lˈeɪɾɚ hiː bɹˈiːfli ɐtˈɛndᵻd nˈuː jˈɔːɹk jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ænd ɛkstˈɛnʃən pɹˈoʊɡɹæmz æt ðə nˈuː skˈuːl, ɹˈʌtdʒɚz, ænd dʒjˈuːɪlɪɚd, fˈɑːloʊd baɪ ɛkstˈɛnsɪv pɹˈaɪvət mjˈuːzɪkəl stˈʌdi ɪn dʒˈæz ænd ˈɔːɹkᵻstɹəl pɚkˈʌʃən.
Later he briefly attended New York University and extension programs at The New School, Rutgers, and Juilliard, followed by extensive private musical study in jazz and orchestral percussion.