 Educated at Solihull School he began playing trumpet at the age of 14.Largely self-taught, his style spans New Orleans jazz, swing and cool jazz but most typically evokes the pre-bop era of Roy Eldridge and Oran Page although his concert performances regularly combine works from the early jazz repertoire of gospel and blues with contemporary compositions.He has performed with and accompanied Ken Peplowski, Peter King, Bruce Turner, Dick Morrissey, John Crocker, Slim Gaillard, Jools Holland, Neville Dickie; Kid Sheik, Clark Tracey as well as mainstream entertainers Jimmy Edwards and Judith Durham.