about/bio

AJ is a fiddler and multi instrumentalist based in Minneapolis and touring regionally and nationally with various projects. AJ grew up in a musical Wisconsin home, grandson to a church organist. He latched on to the fiddle at age 10 after picking up an instrument his dad left sitting around the house. He taught himself to play, skipping class to hide away in his high school orchestra’s practice rooms to spend as much time with the instrument as possible. As a teen he started performing with his dad’s band and other area musicians. After moving to Minnesota to study violin repair, he resettled in Minneapolis where he has become an active member in the vibrant local old time and bluegrass scene. 

His deep fascination with the instrument led to an interest in various fiddle styles. Initially drawn to Irish music, he later discovered old time fiddling when his brother took up banjo. Soon after, he met the great Wisconsin fiddler Chirps Smith who introduced him to the lesser known old time repertoire of the Midwest. Other influences on his old time playing include Iowa fiddlers Dwight Lamb and Al Murphy who in turn played with Missouri fiddlers Cyril Stinnett, Lyman Enloe, and Gene Goforth. His fiddling is front and center in his old time bluegrass project Steam Machine and duet project with guitarist and partner Rina Rossi. 

As an old time player, AJ has won multiple ribbons in both individual and band competitions at the Appalachian String Band Music Festival in Clifftop, West Virginia, arguably the country’s largest old time event, and the Mt. Airy Fiddlers Convention in Mt. Airy, North Carolina.

In 2017 he was fortunate to be awarded a John Hugelen Scholarship to study Cajun music in Louisiana. Soon after returning, he joined Minneapolis-based Cajun band the New Riverside Ramblers, where he plays both fiddle and pedal steel. Several years later he teamed up with friends Blake Miller and Amelia Biere to form The Old Fashioned Aces.

As a teacher, AJ has taught fiddle at camps and traditional music gatherings such as the Ashokan Center, the Augusta Heritage Center, Festival of American Fiddle Tunes, American Fiddle Method camp, Minnesota State Fiddlers Association events, the Swannanoa Gathering, and many more in between. He taught one-on-one and ensemble classes to adults and older youth at the Center for Irish Music in St. Paul, Minnesota for many years and continues to teach privately from his home.

While interested in/playing bluegrass for some time, this interest began to take more concrete shape in summer 2019 after he joined a group of young players for a late night open mic at the Minnesota Bluegrass and Old Time Music Association kickoff festival. He’s been developing his bluegrass playing since, with groups including the Alum Ridge Boys and Ashlee and others.

He has contributed to a growing list of singles and albums on both fiddle and steel. He is grateful to be a Minnesota State Fiddlers Association grant recipient and a Folk Alliance Midwest official showcase artist with his band, Steam Machine.