Winter 2025~
Finished my 14th album "Treefort Dreams."
Compiled a 13th album "Ravines."
More concerts and writing
Some goofing around with video or 'visualizers' for some of tunes. (YouTube)
Background~
I am a school counselor with a passion for helping people make the most of their lives. Seeing students --seeing anyone, for that matter--grow, overcome challenges, and reach their personal goals inspires me. I am currently serving at the elementary school level in Boulder County, Colorado, where I've lived since 2005.
I have worked in the education field, mostly as a school counselor, since 1996. My work experience spans public and private, middle and high school, and the university levels. I became a National Board Certified Counselor in 2001 after earning my M.Ed in 2001 from Loyola University Maryland.
My academic interests revolve around school counseling, leadership, organizational and Humanistic psychology, mindfulness and music history.
A week after graduating Loyola College in 1996, I starting teaching psychology in Bangkok, Thailand at Assumption University (ABAC). This was immediately after graduating college and the experience changed my life in many ways. During this time I traveled widely through Thailand, Nepal, China, Tibet, inspired by the mountains and some of my literary heroes. My interest in Buddhism led me to many monasteries in the forests, mountaintops, valleys wide and far - including Huangshan, Emeishan, the Base Camps of Mt. Everest and Annapurna. I returned to Maryland after two years of teaching in order to start my Master's Degree in Education, which I earned in 2001.
Between 2003 and 2005, I completed graduate studies at Johns Hopkins University and Loyola University Maryland. I was lucky to study under Dr. Bradley T. Erford and Dr. Fred Hanna; the latter taught progressive classes on meditation, transpersonal psychology and existential counseling. Fred had a permanent, positive impact on me, personally and professionally.
In 2014 I completed a graduate certificate in Organizational Leadership at Mercyhurst University in Erie, PA. During this time I researched transformational leadership, organizational change, and the role that mindfulness can play in improving the health of the individual, and workplace. It's amazing to see mindfulness embedded in schools, such as in many across Boulder Valley School District. I find hope when I see kindergarten students practicing mindfulness, something I did not practice until college and beyond.
My hobbies include writing and recording music, exploring, hiking, and climbing to mountain summits. I've written more than 100 songs, self-produced 12 CDs, and published chapters in 4 pop culture and philosophy books. My musical heroes include Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Jerry Garcia, Robert Hunter, Tom Petty, Dean Wareham (of Luna), and Steve Kimock. Steve Kimock, who co-founded Zero, is my favorite guitarist and musician after Jerry Garcia. I've seen him play live more than 100 times. His music is transcendental. Here's a good sample tune. Kimock and Zero greatly inspired my recent CD "Sonoma," which is an ode to Marin and Sonoma County California. That area is captivating and inspiring to me ~ it deserves documentaries and books, one of which I aspire to write.
My wife and I have a wonderful son and together we enjoy Colorado's treasures.
As I look ahead, I am hoping to self-publish a memoir and begin a short piece on the early days of one of my favorite bands ~ Zero.
Be well.
In December of 2021 I released a collection of largely instrumental songs called "Atmospheric Rivers." Consider buying a copy.
My 2011 essay on yoga's role in public education can be found in the book Yoga: Philosophy for Everyone. Feels a little outdated !
I also wrote a chapter for the Devil and Philosophy. It was interesting to explore the way the Devil has been portrayed in pop music since the 1950's, which was the object of my study. You can find the book on www.amazon.com.
In June of 2020 I released "Sonoma," a short collection of songs inspired by Marin and Sonoma County in California. Long live this beautiful region which has inspired me for 20 plus years. This album is unique in part because there is a fair amount of slide guitar and open tuning. I traveled back to this area in December of 2019 in order to further mine my mind and the space. What a treat to see shows at The Sweetwater in Mill Valley and Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael after glorious excursions during the daytime with family!
In April 2016, I released "Colorado Love", a collection of tunes honoring the beautiful state of Colorado and the various forms of love. You can buy it here:
In April 2017, I released "Summer Hawk." It's a 9-song theme album of mostly instrumentals, including 2 impromptu explorations with the famed Kirill Kireyev.
In late March 2018, I released "3 Streams." It too is a 9-song album, with a mix of instrumentals and tunes with lyrics. Pick it up here!
"Mountain River Folk" came out in 2012. It's a salute to the people and music of the same name. Get your copy today by clicking here.
The Lotus Years was recorded in December 2011 and remastered during the June of 2020. It's a collection inspired by The Beat Generation writers and Buddhism, and more specifically from my years in Southeast Asia.
Snapshot of Freeman Studios 2021