History & Timeline

Don grew up in Concord, CA and began his music career studying classical piano in the 3rd grade. After watching Buddy Rich on television, there was no doubt he wanted to become a drummer. His folks wouldn’t agree to playing drums in elementary school band, so Don settled for the trumpet.

In high school, Don switched to drums and joined the Concord Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps as a snare drummer. At the same time, during high school Don became interested in writing and arranging for the jazz band.

While in college Don was awarded scholarships to the Berklee College of music, the University of Nevada Reno, University of Hawaii Oahu and the newly established Dick Grove School of Music. He also began arranging music for a Las Vegas lounge act and eventually put together an eleven-piece band and went on the road as the musical director and drummer.

Shortly thereafter he joined the 50’s touring group “The Platters” as their musical director, arranger and drummer. After a few years of touring the world with the Platters, Don landed in Los Angeles and began doing studio work at Paramount.

In early 1980 Don moved to San Diego and began gigging with local jazz musicians. He was recording and working with Dwight Stone, Carl Evans Jr., Hollis Gentry, Mitch Manker and other local players who went on to form the jazz group “Fattburger”. Throughout the late 70’s and early 80’s electronic music was just beginning to evolve. Don had always been interested in electronics and began reading about how sounds are created/modified. Reading and studying many of the electronic “cookbooks” of the time, Don began to build black boxes and gizmos for his musician friends.

In 1985 he moved back to Los Angeles and in 1986 became a father for the first time. Don finished his BSEE at Cal State University Northridge in 1991 and landed a job in aerospace with the Hughes Aircraft company. It was through Hughes contacts that Don was first approached to join a small start-up company named Broadcom. Don was selected to join Broadcom as one of the first 50 employees. Two years later Broadcom went public and is now one of the largest semi-conductor companies in the world making communication chips for virtually every connected device. Don is named as an inventor on 39 US patents.

Throughout this journey Don has continued to play and write music, although not professionally. Back in 2013 he decided it was time to release some of his music. The seven CDs released to date he wrote/arranged all compositions, plays all instruments/VSTs, and recorded/mixed all tracks as well. We hope you find something you like . . .