Musicians We Recommend

James is a Graduate of Grove School of Music in 1993. Over the past 20 years of Teaching, Performing, and Recording, James has had the chance to work with some of the following Music Artists:
* Greg Douglas (Steve Miller Band)

* Donavon Frankenreiter (Sunchild)

* Rick Ellias (That Thing You Do)

* Joe Wood (TSOL)

* Norwood Fisher (Fishbone)

* Roger Lahr (Kid Joe)

* Mark Ford (The Black Crows)

E-mail: SunchildRecords@gmail.com

Phone Number: (760) 871-5546  

Michael has a Bachelor of Science degree from State University of New York-Binghamton NY and a Masters degree from Regis University-Denver CO. His formal education and 'day job' for over 27 years has been in finance in accounting for healthcare facilities from NY to CA. His music abilities on trumpet started at age of ten and had a parallel road of success to his professional business career. Primarily self taught during college Michael's formal classical trumpet training was from Dirk Koman Coronado CA between 1992 to 1996. His jazz training came from Bob Montgomery [trumpet] James Brandon Lewis [sax] and Kay Ambrose [piano] in Denver CO from 2004 to 2007. Michael teaches; Primary: Trumpet Music Theory and Secondary: Beginning Piano and Guitar. While working at Scripps Health from 1988 to 1995 Michael started his music teaching experience with the La Jolla School Band program as a Volunteer Trumpet Instructor. He established the City of Aurora CO Recreation and Cultural Brass Ensemble and was a recommended teacher for the Colorado Honor Band. He took his ensemble students to a professional recording studio and they cut a demo teaching CD so the students could learn from their own performance.

In addition to his teaching Michael is a member of the Buglers across America organization and was on call for the Fort Logan National Cemetery for Honor Guard seven days a week. He also is a national listed Music Instructor on this site and others. He started the employee-based jazz quintet at the University of Colorado Health Sciences center called Fitz 5to9 jazz which record two demo CDs and played corporate fund raising parties for the University. Because of their contribution to the Denver community Michael and the Fitz 5to9 Jazz quintet were interviewed and performed live on CBS4 Denver Morning show in October 2006.

In 2007 Mike and his wife transferred back to San Diego CA. Scripps Health gave Michael an opportunity for a wonderful "day gig" in their Corporate Real Estate Department. He is in the process of organizing the San Diego 5to9 Jazz group along with working with over six separate music stores in the area to continue bringing his trumpet teaching to the San Diego area. Michael also is starting to work on his research to become a Certified Music Therapist this year becoming a volunteer for the Music Therapist staff at Scripps. 

Email: honkinsince72@cox.net

Phone Number: (858) 863-3370