Having grown up on the south side of Chicago, and been exposed to the unavoidable reality and disparity between the hyper segregated populations of the city, I decided to push the cities longstanding racial codes, and endeavored to engage and learn from my ethnically diverse neighbors. This choice, including the early decision to play in gospel churches and to interact and perform with musicians from other inner city ensembles proved paramount to my early musical development.
After learning Spanish in college prep, I studied traditional folkloric music at the National School of the Arts in Havana Cuba, and soon developed a passion for differ...