Biography

Due to his father's tenure with the U.S. Army, Al has been afforded the opportunity to travel around the world and acquire a rich musical history! At an early age in Indianapolis, Indiana, he began his formal training through piano lessons and the rest is history. After his father retired in 1984 from the US Army JAG Corps in Fort Lee, Virginia, he moved with his parents to sunny West Palm Beach, Florida where he quickly became one of the top studio players in the city.

Throughout his musical career, he's participated in performances from local rock bands to national jazz ensembles. Al has provided musical support for varied situations - local studio work, jingles, original bands, churches, etc. Recent compositional credits include scores for TV and film that have been featured on "A&E," "MTV," "VH-1," "Bravo," "USA," "The Discovery Channel," "TLC," "Spike TV," "National Geographic," "The Food Network," "The Travel Network," and others.

He can be seen in many different venues across the United States and has been recently been seen sharing the stage with Chuck Loeb, Kim Waters, Alex Bugnon and many others. Currently, he has been recording and touring extensively with violinist Noel Webb. For the majority, Al has been playing jazz and gospel sprinkled with other genres although he enjoys playing and listening to all types of music especially EDM (Electronic Dance Music). Al has been strongly influenced by Ahmad Jamal, Alex Bugnon, Ramsey Lewis, Bob James, (the late) George Duke, Russell Ferrante (Yellowjackets), Joe Sample and Herbie Hancock in his keyboard performances. He states that the band that influenced him the most while growing up was ELO (Electric Light Orchestra).

The development of his unique musical style is a result of a lifetime of musical influence. Being reared in a talented musical family meant that expectations were high and constant exposure to different genres of music was abundant. Having famous relatives such as Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis (Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald) and Nathan East (Eric Clapton, Fourplay, Toto) has always been a driving factor. When asked about this Al responds, “To even come remotely close to the achievements that my family and associates have done would be a dream and a blessing.”

Al's motto: "When I play, I don't like to overdo anything. I try to keep it simple, legible and let the music guide the moment. It's never about how many notes I can cram and how fast I can play in eight measures." He attributes all of his success to God and the people who have been close to him and have supported his career, especially his family. His experience and talent keep him constantly in demand.