Music has always been in my family and in my blood. My Mother and two sisters studied and played piano and my father played the violin. At an early age, my Dad began teaching me violin. I practiced, but eventually lost some interest in the instrument, as the comedian, Jack Benny, was the only celebrity I knew of who played this wonderful string instrument.

I really did not have a fervor for another instrument until the summer of 1968, when we left our home in Ft. Smith, Arkansas to move to Pittsford, New York. About three weeks before leaving, a friend playing a guitar on his front porch intrigued me. I learned that he performed with a gospel band. I never knew he had this talent, but he showed me some simple chords.

Shortly, after coming to Rochester, I began guitar lessons and began jamming with numerous musicians here and in Kentucky for the next 7 years. While in my first year at Kentucky State University, I heard my first real taste of Blues guitar from the dorm room next door. An Indianapolis student was playing Johnny Winter's first album. I was enthralled with those powerful but soulful guitar lead lines, as well as the molten Harp (harmonica) of Walter "Shakey" Horton. I enjoyed listening to "Randy", a fantastic AM Blues station out of Galveston, Tennessee. Another great electric Blues guitarist comes to mind... Jokingly, I once expressed to a fellow Prelude to Calculus student that one might benefit from listening to "one of those Psychedelic albums" in order to, better understand that ethereal, mathematical maze. Arbitrarily, I selected Jimi Hendrix' "Purple Haze" album. The album was so unconventional, it helped me think and perceive in a novel way. When I lost my fear of the Calculus, and realized its beauty, everything began to fall into place.

In the summer of ' 69, I worked with a maintenance crew at Kodak Office. Two buddies and I drove to Bethel, New York ( Woodstock). After two wet and muddy days, there was a rumor circulating about cancellation of the balance of the festival due to wet equipment. We left early and missed Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix.

In ' 71, I began studying at University of Kentucky College of Dentistry. My first main guitar was a walnut stained Gibson SG. It had great tone, looks and sustain. I used a Pignose amp to drive a transistorized Acoustic amplifier. Again, a fellow student exposed me to a quantum leap in musical revelations. From Lexington, Bob, his wife, and I drove to Louisville to experience Robin Trower, a true master of phase-shift / flanger tone coloration. Bob also turned me on to Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush, who seemed to keep those Hendrix fires burnin'. I traded the Gibson for a sunburst Fender Stratocaster, and gravitated further into using effects like the Cry Baby wah wah pedal and the MXR Phase 90.

Brass Construction, Kool and the Gang, James Brown, Mandrill among many other R&B / Funk bands were also sources of incredible influence. I also gained a respect for some jazz artists like Pharoah Sanders, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk.

By 1978, recording my own music had become a hobby. Initially, I employed a Syncasette, a two- channel cassette recorder. I experimented with simple percussion instruments, vocals and acoustic guitar. An example of the various, generic implementations can be heard in "Melancholia", where I employed a floor mounted, sock covered microphone; creating a bass drum effect while tapping my foot. Three microphones positioned at different areas, plus experimental mixing produced an interesting organ- like sustain which (found accidentally recorded on the 4th channel) I patched in and out throughout the "Forever Loved" mix. Many early recordings employed the CR-68 rhythm machine, as being able to play with a live drummer was a scarcity. Now, many years later, one can hear this Techno Pop percussion in some modern music formats.

At long last, I teamed up with two explosive musicians, Kenny Payne (drums) and Al Frazier (bass) in 1979. There was immediate friendship and musical chemistry. We gravitated to Jazz Fusion and Funk. We named the trio, Jazzmine. "DI Meola's Mood" was an extended interpretation (jam) of a song by Return to Forever. We recorded quite a lot onto a 4- channel Teac. Some of the time Kenny and I would play if Al were not present. With Kenny on drums, I would play bass. I would follow up with guitar(s) and / or vocals on other tracks and produce a composite as in "New Waves", "Carry Me", "Time Travel", and "Stress and Strain".

Chaos Matrix came to be in 1994. It was comprised of Mike Houser (vocals), Mick Reyes and eventually, Ryan Liddle (drums), Matt Scheidt (bass), Herb Heins and myself (guitars). This band was chock full of talent; performed quickly and often at such venues as Friends and Players, Milestones, St John Fishers (Localpalooza '93) and several other clubs. "Chart Six Moa" is one of several songs whose title is comprised of the letters that spell Chaos Matrix. The primary band produced two original CDs; songs written by Herb Heins and Matt Scheidt. A third CD was produced by a downsized band comprised of Ryan, Matt and Herb. I relished the ability to explore alternative scale modalities along side of the rapid-fire renderings of Herb Heins. There is nothing like the thrill of performing with a progressive band.

Although there are many more songs, I chose these for my first CD because they offer a wide spectrum of playing styles and feelings. Most of this music lay dormant and unheard for up to two decades. I finally, felt it was high time to share it with all of you. I hope you enjoy it. I'd like to thank Matt Scheidt for his diligence and expertise in engineering this CD.

Although my main focus throughout this excursion has been my devotion to my family, practice / patients, friends and community, I have always tried to find time for one of my deepest passions, music, in all of this TIME TRAVELED.