jazz, I had to have one of these. I use this guitar for recording and for jazz-based gigs.
  • Gibson SG, circa 1965: Great rock and roll guitar. I have had this guitar since I was in high school. This was the first "good" guitar I ever owned, and I truly "cut my teeth" with it. It was the only guitar I owned through most of high school and college. I don't play it much anymore, but it still has a special place in my heart.
  • Martin D28 acoustic: Beautiful acoustic guitar with a fabulous rich sound. On any of my recordings where you hear an acoustic guitar, it is probably this one.
  • Ovation acoustic/electric: I use this one at gigs when I want an acoustic sound. It doesn't have as rich a tone as the Martin, but it does have a pickup.
  • Taylor Baby travel guitar: Isn't it cute? I take this with me when I go on travel for work.
  • Ken Smith 5-string bass: I use this for recording and when I am rocking the joint at church (see above). I love the low "B" that the 5th string provides; I call it the "Metamucil Note."

I am available for freelance work in just about any style. If you need a guitar player for live performances or recordings, click here to contact me.