The composer presents his exciting small jazz ensemble's debut release with 'ASR RECORDS titled: "The Awakening".

In the fall of 1996 Doug transferred his musical studies to the University of DC where he was under the tutelage of the late great Calvin Jones. While at UDC Doug became the second recipient of the Felix E. Grant fellowship award. This award is a very prestigious award not given out regularly and is given solely based on individual talent. It was under Calvin Jones that Doug was made aware of his incredible and unique composition and arranging abilities. Professor Jones often shared with Doug how his use of harmonic and melodic tools are reminiscent of the same tools used by Duke Ellington, Quincy Jones and Thad Jones. Upon completion of his undergraduate studies in 1999, fall 2002 Doug enrolled into the Jazz Studies program at Western Michigan University. It is here that Doug studied with jazz greats such as Trent Kynaston, Dr. Scott Cowan and Tom Knific. During his time at WMU Doug was awarded the distinct opportunity to participate in a few residency programs including the prestigious Betty Carter Jazz Ahead residency in April of 2004. Upon completion of his Masters degree in music spring of 2005 Doug will further his career and studies in the field of composition while continuing to be an all around performer, clinician and educator of music.

Today, Doug leads several musically diverse groups. Those groups include an exciting jazz quintet and sextet, a very powerful and dynamic Gospel music ensemble and a new and very exciting culturally diverse jazz orchestra called the Band of Brothas where Doug is the Chief Conductor, composer and arranger. The compositions, performed and recorded by this group on his debut release with 'ASR RECORDS titled: "The Awakening", also show Doug's fundamental understanding of the jazz tradition, but also displays his uniqueness and originality as a composer, orshestrator and arranger.