Born in Chicago and raised in Southern California, CEJ discovered music at an early age, starting on classical violin before teaching himself guitar by playing along with recordings by Woody Guthrie, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Cisco Houston, Lead Belly, and Sonny Terry. At sixteen, he wrote his first original song, beginning a lifelong passion for songwriting rooted in folk, blues, and Americana.

Inspired by the Chicago blues sound of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, CEJ spent over a decade performing in rock bands and recording three albums before stepping away from the music business to earn a master's degree in social work. While building a career in mental health, he continued making music, eventually joining longtime friend Joel Rafael in the Joel Rafael Band. During their ten-year run, they recorded five albums and shared stages with folk legends including Joan Baez, John Prine, Arlo Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Ramblin' Jack Elliott.

Later, CEJ traveled extensively as a mental health consultant, working with military families throughout the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Africa. Those experiences became a rich source of inspiration for his songwriting.

His solo albums Sleepwalker in Paradise (2013), Clovis Man (2017), Adobe Road (2019), and Friend of the Sky (2020) have received international radio airplay, with Friend of the Sky reaching No. 2 on the 2021 Roots Music Report Alternative Folk chart.

Today, CEJ performs solo, blending folk, blues, and Americana with the warmth, authenticity, and storytelling that have defined his musical journey.