▁ ▁Thanks ▁to ▁his ▁music ▁teacher ▁Richard ▁Wilson , ▁he ▁had ▁his ▁first ▁gig ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁ 1 4 , ▁playing ▁sa x ▁and ▁key boards ▁in ▁a ▁jazz ▁band ▁at ▁the ▁Tul sa ▁Y M CA ▁with ▁Robert ▁and ▁Charlie ▁Wilson ▁( sing er ), ▁Ken ▁Col lier ▁and ▁T roy ▁Hans on . ▁Since ▁then , ▁he ▁has ▁performed ▁all ▁over ▁US ▁and ▁abroad ▁working ▁with : ▁ 8 0 2 , ▁A ish a ▁Wonder , ▁Ash ford ▁& ▁Sim pson , ▁Baby face ▁( mus ician ), ▁Blood stone ▁( band ), ▁Bob bi ▁Hum ph rey , ▁Craig ▁Harris , ▁D ion ne ▁War wick , ▁Gary ▁Bart z , ▁Gary ▁By rd , ▁Imp act ▁Re pert ory ▁Theatre , ▁Jay - Z , ▁Jeff ▁Red d , ▁Mary ▁J . ▁Bl ige , ▁N ile ▁Rod gers , ▁Re ver end ▁Run ▁and ▁Ro berta ▁F lack . ▁He ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁very ▁few ▁pian ists ▁having ▁performed ▁with ▁the ▁god father ▁of ▁avant - gar de ▁jazz ▁Or net te ▁Cole man . ▁ ▁Te vin ▁Thomas ▁co - w rote ▁the ▁song ▁" R a ise ▁It ▁Up " ▁with ▁Jam al ▁Joseph , ▁Charles ▁Mack ▁and ▁ ▁I MP ACT ▁Re pert ory ▁Theatre , ▁who ▁performed ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁film ▁August ▁R ush . ▁“ R a ise ▁it ▁up ” ▁was ▁nominated ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁O sc ars ▁in ▁the ▁Best ▁Original