Raised in the Philadelphia area, J.J. began playing piano at the age of 6, eventually training west of Philly and entering various competitions. He later recorded numerous new age/classical style piano pieces in an as-yet unreleased compilation.

He began playing drums at an early age also and studied videos covering a diverse group of players including Dave Weckl and Louie Bellson. He's played drums with numerous bands over the years ranging the gambit from rock to jazz fusion to metal.

In '95, he and his brother founded Divine Rapture which quickly became the primary vehicle for musical expression. He had self-studied in an intense guitar practice regimen since '93 meticulously scrutinizing the likes of Joe Satriani, Trey Azagthoth and other shredders as well as applying knowledge learned from piano. This allowed him to create a unique soloing and rhythm style. There was a short hiatus and Divine Rapture quickly took off in '99 and has since completed three releases, been featured on numerous compilations (alongside such metal powerhouses as Zyklon, Vader and Krisiun), played many festivals, performed with well-known death metal acts (Deicide, In Flames, Mortician, etc) and gained a significant worldwide fan base. J.J.'s primary instrument in this band is guitar. In 2001, Divine Rapture released a promotional cd that garnered worldwide acclaim and was recorded and mixed by Erik Rutan (Morbid Angel/Hate Eternal) and mastered by Colin Davis (Vile). Divine Rapture was signed to Listenable Records in 2003 and released their debut, The Burning Passion.

After the release of The Burning Passion, J.J. played in various bands including black metal band Mourning (on drums), techno/ambient/metal band Azure Emote (session lead guitar and drums) and XXX Maniak (drums).

In '06, J.J. and his brother both joined established metal band Vile from California. His primary instrument in this band is lead guitar. He played a few guitar solos on 'The New Age of Chaos' and has completed multiple tours with the band. Vile has a great reputation in the metal realm and has released three albums on Listenable Records (WORLD) and Unique Leader Records (U.S.). Vile has also toured the world steadily and shared the stage with many other established metal acts including Cannibal Corpse.

In '07, J.J. joined New Jersey metal act Randall Flagg on drums and recorded their debut, Warning: Contains Audio. He has since played live with the band including performances with Powerman 5000 and Rumpelstiltskin Grinder. He also played rhythm guitar with legendary death metal pioneers Monstrosity in a headlining performance at FTC X festival in Germany as well as other dates.

J.J. currently maintains his skills in all 3 instruments and makes himself available for various projects. He has sessioned with and played in numerous acts on major metal labels including Metal Blade Records, Necropolis Records (R.I.P.), Crash Music, Listenable Records, Unique Leader Records, Hammerheart Records (R.I.P.), Conquest Music, Season of Mist - a majority of whom are distributed by Caroline, Big Daddy and other major distributors. He is an ASCAP writer and publisher and a voting member of the Recording Academy Philadelphia Chapter (NARAS). He is involved in a variety of musical endeavors outside of metal as well and is always searching for new ways to expand his musical vocabulary.