About me
WHO I AM
My relationship with music stems from my father showing me how to play records as a boy.
Originally from the north west of England i studied a Culture and Belief Systems degree at Greenwich university in 1991. Whilst at uni in late 1993 bought a pair of 1210’s and learnt how to play vinyl. Playing at union bars and clubs following my first gig in March 1994.
In 2000 i began working for Swag Records in Croydon, on the shop floor and later inputting vinyl snippets of records digitally and adding the write-ups of releases to sell via the online shop.
After a brief period of sound engineering bands at various venues in South London i began to turn my focus to teaching in 2010. After a successful taster session at a local secondary school, running a vinyl workshop for ten 15 yr old boys, i found myself work through an agency and was employed going around the M25 providing workshops for various state and special educational needs and care facilities. It was during this time that i decided to study for a music educator certificate at the british academy of new music.
In 2011 i setup and ran Grooveschool DJ and music production sessions for the Music4Children charity. These included entry to intermediate level DJ lessons for which i would also provide live performance opportunities at the end of each term.
Since starting out I have provided varying setups of DJ workshops, including an 8 deck in the round installation with Shiva Fesharaki, in which we provided an experience for 2 sets of 24 young people from local south london schools as part of a London Music Masters project.
I have also set-up and ran workshops internationally for Last Night a DJ Saved My Life Foundation and i currently also provide DJ lessons in Neurodivergent colleges in London as part of enrichment programmes.
The DJs i have taught at Grooveschools afterschool programmes have gone on to play gigs at various venues around London and worldwide.
I am a qualified music educator and so i am able to provide these lessons for all ages and abilities. Private, educational and community groups.
Of the pioneering workshops i have set-up and taken part in enabling in 2013 through the Sound Connection charity i was able to run an introduction for SEND students.
And then in 2022 i was approached by the Deaf Rave charity to run the World’s first DJ sessions for deaf adults.