Ask John Woolridge to describe himself and he will tell you: "First I'm a husband ... a father, I'm a musician… Music is one of the loves of my life … teacher, a pastor. I wear several hats, according to my passion and my purpose."

Surprisingly he puts musician third on his list. Because outside of the world of church where he's a minister of music and a pastor, Mr. Woolridge is known as possibly the best jazz pianist in Bermuda.

His steadfast refusal to play in venues where alcohol is sold has kept his immense talent a secret to the wider music-loving public.

His first ambition was to be a doctor, he says. He was born in The Incubator on North Shore, Devonshire, and attended Elliott Primary School, then went on to Saltus on a scholarship.

He thrived there, he says, singling out music teacher Bill Duncan and Headmaster and English teacher Roy Haygarth for praise.

One gave him a thorough grounding in music theory and the other a love of poetry, especially that of William Shakespeare, John Donne and Wilfred Owen.

These served him well in his evolution into a composer/lyricist.

Young Johnny started off as a drummer in Christ Church's Boy's Brigade Band, blissfully unaware of the talent lying fallow within him.

His father had a good voice, he remembers, and used to play around with tape recorders a lot. But there was no piano in the home.

When he asked his mother for one, she told him he'd have to work harder. He did, and got a bursary to attend Saltus.

His understanding of music was somewhat naive. "I used to voice like this," he demonstrates on a studio keyboard. "After studying with American pianist Gary Diel who played in Gandhi Burgess's band, I voiced like this …"

Again he demonstrates, this time sounding like the sophisticate modern that he's become. Friend and jazz enthusiast

Keith Dubois turned him on to Oscar Peterson, McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea and especially Keith Jarrett. "Boy!" he says, raising his eyebrows.

Even before he left to study at Boston's famed Berklee College of Music he was playing keyboard and arranging for a young outfit that called themselves "Shades of Grey".

"I was writing arrangements for three horns and flute," he remembers.

After graduation, the then 24-year-old found himself on the podium conducting for Joy Blackett's production of 'Porgy and Bess'.

Further success came his way when as director of CedarBridge Academy's Show Choir he took his charges to a Southern music competition.

Under his guidance the choir won the title Best Show Choir and Best in Show, performing original music from Mr. Woolridge's pen.

During a stint at Alabama A&M, where he did a Master's degree, he found himself in great demand as he had mastered the emerging technology of the workstation, a keyboard that permitted the user to compose and record.

He was often called on to furnish backing tracks which he created on the instrument for singers.

He's never striven for a big hit, although it's more that obvious it is well within his possibilities.

Just as he gave up playing in clubs, incidentally noting the number of bright lights extinguished by the pitfalls of "the life", he remains committed to living a life in balance, holistic, spiritual and integrated.

He appears to have all parts of his life in balance.

Mr. Woolridge married his sweetheart, Donna, and they had three children, Charanne, Chaona and Chamarie.

They are now proud grandparents.

But there was a dreadful tragedy some 20 years ago, on a Palm Sunday; five-year-old Chaona, who had Down's syndrome, in just five unsupervised minutes disappeared.

Although they raised the alarm when it became clear to them that she was indeed missing, and exhaustive searches were made of the seaside property where they lived in St David's, the little one was never found. She had vanished without trace.

Their profound faith and music helped them through their loss.

"I wrote this," says Mr. Woolridge, sitting at a keyboard in the studio where our conversation was taking place. He sings and plays a moving song, "Until We Meet Again", that he wrote for his departed daughter.

"Music is my nose ring! You can lead me around with music," he says.

People also find their way to him when they want a special project done.

He was commissioned to write a song for Dr. Marion Robinson's retirement, and quite recently a member of Women of Substance directed a friend who had a project in mind to John.

He is visibly excited by it and speaks of 'birthing' it, going to sleep and waking up with it on his mind.

Although somewhat secretive about it and the folk who commissioned it, he does let on that it will be a music video, and will feature several Bermudian artists, young, middle aged and older.

It is a positive anthem extolling Bermuda's traditional values, and is called 'Proud to be Bermudian'.

Mr. Woolridge, whose recording studio Just Platinum is on Joell's Alley between Church Street and Reid Street, has also turned his hand to videography, and believing as he does that there are no barriers an artist cannot overcome, has already had some success in this genre, having turned out a superb ad for the Women's Resource Centre on the subject of physical abuse. Mr. Woolridge scripted, shot and scored the project, and is lining up the elements for new project.

A modest man, for all his talent he insists: "I'm not a perfect person, I've had my ups and downs…"