Born in New York City in 1971, Brian has spent the past thirteen years at his current residence in Brooklyn. While a teenager he studied timpani with Dr. John Beck at the Eastman School of Music. In 1989 Brian enrolled at the New School for Social Research and studied with many renowned musicians including Jimmy Cobb and the late Vernel Fournier.
Since 1993 he has traveled extensively throughout the world performing with many instrumentalists including Howard Alden, Eric Alexander, Junior Mance, Brad Mehldau, David “Fathead” Newman, Frank Wess, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, and the Toledo Symphony Orchestra. Among the vocalists Brian has accompanied are John Boutte, Lea DeLaria, Dena Derose, Norah Jones, Irene Reid, Diane Schuur, and Marlena Shaw.
Brian has had much experience as an educator having been the artistic director of the Emory University jazz festival, faculty at the Adirondack music camp, and master class presenter at the University of Miami, Western Michigan University and Laguardia High School in New York. He is currently on the faculty of the Brooklyn Conservatory and the Swett Arts Academy in the Bronx.
Featured on numerous recordings and television appearances, Brian can be heard on the upcoming Daptone Records release “Naomi Shelton and The Gospel Queens of Brooklyn.” In September he returned from a three week tour of Japan with guitarist Tomoya Hara and bassist Mark Tourian.