Guitar man

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Dr Jesse Becker from K1 Dental in Melbourne says his daily music practice makes him a better, more relaxed dentist.

“I’ve played music and written songs since I was 13, but I kept it to myself for a long time. That changed when I met Alan Gray at dental school in Dunedin, NZ. He was studying music production and insisted I start recording. We used the University of Otago’s recording studio to put together an album as Thomas & Gray, and that got me out of my shell.

“I now record under the name Thomas Aardwolf. The stage name is about separating my ‘real self’ as a steady-job dentist from the more creative musician. Thomas is my middle name. I came across an amazing short essay on the Aardwolf, an African wild dog, that was very cleverly written. I thought it was unique. 

“My sound is indie folk. It’s mostly storytelling about love, loss, and growth. I love Beck, Wilco, Iron and Wine, and The Shins, and I’m just trying to write my best replica in my own style of those greats. 

“I wrote the song Whiskey Waltz on my most recent album as a three-quarter times signature, so it’s a waltz. I had the guitar part for a while and was enjoying a bourbon and the lyrics just hit.

“I still play music every day, and I can’t go a day without listening to it. I live in Melbourne partly because of its music scene. It’s a big part of my life. I still perform at open mic nights in Windsor and St Kilda, but not nearly as often as I used to. 

“I’m a third-generation dentist. My father is a retired specialist prosthodontist, and his father was a dentist in Denver, Colorado. Growing up in that environment was paramount to my decision to pursue dentistry. 

“This profession can be stressful, and people outside the industry don’t always understand its complexity. Having a creative outlet is important. Playing music calms me and stimulates my creative side.

“I moved to Australia after graduating in 2011. I started on the Gold Coast, which is where I met my wife, Jessica. Yes, Jesse and Jess. I wrote and recorded a song I sang to her at our wedding. It’s not on the album; that one is just for her. 

“Music definitely makes me a better dentist. My hand skills are directly linked to my guitar skills. It also makes me more personable and helps me connect with patients. I sometimes catch myself singing under my breath in the clinic, and patients laugh with me about it. And listening to good music makes the whole environment more pleasant.

“For me, dentistry and music work really well together. They balance each other out.” 

Dr Becker’s most recent album, Whiskey Waltz, is available at thomasaardwolf.bandcamp.com