He has had a
deep love for music from the moment his heart began to beat.
Music lessons on the guitar began the summer before his freshman
year in high school and to date have taken place for 9 and 1/2
years. The teachers he has studied with are Kevin McGrath, Dan
Imig, Mike Morrelli and currently Frank Singer (ordered from first
to present). Justin has attended Taylor Guitar worshop/clinics
with guitarists such as Beppe Gambetta, Mike Keneally, Steven King
and Chris Proctor. Also he attended a Steven King Guitar
Seminar held at Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania. He
also worked on his music minor during years spent at Clarion
University of Pennsylvania. During this time he had a chance
to study music theory, music history, guitar, piano, percussion and
strings. In 2004 he began attending interactive djembe clinics
with Jim Donovan the drummer of Pittsburgh's Rusted Root.
During high
school he occassionally would get together with friends to
play. At college Russell Phillips and Justin began to play at
various on campus open mics. Soon they came into contact with
Brent Gutzwiler, and formed a music group. They would play
weekly at the Coconut Grove. This was a bar located in
Clarion. The three of them would host an open mic there every
Wednesday. Once in a while they would play at the towns coffee
shop, Michelles Cafe. They played under the name Hand Bag
Dropping. Along the way other friends were made and eventually
turned into the current project of Speaking Gaiwiio.
For three
semesters starting in the fall of 2004 Justin played with a group at
the First Baptist Church in Clarion, PA. This group was
the worship team. They provide music on a weekly basis
for the church's contemporary service.
In recent years he has had
the opportunity to record at three different music
studios:
Midtown Recording
Studios - Erie,PA
Grizzle Cat Place Studio -
Erie, PA
Sugar Tree Studios -
Warren, PA.
Current musical involvements include
styles of rock, jazz, funk, root, reggae, folk, country. jam and
african rhythms.
Justin, currently maintains several web
sites such as one for Speaking Gaiwiio at myspace.com/SpeakingGaiwiio ,
one for Sugar Tree Production at myspace.com/STreeProductions and
also a personal link at myspace.com/jvoty .
check
out Speaking Gaiwiio on
myspace
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