Born in Detroit in 1956, I started playing piano by ear at age 2. My classical training began at age 6 for about 10 years. During my early teen years, I enjoyed a wide range of musical experiences, including touring Europe for the first time with Michigan's Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp and occupying the piano chair in the Detroit Youth Symphony for two seasons. In 1975, I joined Stevie Wonder's band just before turning 19 and blossomed there for the next 4 years where I began my career as a studio sideman during the making of the hallmark album, "Songs In The Key Of Life." Later on, I began expanding my horizons by doing session work with various artists. During that time, I also developed my arranging skills for artists like The Jacksons, on their "Destiny" album. For their next project, "Triumph," I was promoted to associate producer. In 1979, I began recording, performing, writing and/or touring with various GRAMMY Award winning artists including Quincy Jones, George Benson, Phil Collins, Chaka Khan, Burt Bacharach, Patti LaBelle, Barbra Striesand, James Taylor, Donna Summer, George Harrison, Mick Jagger, Wynonna, Santana, Yolanda Adams, Paul Simon, Luciano Pavarotti, Mariah Carey, Babyface, Willie Nelson, Christina Aguilera, Eric Clapton, Usher and Ray Charles. I was also music director for the debut solo tours of Lionel Richie in 1983 and Michael Jackson in 1987. Songwriting experience includes Lionel Richie("Love Will Find A Way," "Sela"), Eric Clapton ("Miss You," "Tearin" Us Apart," "Feel So Free"), Boz Scaggs ("Desire"), Al Jarreau ("Tell Me," "Sticky Wicket"), Earth, Wind and Fire ("I've Had Enough") and Neil Diamond ("Stand Up For Love"). In addition to being a co-writer of that song, I had the pleasure of co-producing an additional song with E/W/F's Maurice White for Diamond's "Headed For The Future" album. In the early 80's, I recorded two solo albums: "Significant Ganes" and "Pulse". Neither album achieved commercial success but they are reportedly cult classics in Borneo. Each year of my 30-year career has brought about at least one highlight: 1985 was special, thanks to "The Color Purple." I not only performed on the soundtrack produced by Quincy Jones, I am featured in the film in the famous "Jook Joint" scene. In 1988, I received the ASCAP Pop Award for co-writing Lionel Richie's "Love Will Conquer All." I began 1993 by participating in the Inaugural shows for newly elected President Bill Clinton; one of which included me in an all-star band featuring Chuck Berry and Little Richard, and the other, allowing me the honor of performing with Bob Dylan and Tony Bennett – among many others. In 1994, I played in the orchestra for Barbara Striesand's greatly anticipated comeback shows in Vegas. In 1995, I took part in the PBS televised "Concert Of The Americas," featuring a variety of artists from Gloria Estefan to BeBe and CeCe Winans performing for the Presidents of every Latin American country. And in 1996, I experienced the piano chair in the orchestra for the 68th Academy Awards, conducted by jazz legend Tom Scott and produced by Quincy Jones. I am greatly blessed to have been involved in some of the greatest recordings in contemporary music. My personal favorites include the "We Are The World" event, Anita Baker’s "Compositions," Quincy Jones’ "Back On The Block," Donald Fagen's "The Nightfly," Earl Klugh & George Benson’s "Collaboration," Michael Jackson’s "Thriller," Paul Simon’s "Rhythm Of The Saints," and Eric Clapton’s "Journeyman." Another one of my favorite projects is the NARAS sponsored "Songs Of The West Side Story," with brilliant performances by the likes of Selena(in her final recorded performance), Kenny Loggins and Little Richard, where I am listed as an arranger and player. I was privileged to be music director for the late-nite talk show "VIBE," hosted by Sinbad, which debuted in August of 1997. Quincy Jones, the show’s executive producer, personally requested my involvement. The final year of the 20th century started out "Wonder-fully" for me with two exciting music directorial events: the Super Bowl Halftime Show featuring Stevie and Gloria Estefan and the MusiCares' annual event with Stevie as 1999’s "Person of the Year." To end that same year, I signed on as co-music director with Herbie Hancock and an all-star band for another tribute to Stevie; this time for the Kennedy Center Honors segment featuring Smokey Robinson and Diane Schuur with Take 6. On New Years Eve 1999, I participated as an associate music director in a show celebrating a most unique moment: the dawn of a new century! Contained in this 3-hour epic called "America's Millennium" was a wide range of musical styles from Broadway to Hip-Hop. With artists including Tom Jones, Kenny Rogers, the cast of Stomp, Bono, Kathleen Battle and Jessye Norman with special guest conductor John Williams, hosted by Will Smith and produced by Quincy Jones and George Stephens, Jr. Truly, this was the 'once in a lifetime' event! In the fall of 2001, I was reunited with Michael Jackson as music director for his segments on the CBS special, "Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration, The Solo Years" at Madison Square Garden. Another historic reunion was made that same year when I joined Eric Clapton to complete the final two legs of his "Reptile" World Tour, with shows in South America and Japan. To begin 2002 with something completely different, I took on the triple challenge of being musical director, vocalist and actor in Patti Austin's musical, "On The Way To Love," which debuted in Sacramento. The play, which featured my arranging work on most of the songs, was loosely based on Patti's life story. As of June 2003, I became a touring member of the GRAMMY Award winning supergroup Toto; this was a personal request by David Paich, who started the band 25 years ago with the late Jeff Porcaro. Since then, I have been officially made a full-time member of the band! In May of 2004, I was music director for Quincy Jones’ epic “We Are the Future‿ event, featuring artists from the Middle East as well as Europe and the US. Some of those included Alicia Keys, Josh Groban, Kazem Al Sahir, Zucchero, Andrea Bocceli, Juanes, Angelique Kidjo and Carlos Santana, with whom I had the honor of singing lead on "Black Magic Woman." The most recent projects I can be found on include the All-Star Tribute to Luther Vandross and Herbie Hancock's new "Possibilities" cd, where I co-produced the tracks "When Love Comes To Town," featuring Joss Stone and Johnny Lang and "I Just Called To Say I Love You," featuring Raul Midon and Stevie Wonder. In addition to the new Toto album, "Falling In Between," I am involved as music director/producer for various charity and televised events, such as the 'Society of Singers' Tribute to Elton John and Patti LaBelle's All-Star Tribute television special in the Bahamas.