From a musical family, Boris became the church piano player at the age of 13. He developed an interest in classical music and was drawn to the soulful spirituals of the African Americans. He had a light bulb moment when he heard a young uni student playing blues on the church piano.

By the end of high school he could play all of Abbey Road side two and most of Sergeant Peppers and Rubber Soul however Billy Preston had already taken the piano job with the Fab Four so he decided to study the bassoon. His future was assured.