Andy grew up in Derbyshire, UK with obligatory Sunday family listening sessions fostering a resentment towards Jazz since it was such a fixation with his folks. His rebellion was through mainstream radio and TV, becoming a big fan of Top of the Pops but as years went by, it became clearer that it was all relative and Jazz was a maternal hub. Emigrating to Clarendon, JA in 1974 and living there until 1976 was an eye-opener. His horizons were further expanded by the Soul, R’n'B, Funk, and early Disco carried by Miami broadcasts, not to mention late-night outings with Uncle Clive to hear Mr. Brown’s sound system in Blackwoods showcasing the hottest deejays of the period with selectors spinning wax hot off the press!

His arrival in TO in ’76 looked promising for a high school rookie heavy into b-ball and nyabinghi, being the year of both the Montreal Olympics and Bob Marley’s “Babylon by Bus” tour. Uncle Earl passed the leftovers to him after refilling his club’s jukeboxes and he felt instantly at home with the abundance of West Indians in his area. His years at Parkdale Collegiate, with its rich ethnic mix, were crucial in shaping his musical preferences
and the Jazz journey continued with activity in alternative radio for over 20 years. Most memorable was a trip to West Africa to document the Griots, from which he returned nourished and eager to hear various polyrhythmic sounds from diverse cultures.

Having spent countless hours, days and months archiving music from all over the world on every medium from audio cassettes to digital video over the last 3 decades, Andy’s wealth of musical knowledge and material is immense. It is this intimate relationship with the pulse of life that has seen him sharing the decks at clubs and festivals all over Europe and in Canada and the US with luminaries like Mr. Scruff, Quantic, Keb Darge, Nickodemus, Rainer Trüby and Bugz in the Attic, all while holding down innumerable Montreal residencies and parties, including legendary monthly The Goods with co-resident Scott C. A professional educator by trade and a founding member of MFSB, Andy continues to school the masses while they shake their asses!