Brian is Visiting Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at Colgate University in Hamilton, NY. He received his Doctorate in Musical Arts from the University of Illinois, with research uncovering the flamenco origins of Miles Davis’s landmark album Sketches of Spain. This research has been presented at conferences for the Jazz Education Network (JEN), the International Society of Jazz Arrangers and Composers (ISJAC), and the Society for American Music, in addition to colleges and cultural institutions throughout the Midwest. He is the leader of in-demand local ensembles including the Fiddle-Sax Fusion Band, the Illinois Flamenco-Jazz Collective and the Iron Post Jazz Orchestra, and ensembles under his leadership have performed at conferences for JEN and the North American Saxophone Alliance. Brian’s compositions for big band have been recognized by the Ithaca College Jazz Composition Contest, ISJAC, and the Texas Community College Band Director’s Association, with compositions with classical instrumentation recognized by the Source Song Festival and commissioned by the Covenant Arts Grant. Brian has held teaching positions at the University of Illinois Springfield (Jazz Enemble Director and Saxophone Instructor), Lincoln Land Community College (Music Appreciation and Saxophone Instructor), Heartland Community College (History of Popular Music), the University of North Texas (Jazz Arranging and Saxophone), Brookhaven College (Instructor of Saxophone), and Tarrant County College (Music Appreciation). As a member of UNT's One O'Clock Lab Band, Brian has performed alongside jazz luminaries Sean Jones, Andy Laverne, and Stefon Harris, headlining at the Apex Jazz Festival, Bass Performance Hall, McDavid Studio, and the Next Generation Jazz Festival. Outside of the classroom, Brian has enjoyed the opportunity to perform with top ensembles such as the Brad Leali Jazz Orchestra, the Keith Karns Big Band, and the Afro-Caribbean Jazz Collective, in addition to appearances alongside Professors Chip McNeill, Larry Gray, and Dr. David Moony, as well as Congolese Gospel performer Jean-René Balekita. He has also enjoyed composing a wide variety of commissions, including a cantata for choir and strings, a piece for children's choir, and big band works for ensembles around the world.