Schools–

Ph.D., English, Northwestern University.
MFA., The Writing Seminars, The Johns Hopkins University.
B.A., English, Northeastern Illinois University.

Recent Work–

Creative Nonfiction

The Velvet Lounge: On Late Chicago Jazz. Columbia University Press, 2005.

Essays/Creative Nonfiction–

“Naked Specks of Living Matter: H.C. Bastian and the Origins of Me.” The Yale Review
95, 1. ( January 2007)

“Le Serpent Qui Danse.” The Georgia Review LV1V, 3 (Fall 2005): 649-671.

“Monstrosioso.” Brilliant Corners 9, 2. (Summer 2005).

“Batterie.” Brilliant Corners 9, 1. (Winter 2004).

“Intuitive Research Beings.” The Yale Review 93, 1 (January 2005)

“Dreaming of Roscoe Mitchell.” The Georgia Review LV11, 3 (Fall 2003): 482-507.

Poetry–

“The Creation of Pharaoh Sanders”;”Ben Webster, Considered as a Suit of Clothes”; “Rex Stewart Telephone” Brilliant Corners 13, 2 (Summer 2009).
“Julius Hemphill Portrait.” Brilliant Corners 9, 1. (Winter 2004).

“Nocturne, Miles: Mute.” The Journal, Spring 2003.

“Dizzy’s Fez.” Field, Spring 2003.

“First System of Don Cherry” and “Richard Abrams Fragment.” Callaloo 25.3
Fall 2002).

Conference Papers

“Narrative and Innovation in Will Alexander’s Sunrise in Armageddon. American Studies Conference. University of Warsaw. Warsaw, Poland. May 19-24 2007.

“Gentleman, Gift, and Narrative in Charles Dickens’ ‘The Italian Prisoner.” Dickens, Victorian Culture, Italy Conference. Universities of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.  June 12-15 2006

“Confessing Contagions in Joseph Conrad’s Early Novels,” Confessions Conference,
University of Provence, France, March 14-17 2004.

Awards–

Notable Essay of 2004 (“Batterie”) selected by Robert Atwan, Best American Essays 2005.

Notable Essay of 2003 (“Burn: A Memoir”) selected by Robert Atwan, Best American Essays 2004.

Finalist, 2003 Associated Writing Programs Competition in Poetry: Jazzed, selected by
Cornelius Eady.

2003 Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Award for Poetry