Carl was inspired by rock and roll, Dixieland and country music on LP records collected by his father although he was drawn to boogie woogie through a school friend at the age of 15. Carl grew up close to the city of Southampton but in 1988 had the opportunity to travel to the USA. This initial visit to New Orleans inspired him to relocate to that city where he would spend the next nine years. In 1997, feeling the need for a change, Carl relocated to Southern California. He joined Big Sandy & His Flyrite Boys, the well-known rockabilly & western swing group & toured with them for over three years.

He has a vast knowledge of the various piano styles of the boogie woogie trio of Ammons, Lewis and Johnson, together with earlier and obscure players. He is equally at home with stride and ragtime, attending festivals all over the world. While he possesses the necessary vocabulary to pay tribute to the greats of old, he refuses to limit himself to this & prefers to let each performance be an opportunity to say something new. Whether playing solo or with his trio, Carl's playing displays an infectious spontaneity, providing plenty of surprises for the listener.....