Bio

In the brisk evening Bergen air, that blew from the fjords as the church bells rang one September evening, a child was born.  Pete grew up traveling and playing music along the way at places ranging from Jakarta to LA to New Orleans.

Pete has been working as a musician in the Washington D.C. area for the past eight years. He started playing guitar at the age of thirteen, influenced initially by rock and roll. In high school he played in music festivals and rock bands and later went on to attend the Musician’s Institute in Los Angeles before relocating to New Orleans where he opened up for Carlos Santana at the 1999 New Orleans Jazz Fest and played in funk bands and in clubs on Frenchman Street including Café’ Brazil and Dragon’s Den. Living in DC Pete has played at various local places ranging from Zanzibars where he opened up for Hugh Masacala to the historic Bohemian Caverns to Café Nema and Indulj Lounge on U Street.

Pete’s major musical influences include: John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Wes Montgomery, Grant Green, Charles Mingus, Pat Martino, John Scoffield, Calvin Jones, Lawrence Wheatly and the Washington D.C. U Street jazz community. Pete’s music is heavily influenced by straight ahead jazz but he strives to write and play music that may come from a range of influences.

Pete is currently completing his BA degree in Jazz Studies at the University of the District of Columbia, where he has studied under and been inspired by some of DC’s finest jazz musicians including the late Calvin Jones, Steve Novosel and Allyn Johnson. Pete has also studied with other great musicians in the area such as guitarist Paul Piper, Paul Wingo and the late Lawrence Wheatley.

Pete’s debut album is a combination of really swinging straight ahead and some of his own music and arrangements of various pieces.

He plans to compile a second album based on material that he will write & arrange for his senior recital, set to take place in the spring of2009.