As a scrawny young lad Sasha's mom sent him to classical piano lessons while his father played boogie-woogie and blues records at home; somewhere in-between the classical lessons and learning-by-ear from the recordings of Albert Ammons, Johnnie Johnson and James Booker, Sasha began bugging local Northern Californian musicians like Johnny Otis and Stu Blank to show him their way of playing music. At the time, Stu was playing dark hole-in-the-wall bars that were difficult for Sasha to get into because of his age. Stu would help Sasha sneak in through the back door and let him sit in only to be kicked out by the bar tender after a song or two. These were formative piano years and Johnny and Stu took a liking to him and Sasha soon became the little piano kid playing all of the hot venues and festivals around town. After releasing two instrumental CD's by age 15, receiving flattering reviews from national music magazines like Blues Revue and Blues Access, local radio DJ and concert promoter Bill Bowker noticed Sasha and started to book him and spin his tunes on KRSH. One of his tunes even became the theme music for the daily events announcement. Sasha soon branched out to San Francisco playing at the San Francisco Chronicle’s 4th of July Waterfront Festival and the Monterey Bay Blues Festival.
At 17, Sasha apprenticed with Tom Waits and Les Claypool at their respective recording studios. The experience opened his eyes to a lyrical process he had never ventured towards. Later that year Sasha packed up and went to school at CalArts for music in Los Angeles and began writing in a whole new way from the formative years. He played piano in the CalArts Country Band indulging in the sweet sounds of Hank Williams Sr., Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and, occasionally, Hank Williams Jr. He also played piano in Charlie Haden's CalArt's Liberation Orchestra.
Before departing CalArts, Sasha formed a band and has since been playing all over California, opening shows for artists like Maria Maldaur, The Ditty Bops, Lavender Diamond, and Eric Bibb. Firmly rooted in Los Angeles he divides his time playing his own shows, supporting major label and indie artists as a session player, and composing for TV/Film.
Sasha has shared the stage with Randy Newman, Devendra Banhart, Ariel Pink, Sinead O’Conner, Johnnie Johnson, Jimmy McGriff, Roy Rogers, Norton Buffalo, Tommy Castro, Michele Shocked, Roger McGuinn, Johnny Otis, Maria Muldaur, Doyle Bramhall I and II, and Marvin Hamlisch. He has performed at many festivals and radio stations including SXSW (supporting Jesca Hoop), The Monterey Blues Festival, The SF Chronicle Waterfront Festival, The Morro Bay Harbor Festival, The Sonoma County Blues Festival, and the Sonoma County Folk Festival, KCRW, WXPN, KRSH, KPIG and NPR.