▁ 1 9 5 8 ▁in ▁J ama ica , ▁Queens ▁to ▁jazz ▁viol in ist ▁Peter ▁Com po ▁and ▁Broadway ▁actress ▁Fa ith ▁Dal try ▁Com po . ▁He ▁grew ▁up ▁surrounded ▁by ▁music ▁in ▁O ss ining ▁NY . ▁ ▁His ▁father ▁recorded ▁and ▁performed ▁with ▁jazz ▁artists ▁like ▁Z oot ▁Sim s , ▁Duke ▁Jord on ▁and ▁Lion el ▁Ham pton ▁and ▁his ▁mother ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁cast ▁of ▁P lain ▁and ▁F ancy ▁on ▁Broadway . ▁His ▁grand father , ▁Joseph ▁Dal try , ▁founded ▁the ▁music ▁department ▁at ▁Wes ley an ▁University ▁and ▁his ▁grand m other , ▁Fa ith ▁M err iman , ▁was ▁a ▁sop rano ▁with ▁the ▁San ▁Francisco ▁Opera ▁under ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁Ga et ano ▁Mer ola . ▁ ▁He ▁studied ▁music ▁at ▁his ▁father ' s ▁school , ▁Com po ▁Conserv atory . ▁At ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 6 ▁Com po ▁began ▁playing ▁in ▁and ▁around ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁with ▁fun k ▁bands , ▁club ▁bands , ▁and ▁tour ing ▁old ies ▁acts ▁including ▁The ▁In k ▁Sp ots ▁and ▁The ▁Plat ters . ▁ ▁Professional ▁career ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁he ▁moved ▁to ▁New ▁York ▁City , ▁where ▁he ▁met ▁Harry ▁Smith . ▁Com po ▁composed ▁music ▁for ▁Smith ' s ▁Film ▁Number ▁ 2 1 , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁for ▁live ▁present ations ▁of ▁Smith ’ s ▁anim ations ▁at ▁the ▁Film ▁Mak ers ▁Collect ive ▁and ▁Anth ology ▁Film ▁Archives . ▁In ▁