Gus graduated from the University Of Oregon 1983 with a Bachelors degree in music. Piano and flute were his main instruments in college, but his professional work has also lead him into organ and digital keyboards. For the last 25 years he has been teaching and performing almost every musical style imaginable: jazz, latin, classical, blues, rock, country, gospel, broadway, and funk.
As a soloist, this Eugene pianist plays regularly at LaVelles Wine Bar, playing classic jazz, standards and New Orleans piano. He has provided music for weddings, open houses, corporate parties and rehearsal dinners for years. As a group leader, he leads his own trio in the tradition of the classic jazz piano trio. His quartet features vocals and guitar, steeped in the classic jazz tradition, and adding some funky blends into the mix. As a side man he currently plays with The West Coast Rhythm Kings, The Streamliners and The Lyn Burg Quartet. He has performed at the Bumbershoot, the Crystal Ball Room, Portland Art Museum, Portland Blues Festival, and the Hult Center for the Performing Arts. He has been a featured artist at the Hinman Winery Jazz Festival, Art in the Vineyard, Chateau Loraine, and many festivals through out the Northwest.
Gus has been on staff at Project One Audio, a recording studio, since 1988. His duties include composing, arranging, and engineering. He composed music for the documentary “Pre Fontaine: Fire on the Track”; theater trailers for Dolby, which are shown in theaters worldwide; the film “The Independent”, and many sports and educational videos. His work at the studio has kept him up to date with MIDI, electronic music production, Pro Tools, and sound-design. As a session musician he has played on numerous CDs, including recordings for Blue Moon, Don Latarski, Barbara Healy, Eileen Hemphill-Haley, Beth Singer, The Revelators and Brenda May.
Gus has also been a piano teacher for over 20 years. He has been an adjunct professor at Lane Community College since 2002; and teaches privately through his own studio focusing on jazz, blues, gospel, New Orleans and contemporary keyboard styles. Theory, classic repertoire, listening and ear training are the basis of his teaching approach; followed by reading, and performing. Current students range from beginners to working professionals.
