Raised in the mid-western industrial town of Decatur, Illinois, Stan's musical beginnings were as a drummer in his high school jazz band. He and his fellow MacArthur High band members won numerous awards and accolades, including two Down Beat Magazine student recording "DeeBee" awards for best high school jazz band in 1981 and 1982. In '83 the band performed and recorded one of his songs. After high school, Stan attended Illinois State University as a music composition major. He studied with the international award-winning composer Roque Cordero and jazz under James Boitos. During this period, he composed numerous classical and jazz compositions including a string quartet, brass quintet, piano trio, and several pieces for the jazz band. He also co-founded the ground breaking fusion band Abstract Notion.
After college, Stan moved from central Illinois to Minneapolis. Shortly thereafter, he became involved in numerous recording projects. Working as cocomposer and keyboardist with international New Age harpist Marnie Jones, Stan's music propelled Jones' CD Divine Blush into Billboard's New Age chart in 1991. It reached number 19 and remained on the charts for 14 consecutive weeks. In the winter of 1991, Stan joined the European tour band of Ingrid Chavez, protégé to Prince. In 1997 he graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior.
On Stan's first solo recording project, Distance, Stan channeled all of his eclectic musical experience into a uniquely stylistic recording. Included on the CD is a new version of Peter Gabriel's "Mercy Street", enthusiastically approved by Mr. Gabriel. This CD was nominated by the Minnesota Music Academy for best instrumental recording of 1996. In 1998 he released his second CD “Sweet” which is a realization of years of research and determination to combine his two loves (paleontology and music) together in one inspired work.
Since 2003 Stan has taught music theory at Hennepin Technical College. He also immersed himself in writing music for film, and is currently working on his second film score. Currently he is performing with the Jazz quintet “Urban Cadence” as well as his own compositions as a solo artist.
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